Page 100 of Dark Angel

“I am,” Daisy bristles in her arms, “and you better start talking.”

Kora rears back to look up into her friend’s familiar frown. “About what?” her tone sharpening.

“I’ll be over there.” Clarence tells them and disappears before Kora can question him.

She looks back at Daisy, who has a dark brow arched up at her. “What?”

“You didn’t tell me about your twin brother. About your abilities.”

Kora feels all of her blood draining from her face. Her head is suddenly feeling dizzier. Her eyes flick between Daisy’s garnet ones as she laces their hands together and pulls Daisy into the storeroom of the bar.

They come in here when they want to have a private, undisturbed conversation. The barmaids don’t use it often enough.

Daisy crosses her arms, waiting for Kora to explain as she shuts the door. It’s tight in here and there’s only a small window which barely illuminates the room enough to show the entirety of Daisy’s irritated expression. “I didn’t tell anyone. Only Clarence knows.”

“And Jordan…” Daisy blanches.

Kora groans, rubbing her forehead. “I didn’t plan on that happening. He hurt me in training. He found out because he saw it himself. I didn’t tell you because Clarence told me not to tell anyone.”

“I’m your best friend, you should have told me!” She snaps.

“I know, all right. I know we don’t keep things from each other.”

A flicker of something crosses Daisy’s face. Guilt possibly? Hurt maybe? Kora can’t quite understand what it is. “I can keep a secret, you know.” Daisy breathes out.

Kora nods. “I know you can. I’m sorry.”

Daisy licks her lips, nodding in response before embracing her once more, this time harder, like she’s trying to swallow Kora whole. Her gaze studies the golden blade sheathed behind her, the gilded hilt gleaming despite the dimness of the storeroom. Its energy is overpowering.

Kora pulls away, and Daisy manages a sly smile. “So, how did he distract you?”

“How do you know he distracted me?” Kora asks, her cheeks pinking.

Daisy’s smile broadens. “Because I know you. You fight like nothing I’ve seen before. Your focus is unmatched. And you’re more skilled than anyone else, so somehow, Jordan distracted you.”

Kora bites the corner of her mouth while smirking. “He was shirtless.” Her voice is barely audible.

Daisy’s chuckle is so loud and bubbly it forces Kora to laugh as well. Her friend slings an arm around her shoulders. “I knew it. You fancy him.”

“Possibly.”

Daisy giggles, pushing the door open to the boisterous tavern again. Lewis and Valarie must have arrived while the two of them were in there talking.

“For what it’s worth, I think he fancies you too,” Daisy whispers, winking down at Kora before they head back over to their friends.

“All right, so why did you ask us all to come here tonight, Lewis?” Matthew questions once Kora and Daisy join everyone at the table.

Lewis looks almost nervous, biting the inside of his lip impatiently as his eyes scour the room. “All right. Everyone out the back. I have something to show you.”

Looking at each other questioningly, Daisy and Kora follow the others past the bar, through the narrow hallway leading to the back of the tavern. In all of their years of coming to the Sage, Kora never knew there was a back part.

A battered old door swings open to the small, intimate garden. Stone seats carved amongst the flowerless plants. Candles scattered around the space, alight and flickering gently. There isn’t much of a breeze tonight, which Lewis is grateful for. Violet was kind enough to help him set up the area, using her powers to light the wicks all at once.

“What are we doing out here, Lewis?” Melody asks on behalf of everyone.

Gulping, Lewis tells them all to sit as he stands in front of them, his knee bouncing as he waits for them to settle.

Kora swears she can see sweat sliding down his face he’s that stricken with nerves.

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