“I’d get you one closer to the front, but this is all we have. Unless you want to wait about fifteen minutes. This okay?”
I nodded while wiggling out of my soaked coat. The material sighed beneath me as I slid down into the red pleather booth.
“Your waitress is Mandy. She’ll be over in just a minute.”
“Thank you.”
She smacked her gum and smiled before walking away, sashaying her hips. She certainly had her role down.
I scanned the room one more time to make sure no one had taken any interest in me before taking a peek at the menu. I’d eaten a lot of the items listed, but never in a diner. I hoped the food was good here. My stomach growled in agreement.
“Hey.”
I jumped and stared up at Ephrem, who was just as wet as I was. He looked confused for a moment before sliding down into the seat across from me.
“Geez, you scared me. You might want to make more noise when you sneak up on someone.” I breathed in a calming breath, feeling my heart still pumping like mad. Ephrem hadn’t been there a minute ago. In fact, he hadn’t even been in the diner a second before I looked at my menu. How did he do that?
“I apologize. I tend to be silent. I’ll make sure I stomp all the way down the aisle next time.”
He shook his coat off and shoved it to the side. The shirt he wore was black with a light gray skull pressed into it. “Death is but the beginning” was written above it. I wondered where he’d gotten it. It definitely complimented his arms and chest, fitting snuggly over them.
I ripped my eyes from him to stare at the glossy menu once more.
“What’s good here?” I asked.
“Oh, you know… same old stuff. Burgers are always good. I love their meatloaf. I suggest getting a sandwich or burger. Those are always safe. With fries of course. Maybe a BLT?”
I stared at the menu for a minute more before the waitress arrived. After we ordered, we sat in silence, listening to the jukebox as it played “California Girls” by The Beach Boys. I quietly tapped my fingers on the glossy surface of the table, wondering what Ephrem was thinking. His hair was sticking up in spikes, wet and stiff. His face still had a light sheen of rain where he hadn’t wiped it away with a napkin.
He was definitely handsome. I could see more of his features in the light of the diner than in his apartment or the workout gym. He was older than me, but I didn’t know by how much. The few lines on his hardened eyes told me he’d seen a lot of action in his lifetime. I’d seen the scars lining the skin of his chest and back during training, and each one held a story I wanted to know. He’d finally told me what I’d begun to suspect, that he was a prince and not a lesser royal, but that had only raised more questions that wanted answering.
All these questions flew through my mind while the silence between us felt a tad uncomfortable. I hoped he wasn’t a man of few words. He seemed more at ease in his own home than out here in the open. It was probably because he was on guard every second out here, but I needed someone to talk to right now. I’d been dying inside myself, screaming for answers, and had to get it all out. It was the only way to feel lighter and more focused.
“So… did you find anything about Elise today?” I asked. I hoped he had. I hadn’t run into any clues around town or noticed any odd behavior from anyone. I also hoped I wouldn’t run into anyone who’d recognize me. I’d even pulled my hair away from my face, but without makeup, I looked younger and less refined. Not completely different, but I hoped it was enough to hide my identity. I’d bought hair dye at one of the stores just in case, and now my normally brown hair was a pleasant dark blonde.
“I found a few leads.”
I waited a few seconds for further explanation. He couldn’t really leave me hanging like that, could he? “What sort of leads?”
That was the moment the waitress plopped our drinks in front of us. I was having a hot tea and a glass of water while Ephrem had a large cup of coffee in front of him.
“The kind that require a lot more footwork.”
I flicked my eyes up, confused. “What?”
“You asked if I had any leads and what kind. I just said they were the kind that required more looking into.”
“Oh.” I frowned and stared down at my tea. “Can I help?”
“You need to go back to the apartment. No sense in looking for anything more today. Forecast says more rain, and it’s getting stronger the longer we’re here.”
“Does the rain ever stop here?”
Ephrem stared at me in disbelief. I wondered if I’d said something off.
