“Me?”
She turned to face me, swaying slightly and clearly a little bit tipsy. “You’re with him.”
“The Devil of Darkvale.”
“Yes.” She nodded, her tone wary.
“I am.”
“Be careful. He is not what he seems.”
“I’ve been getting that impression. But who is he?”
“He’s…you know.” She looked around as if to check that the room was empty. It was so silent that it had to be. “The Impaler.”
A chill raced through me. “Really?”
“Really.”
Did I believe her?
Yes.
I’d already known it, even though he’d never confirmed it. And now I was dead certain.
She was obviously worried about me. Concern radiated from her like perfume. She’d clearly had enough to drink that her guard was down.
“Just be careful.” Her voice was intense. “He has a terrible past here.”
“But it’s in the past?”
“Yes. Long ago, but… those things cannot be forgotten.”
The chill on my skin grew colder. “Thank you for the warning.”
She nodded. “I can show you the back way to sneak out, if you want.”
“Thank you, but I can’t. I am with him for a reason tonight, but I’ll be careful, I swear.”
She nodded, looking unsurprised, and left.
I watched her leave, her pink dress glittering under the light, and was struck again by the thought that drunk girls were the best people on earth.
As I finished my business and tidied up at the sink, I thought of the Devil. Of his many secrets. Of the goodness I’d felt in him when he’d shared his magic with me. But he’d also told me that he was worse than I could imagine.
Which one was the real man?
7
The Devil
Carrow emerged from the corridor. She glowed with an ethereal light that drew me to her, the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen.
I leaned back against the bar and waited for her. The bartender had asked what I wanted when I’d first approached, but I’d made an excuse. I would wait for Carrow. We would need both of our skills for this.
My gaze followed her as she walked across the room. So did the gaze of every other man.
I clenched my fists, fighting back the desire for violence.