Page 48 of What Is Dark Within Me

A rumbling moan caught her off guard, and she looked up in alarm, searching the memories of her first day in this realm. “If Bonnie is Bounty, and I was Wrath, then…?”

“Lust. Amicia is an aspect of sexual pleasure. She was close to several of the Dark Saints who’ve moved on from the Hiding Place. Garm thinks she might have more information. I want you to find out what she knows about them. Three have been missing for some time. Merit, Orla, and Roland. What you might think of as Sloth, Envy, and Pride—Roland replaced me as a Dark Saint after I became the Knowing One.”

“You wantmeto find out? Why?”

“Have you noticed how you always seem to be hungry around Bonnie? How your fire is tied to your anger? Every Dark Saint’s gift manifests in different ways. You’ve always resisted Amicia’s charms. Flirt with her a bit and you’ll have her wrapped around your finger.”

Aleja stopped in her tracks, which, unfortunately, put her right next to a door with several people panting heavily on the other side. “Wait, what? I’m not some femme fatale, Nicolas. The last time I went on a date, I felt so bad for the guy I ended up paying for both our dinners and offered to ask one of my classmates out for him.”

Nicolas turned to her, that crooked smile back on his lips. “You’ll be fine. You two were friends, once. She’ll be eager to see you.”

“Wait,” Aleja said again, stuck in place as he turned down the hall. “Didyouresist her charms?”

It wasn’t as if she could pretend Nicolas was unattractive; both humans and Otherlanders alike must have pursued him, but she wasn’t sure why the thought of it made her feel like someone had struck a match against her skin.Dreams. She would only think about that sort of thing in dreams, she promised.

“Of course.”

“Oh?” she pressed, as her brain screamed ‘drop it’. Aleja had no business wondering about the Knowing One’s sex life, even if there was a portrait of them hung over the bed with red silk sheets that practically begged people to screw on them. She hadn’t been exaggerating about her last date. Men in the magical world usually wanted to get close to her because of her family’s reputation. Men in the mundane world were morbidly curious about the missing girl’s best friend.

“Amicia has always been a friend, nothing more, and she’s not the type to make unwanted advances. I was a married man, remember?” he said.

Aleja’s ragged nails curled into her palm. “Oh, good. That’ll make it less awkward if I decide to jump into the orgy.”

An orgy? Where has this Aleja been all along? Do you have any idea how boring it usually is in here?said her voice.

It looked as if Nicolas was about to speak, but he turned, leading her through another hall before they came to a set of double doors. These doors were carved like many others in the palace. She squinted toward a tiny set of people arranged in a way that didn’t seem physically possible.

Shimmering burgundy fabric draped the surfaces of the room beyond. She’d half-expected the need to step over a few writhing bodies, but the people making out on the rug scrambled away at the sight of the Knowing One. A woman lounged on a chaise as she delicately sipped a glass of red wine. Her low-cut lavender dress generously exposed her tanned skin, the fabric so sheer that her dark nipples were obvious beneath it. She wore her pale hair cropped close to her head, emphasizing the curve of her long neck.

She smiled as she caught sight of Aleja, her painted lips opening to reveal teeth that curiously lacked any points—a trait that usually distinguished the fey. Perhaps, unlike Bonnie, Amicia had never been human.

“Darling!” Amicia sighed, rising on the chaise. “I’d heard you were roaming these halls again, but of course, Nicolas has been keeping you to himself. Not that I can blame him. Come here. Let me look at you.”

At the warm tones of her voice, Aleja felt like she was sinking into a hot spring on a snowy night. It wasn’t a stretch to imagine why so many of the Saints had enjoyed Amicia’s company. Aleja took a few steps forward. The other people in the room gave her passing glances, but to be fair, she was the one who had interrupted what was apparently a very fun time.

“Still cute as a button,” Amicia said. Her eyes were such a bright green they reflected in her wine like two fairy lights. “And don’t worry. Garm has informed me of the situation with your memories. If you’d like a little reminder of why we were such good friends, feel free to stop by without Nic any time.”

“‘That’s a nice offer. Maybe I’ll take you up on it,” Aleja said. Was that flirting? Maybe that was flirting, she thought to herself. Look at me. I’m a regular seductress.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, her voice chimed in.

Amicia gave Nicolas a good-natured eye roll. “I know you didn’t bring your lovely companion here without good reason. So, out with it. Tell me what you’d like to know so that my friends and I can get on with our plans for the day.”

Damn, I was just getting good at the whole aloof beauty act too, Aleja thought. If Nicolas answered, they’d all have to endure a round of cryptic Otherlander dialogue before getting to the point, so she spoke before he could. “We’re looking for information about the missing Dark Saints. Merit, Orla, and…” Aleja floundered for the last name.

“Roland.”

Amicia bit her lower lip, and Aleja understood why this Dark Saint had to be contained to certain sections of the palace. She was certain the heat between her legs was not caused by the strangers groping each other behind the sheer curtains.

Something inside of her clenched when she glanced back to see that Nicolas had his infuriatingly elegant fingers curled under his annoying sharp jawline. Fingers that might have once slipped inside of her while she moaned his name.

“Merit has been traveling in the human realm for a time, but he still checks in with me now and again. Perhaps he can be convinced to come back now that Our Lady of Wrath has returned to us. As for Orla and Roland, I can’t say, and don’t give thatI’m your leader, answer meface,” Amicia said, looking at Nicolas. “You know what we value here, even when our leadership changes. Orla and Roland had good reasons for taking their leave. Even if I disagree with those reasons, I will not be chasing after them.”

The gaps in Aleja’s knowledge were like canyons too wide to be traversed. Her eyes flickered from Nicolas to Amicia, who took another sip of wine.

“At least, answer this. When Orla and Roland left, did they take anything with them?” Nicolas said.

“A few trinkets from the war, I’m sure. If you’re suggesting they’ve acted against the Knowing One, you’re asking the wrong person. They knew I remained loyal to you,” Amicia told him.

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