“What? Do I have food on my face?” I asked.
“No. It always rains here. You do know this place is cursed, right?”
I stirred my tea, feeling foolish for forgetting common knowledge. “I forgot.”
“Well, you need to remember everything you’ve been told about the neutral area between strongholds. The Outlands of Temple are cursed. Yes, it’s a large city and thrumming with people, but it’s also a supernatural focal point. A vortex of some sort that attracts people. Normal and supernatural alike.”
I gulped. “So it rains here all the time. Why would anyone want to stay here?”
Ephrem rubbed his face, scratching his chin.
“Look, I don’t know how much they’ve told you, but like I said, it attracts people. It attracts all sorts of unsavory people too. That’s why it’s dangerous to go traipsing around this place at night. Actually, it’s not safe at any time. No one leaves willingly, either. This place is like… I don’t know… like the strongest magnet in the world. It draws you in, latches onto you and never lets go. People are warned to never come here. Only those of superior supernatural powers are ever able to break the hold it has over them.
I stared at him in horror. “What? Are you saying I’m stuck here?”
He frowned, letting his eyes drop down to his coffee as he added sugar and cream to it. Stirring furiously, he took a moment before answering me.
“Technically, yes.”
“I can’t stay here forever. I need to get out of here and do something with myself. I’ve been shoved out of the only place I’ve ever known, and I can’t even go back. I’m not staying in this shithole a moment longer than I have to.” I was furious that I’d never known these things. This was the kind of stuff one should be told. Especially as a royal.
“And what do you mean by ‘technically’?”
Ephrem’s smile lit up his face, and I realized how much of a prankster he really was.
“What the hell, Ephrem? That’s not funny!”
“You should’ve seen your face!”
I crossed my arms and stared at him, giving him the stink eye.
“Look, I’m sorry,” Ephrem offered while reaching across the table toward me. I jerked away, on the verge of strangling him. “I didn’t mean the part about being stuck here forever. You can leave whenever you want.”
“It wasn’t funny.”
“I know. Look….” He settled back and ran his fingers through his thick black hair. “What I mean is that it can have that effect on you if you don’t find the talisman. Our supernatural blood helps us remain immune to this place. People can visit and be okay, but the humans who live here… they never leave. They’re too weak.”
“Sucks for them,” I mumbled.
“Yeah, it does.” He fell back into his silence again, and I wondered why we’d wasted our time today. If it was raining every day, why bother going anywhere?
“I have no idea how I’m going to find it.”
“Did your friend… err… did Elise every mention the Outlands to you?”
I shook my head. “No. She never broke character. She was that damn good. I can’t believe she managed to become my best friend and fool me so easily. I was so stupid.”
“You weren’t stupid. It could’ve happened to anyone.”
“Not me. I was the most paranoid of them all back home. I didn’t take anyone’s shit. She got to me. Me. Of al
l people, she got to me. I’m a fucking failure. Now you and I are going to die if we don’t get the talisman back. I’ll never be able to go home.”
Tears prickled in the back of eyes again, and I wanted to run from the booth, but that was the precise moment the waitress arrived to plop down our food. I tucked my chin into my chest and refused to look up until the woman left.
“I have my connections looking for Elise in the MarkTier stronghold.”
I perked up at this and gave him a hard look. “Do you think they’ll find her?”
He shrugged, wiping his face with his napkin. “I don’t know, but once we have a lead, we’ll go there ourselves and find her.”
My eyes widened. “You mean go into the MarkTier palace? Me?”
He nodded. “Yeah. That’s how we get the talisman back. You’ll have to face her. You’re ready, aren’t you? You’re the only one who could shake some sense into her. You know her.”
I swallowed, feeling the air growing tight all around me.
“I—I guess so. It’s just… I don’t know about walking into the palace like that. They’re adversaries of the ArcKnights. I would be public enemy number one there, and I….”
