Page 10 of Queen of Wrath

There! That wasn't so bad, was it?

I congratulated myself. That was until almost everyone in the establishment stopped what they were doing to turn and look at me.

If I had the ability to shrivel up and die, I would have done that right on the spot, but I made sure to keep my head held high as I walked up to the bar.

The tavern itself was huge inside, and consisted mostly of wood. It was filled with about sixty fishermen and other people who looked equally weathered and rough.

I could feel their eyes burning into the back of me as I leaned over the counter to get the bartender's attention. “Excuse me.”

I commanded his attention with my stern words, and he turned his head, looking surprised at me for a moment. I thought that was strange considering I didn't recognize the man.

He gave me a slight smile and made his way over. He looked at me so intensely that it made me nervous.

My heart began to pound in my chest and the only thing I could do to relieve it was focus on the way he wiped down the glasses.

“What are the odds?” The smile stretched wider across his face. His voice sounded incredibly familiar, yet I couldn't pinpoint why.

“Do I know you?” I raised my eyes to his, giving him a look relaying my confusion. That was when I recognized his warm brown eyes. “Oh! Emory Blake, was it?”

He looked at me so warmly, the way an old friend would. “You remembered.”

“It's difficult to forget someone who once accosted you at a party.” I leaned my head to the side, scrunching my nose sarcastically up at him.

This drew a laugh from him. “Fair enough. I am still sorry about that, you know, but I'll make it up to you now. Whatever you want, it's on the house.”

“I'm not here to drink. I'm looking for someone.” I remained focused and determined, even as I watched his expression deflate.

“That's unfortunate.” He pouted a bit as his eyes lowered to my lips, focusing on them for a moment before snapping back up to my eyes.

“Not like that!” I blurted out. “I'm looking for someone named Dai.”

His eyes reverted back to playfulness. “That I can help you with.” He pressed his elbows into the counter, leaning closer to me and pointing his finger across the tavern. “The tall woman with the pink hair and all the tattoos standing next to that table… That’s the person you're looking for.”

My eyes followed the invisible line his finger made until it locked on Dai. She stuck out like a sore thumb, which made me hesitate for an instant, for sticking out is the opposite of what I was aiming for with this.

I looked back at Emory and gave him a grateful nod. “I guess I'll see you around.”

“I hope so.” His voice deepened, and his eye contact was unrelenting. It was as if he was trying to tell me something.

I furrowed my brows in confusion as I left the bar to make my way over to Dai. She noticed me walking in her direction after only a few steps.

She squinted her eyes at me before turning entirely to face me with her arms crossed and her feet spread apart in a power stance. “Can I help you with something?”

I raised my fist to my mouth and cleared my throat. “Are you open for business today? You come highly recommended.”

She scoffed as her eyes looked me up and down. “I think you're lost. Why would someone like you want a tattoo from the likes of me? There are plenty of artists in the city that would be more than happy to take your coin.”

I hated that she saw me as different from her. The truth was, we were the same. I didn't belong with those people in the city. “I don't want them. I want you. Whatever you're charging, I'll pay double.”

Her ears perked up, and she set down her drink on the table. “Now you're speaking my language. Come with me.”

She motioned for me to follow her.

I didn't realize how tall she was until she walked past me. She had to have been easily over eight feet. Every one of her footfalls caused a reverberation through the weak floorboards beneath my soles. She was magnificent.

I followed her to the back of the tavern behind the curtain. There was a little room with a padded mat in the middle of the floor.

“Take a seat,” she demanded as she went into another room.

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