Page 24 of A Promise of Peridot
Bleeding Stones.
“Come on,” Mari shouted, dragging me toward the exit and squeezing past men and women clambering to push in farther toward the center of it all, deeper, louder—to be fused together with all the others. Made whole.
We stumbled out of the tavern door onto the now mostly empty street. My dress was sodden with sweat and clinging to me, and I lifted my hair off my neck to cool down.
“That was spectacular,” I confessed. “My ears feel like I’m underwater.”
“Same here,” slurred Mari. The river of ale she drank while we danced glazed her words, while my Fae nature had sobered me up all too quickly.
“Come on, let’s get you home.” I tucked my arm around her waist and walked her back down toward the palace.
“What about the snack?”
“Really? It’s likely one in the morning. Will anything even be open?”
“Of course, Arwen. It’s Azurine!”
“You say that like you didn’t just arrive here today.”
“Let’s go find a lemon custard!” And with that, she gave me the slip, teetering down the street, and swinging open the nearest café door.
“Oh, Stones,” I said to nobody in particular, sliding my sandals off with a wince. The cool street felt divine on my swollen, bare feet. Unsanitary anddivine.
This quiet café was nothing like the lively spot we had just abandoned. There were only two other patrons, a couple in the corner lit by the flickering candle dripping onto their table, whispering and eliciting soft murmurs from one another. One lone barkeep stood behind the counter, and Mari was already perched on a stool before him, digging into a creamy lemon dessert.
I sat down beside her. “Happy?”
“Thrilled,” she said, mouth full.
“Anything for you, beautiful?” The barkeep’s eyelids seemed propped open with effort, as he clearly struggled to stay awake through the late hour.
“I’ll take one, too.” I pointed to Mari’s decadent treat, which she was currently struggling to lick off her arm as it slid toward her elbow. “Let me help you, come here.”
“Don’t you dare!”
A male voice, ragged with distress, rang out into the café. The barkeep kept his head down. That thunderous voice had come from somewhere in the back, behind him. I did a quick scan of the room, but there was nobody else in the place besides the amorous couple, who were now looking up, spooked.
The voice called out again.“I’m begging you, please—don’t do this!”
Mari’s eyes met mine, filled with concern.
“It’s fine. Stay here.”
“I’m not staying anywhere,” she said, face paling. “We should go.” Mari scrambled off her stool, taking the half-eaten custard with her. “Hurry.”
“Please! I’ll do anything!”
I whirled again, my heart finally starting to patter lightly.
“Please!”
The outline of a door stood out to me, concealed with the same sage paint as the back wall. I didn’t think before hopping over the counter in one swift motion, barely grazing glass bottles and sliced lemons.
“I can’t let you go back there, miss—” The barkeep tried to cut me off, but I dodged him, pushing my way toward that voice raw with fear.
“Arwen!” Mari screamed.
“No!”The voice was frantic, pleading.
