Page 102 of Valkyrie Unknown

He gave a terse nod.

Azzie knew where the nearest place was that met our requirements. They got a single room. Conflict spilled inside me. I hated the reminder, that they fell asleep in the same bed as often as not these days, regardless of their insistence they weren’ttogether. On the other hand, I didn’t want Zeke lingering on where I was going. Apparently my outings left more of an impression on him than I wanted, and I hated that I gave him reasons to not trust me.

The hotel was the nicest in town, which still meant barely more than two and a half stars. There was room service, though, which gave me one more excuse to spoil the birthday boy.

“Okay, presents.” Azzie made the proclamation the moment the door shut and locked behind us.

“All right.” Zeke looked excited too.

I was only here to watch, and that seemed a bit awkward. Besides, my thoughts had moved on to seeing Lugh tonight. To ask him what he was doing. To disappointing Zeke again when I couldn’t offer an explanation for where I was going.

“Me first.” Azzie was already pulling the package from Enid out of a pocket that didn’t look like it could be holding more than a few flat dollar bills. She handed something to Zeke that was maybe ten centimeters square and half as tall, and wrapped in bright blue paper with silver foil accents.

Enid must’ve wrapped it, as I couldn’t imagine Azzie going out of her way for pretty wrapping paper.

Zeke was mostly gentle with the paper, peeling up the edges, and folding it before setting it aside. When he was done, he held a wooden box, with what looked like a drinking glass burned into the lid. “What is it?”

“Open it and see,” Azzie prompted.

He flipped a latch on the front, and a small drawer slid out, as if on a spring. “Neat.” He turned the box this way and that, examining it. “I bet I could make one of these.”

Azzie pursed her lips. “Look inside, goof.”

“Oh, yeah.” He turned the box enough to let two glass discs fall into his hand. He held the first one up, and light shone through the brownish red. Etched on one side was a pair of lips. The other was a vibrant green, and had a paintbrush image on it.

Curious.

Zeke’s furrowed brow said he didn’t get it any more than I did. “Thanks, I love it?” He wasn’t convincing. He held the lips glass in front of his mouth, and the other over his crotch. “Is it magic? Can I blow myself? Are you telling me to go fuck myself?”

Azzie laughed. “It’s not a dick, it’s a paintbrush.”

“I knew that, but I wasn’t sure you did,” Zeke teased.

She gave him a flat look, but amusement danced in her eyes.

“She definitely knows what a dick is.” Oops. Did I say that out loud?

Azzie looked me over, eyebrows raised. “I sure do.”

“Hey. I resemble that remark,” I said.

She shook her head and gave Zeke her attention again. “They’re for when you’re drawing. One sits on your drink and the other on your pencil shavings glass—it’s for paint water, but it will work for what you do too. They stop you from drinking-slash-putting shavings in the wrong cup.”

Neat trick.

“No shit.” Zeke examined the discs again, this time with brighter eyes. “How does it work?”

“Magic.” Azzie’s retort had aduhtone to it. “Beyond that, each acts as a barrier to different things. For example, if you put the pencil shaving one to your lips, the glass would stay in place, but hold the shavings over it, and it lets them in.

Zeke turned the mouth disc over and over in his hands. “Okay, that’s fucking wicked. Thank you.” He kissed her on the cheek.

That was new. They were exchanging cheek kisses now? Sure, no one believed theyweren’ttogether except them, but Azzie was militant about the topic. She didn’t show this kind of closeness with anyone.

Zeke didn’t either.

“My turn.” He pulled out his phone, rather than grabbing the bag from the dispensary.

Azzie tilted her head, radiating curiosity.

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