Page 91 of Beneath the Cursed Veil

Music thumped to a bass, breaking the quiet of night when I opened the door. Inside the dark lit club, blue and purple lights flashed over a crowd. Sweat and sex filled the air, something that might have called to me under different circumstances.

I pushed through the crowd, shoulder checking any asshole that wouldn’t move. The bar was packed, but I squeezed between two girls who were giggling into hot pink drinks that glowed faintly with magic.

“Hey—” one of them started.

“Amelia!” I called, raising my voice to be heard over the crowd. The dark-haired witch whipped around, a Cheshire smile crossing her lips.

“Sadie! I was just telling Meera the other day that she needed to bring you by. It’s been forever?—”

“I’m sorry to cut this short, but I need to find Lou. I know he does business here.”

Amelia slowed to a stop in front of me. “Everything all right?”

I shook my head. She was a load of fun, and a great lay, but I didn’t have time for twenty questions. “I just need to find him. Is he here?”

Her crimson eyes flashed, wariness edging into her expression. Her cheek was indented as she bit the inside and pointed toward the back of the club. “He hangs out at the corner table.”

I nodded. “Thank you,” I called over my shoulder before the crowd swallowed me whole. If she responded, I didn’t hear it.

My blood hummed with violence as I crossed the threshold quickly. It was late, but the shadiest things wereoften done in the dark of night. I’d come here several times already and missed him, but as luck would have it—not tonight.

“I’ve gotcha now,” I muttered under my breath, stepping up to his table, and planting my hands on my hips. The leprechaun glanced up from the cards in his hand, entirely too good-looking for what kind of asshole he was. Despite the cigar hanging from his lips, he smirked.

“Well, well. What do we have here? Sadie Wylde in the flesh. You coming to be dealt in or?—”

“Where the fuck is my sister?”

If he was afraid, he didn’t show it. “I’m afraid I’m not available for business at the moment. Do me a solid favor and fuck off.”

I gave him a deadpanned expression while crossing my arms. “You really want to play it this way?” I scrunched my nose, grabbing a metal rod hooked onto the side of my belt. Knocking my wrist bracers together, the items glowed as I swirled the rod in my hand. I slashed forward, pausing at Lou’s neck just as the head of an axe materialized.

“Where is Meera?” I didn’t enjoy wasting time on trivial matters. “You really don’t want me to ask again.”

The four other men sitting around the table froze. Technically, weapons were banned from being used in The Witching Hour.

But magic? Well, that was fair game.

One of the assholes to his left, lifted a hand. I moved before his fingers could, throwing the axe. The blade grazed the edge of his palm before planting in the wall behind him.

“I wouldn’t try that if I were you.” I lifted both brows, holding up my empty hand. The blade unstuck itself and flew back to my waiting grip. “The next one I throw will take your hand clean off. Good luck growing that back.”

My eyes flicked back to Lou. He watched me with a sour expression. “Why in the nine realms does everyone want Meera? Do I look like your sister? Do I have pretty, red hair that flows down my damn back? No. I’m Lou, the businessman. I don’t know where she is. With the damn king is my guess.”

“The fae king?”

“Is there another king you know of?” Lou chided, lowering his cigar to flick ash into a tray.

I’d suspected as much, but his confirmation helped. While I hadn’t found a trace of my sister, I didn’t come looking for her with a half-cocked plan. If the king took her, I needed leverage to get her back.

“Where’s the prince?”

Lou leaned back in his chair, flipping a coin in the air with his thumb and catching it. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Damon Einar,” I snapped. “Where is he? I know you had her take him. She may not be able to give you away, but I sure as fuck will if you don’t answer. I bet the king would justloveto get his hands on the sleazy fuck who hired my sister to kidnap the heir to fucking Faerie.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “You think you can find the prince, and what? Barter with the king for her?” Lou tossed his head back and laughed, despite the weapon being held inches from his throat. “She and the king looked awfully cozy last I saw. You sure she didn’t just run off to—” I cracked my neck to the side, grabbing for the gun holstered to my back as I pointed it toward the man on his other side who was discreetly reaching for something in his pocket.

“Move another inch. I dare you,” I said in a low voice before turning back to Lou. “The prince. I want a location.”

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