Page 77 of Beneath the Cursed Veil

“And what does, handsome?”

“Leaving.”

“You’re free to go.”

“With Meera.”

“Ah, see, that’s going to be a problem.”

“Excuse me? I fail to see how that’s a problem.” Meera waved her hand toward me. “He’s here. I’ll hitch a ride back to Brumlow with him. No need for your services, so no need to pay your exorbitant price.”

“See, that’s where you’re wrong, princess. You accepted my food and drink, seated so graciously at my table. And you think you can just get up and walk away? That’s not how things are done in Faerie.”

“We’ll pay you for the meal,” I said, watching a bouncer carefully as he moved to block doors. The chatter in the room had shifted to a softer hum as everyone listened in on the tense situation we'd found ourselves in.

“I don’t think you want to do that,” Meera said to me softly, pulling her hands back from the table and setting them in her lap.

“Oh, he wants to,” Irene replied, not taking her eyes off me. She took a new cigarette from a silver case and tapped it twice on the lid. Bringing it to her lips, the man next to her lit it without being asked. After she blew out a cloud of smoke, she continued. “He just doesn’t know the price yet.”

Corvo sat in the middle of the table, curling his black tail around him tightly. He patted a pear-shaped bottle, scooting it across the table, nearing the edge. It was such an annoying habit of his. “Things are all so tense here. Can’t we all just get along? You could take turns scratching my chin. Wouldn’t that be fun?”

“Not the time, Corvo,” Meera grumbled, scrubbing her hands down her face. It wouldn’t be long before he would get temperamental. He was a cat, through and through, and he disliked it when people ignored him.

“Your princess here was just about to make a deal with me,” the madam said.

“I was not!” Meera stood up quickly, gesturing to the second balcony. “You were going to force me into prostitution, you twat. That’s not a deal. That’s trafficking.”

My fists clenched, the sound of my leather gloves creaking at the pressure. The tension in my jaw pounded in my ears as I gritted my teeth to keep from losing control. The simple thought enraged me. Knowing that was exactly what would have happened had I not shown up was about to send me spiraling.

“It’s business,” Irene said flatly.

“Screw your business,” Meera spat, her eyes glowing a brilliant green I’d seen before. Before I could stop her, that sweet and sultry voice issued a command. “You’re going to let us leavenow.”

Irene glared at her, her cheeks reddening with anger. “Bad move, princess.” She rapped her knuckles on the table twice.

Fuck.

Meera realized her mistake too late. Irene couldn’t be persuaded. She was either immune, rare as it was, or paid a pretty penny to a witch for a talisman that would do thetrick—and even Meera wasn’t strong enough to break through.

Bouncers closed in on us, and I sighed. Corvo bounced across the table surface, knocking the tray of food as it clattered, and the contents went flying in different directions. The pear-shaped bottle tipped over the side, crashing onto the floor as he darted under the table.

A silver glitter exploded into the air, fanning across the room like a dust storm. Meera barely had time to register what had happened before the shimmering flecks settled over every inch of her exposed skin, peppering her face like freckles before she sneezed and cursed.

“Oops!” Corvo meowed, and honestly, he didn’t sound the least bit sorry.

The patrons scrambled to get away, hiding behind the bar or banging on locked doors.

A man twice Meera’s size went after her, and she held her hand out, yelling for him to stop, and this time, her compulsion worked. I grinned. “Stay close,” I said to her quickly.

When a bouncer took a swing at me, I moved out of the way, his momentum causing him to lose balance when he missed. Grabbing him by his arm, I reared back, smashing my knuckles into his face in quick successions. Blood sprayed from his broken nose as he stumbled backwards, crashing into a table. A pitcher of ale tipped over, spilling across the wooden surface before pouring onto the floor.

Two more came for me, and with one swift kick, chairs went flying as a bouncer flew across the room. His cohort tried to sway to the side, and I grabbed him, yanking him close enough to wrap my hand around his neck.

“Wait, wait, wa?—”

I squeezed. “Enough of this.”

His muscles flexed beneath my fingers as I lifted him, slamming him against one of the inn’s brick pillars. His feet dangled, claws scraping uselessly at my grip. I watched as his eyes rolled back, his face darkening to a sickening shade of purple.

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