“No one will know who you are. You’ll be okay. I’ll make sure of it.”
I gave him a weak smile and nodded absentmindedly. Walking into the MarkTier palace was probably the first thing on my list of stuff I’d never do. It was going to wreak havoc on my nerves. What if I gave myself away? What if someone recognized me? What then? I would be as good as dead.
“How will you make sure of it?” I asked.
He reached into his pocket and set an object on the table.
“It’s a replacement talisman. Non-magical, of course, since it belonged to my great-grandfather, and the magic faded when he died. But since all the MarkTier royalty wear one, I have to be seen with it on. It won’t pass a close inspection, but few people outside my immediate family have seen my talisman up close. That’s for me to wear so you can keep mine on so you can stay strong.” He reached back into his pocket and set down something else. “And here’s something for you to wear. A ring.”
My eyes widened. Now he had to be pulling one over on me, because I couldn’t believe what I thought he was suggesting.
“A ring for what?” I asked, not wanting to hear his answer.
“You’ll be my wife. We’ll say we got married here in the Outlands and I’m bringing you back home for a visit. They’ll be obligated to accept you, no matter what. Now, there will be questions that you’ll have to answer, so we’ll have to make sure we get our stories straight. We leave in two days.”
I felt dizzy, like the blood was draining from my head.
“You’ve got to be kidding me….”
Chapter Twelve
Ephrem
The walls of the MarkTier palace loomed ahead, towering like giants contemplating on whether to crush us underfoot or ignore us like insignificant specks of dust. I was hoping for the latter. If we were caught, the punishment would be severe for both of us. I’d be permanently banished the same as Lily or worse, and she might be imprisoned for espionage. Everything depended on me convincing the guards that she was my wife. I prayed neither of us cracked under pressure. Well, honestly, I hoped Lily wouldn’t lose her edge. She was a firecracker, but push against her enough and she could shatter. She was more fragile than she thought.
“Identify.” The lead guard at the gate motioned us forward. I could see his eyes flash with recognition as he looked at me, but the spark faded the moment he turned his attention toward Lily. “Master Ephrem, it’s been a long time.”
I glanced at Lily, finding her with a lifted eyebrow as she watched our interaction with amusement. That woman got under my skin without having to say a word. It was something I was going to have to adjust to since we were going to be spending so much time together. I still wasn’t used to having anyone near me for extended periods of time, especially a beautiful, disarming woman. I tightened my grasp on her hand and she returned an affirming squeeze.
“Rolston, so good to see you! Yes, it has been a long time. How are things holding up in the palace lately?”
“All right. Same old shit, different year.” Rolston’s suspicious scrutiny was making Lily fidget. Hell, I could feel a sheen of sweat building on my skin as I tried ever so slyly to appear calm and collected. No matter how many times I came across the gates, I’d never had to lie to enter my own city.
“Sounds about right. Listen, I want to introduce you to my wife, Lila. We just eloped a few weeks back. Crazy, huh?” I slipped my arm around her waist, pulling her close to my body until her warmth encircled me. Her scent filled my lungs as we waited for Rolston’s permission to cross the wall. It was so intoxicating, I felt my heart flip from her proximity. She did something to me. Something disorientating and hypnotic. If Rolston hadn’t looked like he was going to burst out laughing, I might’ve turned to kiss Lily. Never had I been so relieved that we’d picked a name close enough to hers that I wouldn’t stumble on it, much less forget it altogether when she was this close.
“You’re kidding, right?” Rolston shook his head and snickered, amusement dancing in his eyes. “The perpetual bachelor has been conquered? I can hardly believe it, man! Congrats!”
He reached out to shake my hand, and I relaxed as he squeezed it, jovially pulling me away from Lily for a rough, brotherly embrace.
“Thanks. Wait a minute….What do you mean by ‘perpetual bachelor’?” I frowned at Rolston’s assessment of me. I’d obviously kept to myself for far too long if people thought I’d never get married. It was somewhat disturbing to be told such a thing. Had I been so careless with the opposite sex that I’d been labeled a loner? Apparently I had.
