Page 75 of Beneath the Cursed Veil

My lips parted, my mouth feeling intensely dry. Bile rose to my throat, and I glanced around the room, quickly assessing the patrons to see if I spotted Gin and Gertrude.

She waved me off. “Relax. They’re not here, but they’re certainly waiting for you on the road out of town. The one that leads to Brumlow, as a matter of fact, as if they knew which way you’d be headed. In the meantime, they’ve put a reward out for you. Not the smartest pair.”

“Yeah?” I propped my elbows on the table rubbed at my temple, trying to keep her talking while I waited for Vareck to find me. “How so?”

“What could a couple of brownieswant with the likes of you? Someone paid them for you, that’s what. Which means you’re worth much more than they’re offering.”

I had no idea how much money was being thrown around on my behalf, and at this point, I didn’t want to know. I figured it would just give me anxiety. “Is there an option number three?”

“Afraid not, dearie.”

“And if I refuse your offer?”

She pointed at my tankard. “That ale you've been drinking? It's going to make you lose consciousness soon, and then I get to make the decision for you. Guess which one I’ll pick?”

I glanced down at the mug, not feeling at all woozy or like I'd been poisoned or drugged. Since I’d recently been knocked out that way, I was accustomed to the feeling. On the contrary, I felt better with hearty food and a thick ale in my stomach.All I could do was stare at her. Was she bluffing? Was I moments away from falling over?

Corvo’s voice entered my mind again, startling me.“You’re fine. Keep talking.”

“But—”

His eyes flashed quickly, glowing as he wrapped his tail around the tankard again, and that’s when I understood. I was stupid enough to drink without considering the woman in front of me, but he knew who I was dealing with. Desperation had made me careless, and I was grateful he was around. Perhaps I had more luck on my side than I’d realized.

I sniffed, rubbing at my nose before crossing my arms and leaning back. “Something tells me you're going to go for option number one, but something also tells me it's going to take longer than a week.”

Irene winked at me. “Smart girl.”

Shaking my head, I leaned back in my chair a little more, almost tilting it on two legs. “I'm more of a behind-the-scenes kind of girl. You know, like mopping floors and doing laundry.” Which was not a fun thought, but it beat the alternative. I angled my head toward a table to see a woman tracing her finger down a client’s jaw before she planted a lingering kiss on his lips. “The ladies here look like they're really into their job. Which is great for them, but I don't want to.”

“Oh, they're into their work, but you know, sometimes it just feels like work. Not every day can be your best day. That can be said for any job.” She reached into her dress and pulled out a small pear-shaped glass bottle topped off with a small cork. The contents looked like silver glitter. “That's where the pixie dust comes in. They put a little bit of this on their bodies and it makes them feelgood. It’s one hell of an aphrodisiac.”

I felt disgusted by the way she so nonchalantly spoke of sexually enslaving me. “So you give them the choice, yet you want to take away mine? That’s kind of backwards.”

She shrugged. “Money talks, princess. You're a wanted lady and you do have a nice price on your head. But you also have a rather lovely look to you, and I play the long game.”

“I don’t like games, Irene, and I don’t think I’ll agree to the arrangement.”

She glanced at my empty mug with a curl of frustration at the corner of her mouth. With a single angry snap, her bodyguard got up and took a step toward me.

“I wouldn’t do that,” I said, and she held a hand up for him to stop.

“You change your mind and want to do this the easy way?”

“No, I just don’t want your man here to lose a hand.”

He cracked his knuckles and sniggered. “You gonna cut me, girlie?”

“No, but my boyfriend will.”

“Who’s your boyfriend?” Corvo asked, his eyes filled with mischief. I had a feeling he was starting to enjoy this.

The volume of chatter in the room softened, and heads turned to look at the entrance of the brothel. I kept my focus on the leprechaun. A few wolfish whistles pierced the air, women catcalling the newest patron. Turning to glance over my shoulder, I saw a familiar figure walking toward us, lowering his hood.

With a wide grin, I nodded my head toward the king and stared straight into the madam’s eyes.

“He is.”

Chapter 26

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