“Hey, I’m just pulling your leg. Nice to see you’ve settled down. Pleased to meet you, Lila. Let me tell you, there’s going to be a lot of broken hearts from the ladies tonight. The most eligible MarkTier bachelor is off the market! Congrats! Don’t let me hold you up. I’m sure your father will be dying to see you.”
I could feel Lily’s piercing stare in my periphery. I nodded, swallowing down the desert in my mouth at the mention of my father. “Right. He’ll be thrilled to see us.”
I hoped my voice hadn’t come out as dry and spiteful as I felt. It wasn’t my fault my father and I had always been at odds. My isolated position in the Outlands of Temple was all due to my violation of the rules my stringent father had laid down. It wasn’t an official banishment, and I was still permitted to return to the palace, but it was made known that I was not wanted around. It was impossible to please the man.
“Welcome back!” Rolston waived toward the gate operator on the other side who nodded and proceeded to open the massive metal gate.
“Thank you, Rolston. Nice to see you again too!”
I grabbed Lily’s hand and walked forward, clearing the gate. I was relieved Lily hadn’t said anything to Rolston. The fewer people she interacted with, the better.
“Perpetual bachelor?” She snorted a giggle and cleared her throat. “Do tell. Oh, and don’t leave out any juicy bits about your father, either. He’s dying to see you.”
“Enough already,” I muttered.
She poked me in the side as we continued on. It was early morning, but the streets were already bustling with people. The marketplace occupied the central strip of the palace grounds where traders and sellers could swap wares without entering the center of the city where the royal palace stood. Where my father resided.
“So I’ve got a sort of a reputation with the ladies. Not that I actually took an interest in any of them. It’s not easy being royalty and finding anybody decent. Everyone tends to be so fake.”
Lily mulled over this quietly, and I had to turn to check on her after a few minutes of silence. She looked solemn, as though my comment had brought up something to think about. Possibly something from her own life.
When she spied me watching her, she finally spoke. “I know
what you mean.”
“About what?”
“About people being fake.”
“Yeah, I guess being who you are, you would have to deal with the same thing. Have to be careful with everyone, really. Everyone always has a hidden agenda.”
“Is that why you never married?”
I squeezed her hand and pulled her toward me as a rush of carts sped by. Pressed to the wall in a little indention of a building, I held her to me as the flow of traffic continued. Again her warmth and scent swept my reasoning far from me.
“No. I just never met the right one yet.” I peered down into her shiny brown eyes. They were unusual in coloring, somewhat striated but not enough to be readily noticeable. Regardless, they were enticing.
“How do you know if you haven't?”
I fixated eyes with her. I wanted to kiss her now more than anything, but I held it in and shoved it down further than any thought I’d ever let flutter into my head.
“Well, I suppose that technically I have. I met her briefly, years ago, but….” Lily’s questioning look made me desperate to change the subject. “Come on, here’s our chance to cross. We have to head to the house of a friend of mine. He’ll know where to find that girl who stole your talisman.”
Lily followed behind quietly, never letting go of my hand as we made our way further into the city. I felt sorry for not letting her know the truth about us. About our pasts. Our betrothal. I wished she’d been told, but how would things have been if she’d known? Would she have felt the same way I felt now? I never married or even considered another woman in my entire life because I was betrothed still, in my heart and mind. What my parents had failed to sever completely when they didn’t return our original talismans to us had left us in limbo. We were bound together, no matter what anyone else thought.
I still felt the same way now.
I reached for my talisman only to find the unfamiliar feel of my grandfather’s inactive pendant. Lily still wore mine, and I was glad she did. It was where it was supposed to be, for now. I’d only get it back when she found hers, which had originally been mine. I wished things had been different between our packs. I would have loved to have this woman as mine, and I as hers.