Page 74 of Until the End of Ever
Most bars didn’t stock it, but I could see literally hundreds of bottles displayed behind the various bartenders.
“Otherwise, just cider will do.”
“Poncy wine, expensive-ass boring Scotch, and mead coming right up!” he called cheerfully, winking at Ronan.
Lucian slid a gold in a tip jar, but I otherwise saw no other money exchange hands, well, anywhere.
Once more proving that my observations were utterly predictable, Lucian explained, “It’s a community bar. We send the drinks. Anyone working here’s paid by the same city fund that manages the tram, or the school.”
“Your school is paid by the city?” I asked, dumbfounded.
Ronan nodded. “There’s no fee to attend Night Academy for underside kids. Certain privileges—fancy dorm rooms, private quarters, the like—can be purchased, of course. And some of our students come from outside of the city. There are tuition fees for them.”
“What about kids from the vale? Could they attend Night Academy?”
He shrugged. “No one’s ever asked, but I wouldn’t be opposed.”
That didn’t surprise me. I didn’t even know the school existed.
“It’s admirable—the way the underside takes care of its community.”
“It’s just the way it’s always functioned,” Lucian said with a shrug. “Remember, the city was founded thousands of years ago. Back then the concept of the lords having a duty to the citizens was pretty ingrained. And yes, for mortals, this translated in a circle of abuse, and led to many evils, from enslavement to capitalism. But here, the founders act under the watchful eyes of the gods.”
Again, the gods, always present as ghostly overlords. “You’re saying no one took advantage of the founders’ privileges because you’re afraid of the gods reacting?”
“At the beginning, the Saltzins were in charge, but one of the early kings took a bunch of wives, spread the blood thin, mixing it with mortals. He upped taxes to meet the demands of his ever-extending family. At his thirteenth wedding, Zeus zapped him with a lightning bolt.”
I gasped. “Like, literally?”
“The gods don’t intervene often—but they do occasionally. Cassius was elected Regis after that. He took the title as a name. Cassius is the one who began the council of elders—mostly to rule for him, and speak against him when he made dumb decisions.”
“And here I thought I liked Cassius,” I grumbled, still sore about the council, its rules, and its way of dealing with people they couldn’t control.
Ed handed us our drinks, and I took a long swig.
“The council as it is today isn’t Cassius’s initial design. Back in the day, there was the council of elders and Cassius. Both the council and Cassius could make decisions independently, but on matters of great importance, they discussed it. If they disagreed, the issue was put to a vote by the magistrate. After Cassius’s tantrum, his position was replaced by the ruling council. And they disagree about everything, so it’s all compromises and politics.” Judging by Lucian’s expression, we shared the same feelings about politics. “The ‘dangerous citizens’ edict comes from the ruling council, not the elders. The elders proposed the guardianship to mitigate it.”
“Wait, so Cassius ruled until the Great Massacre?”
“On and off. I told you, he likes to nap. Kore!” Lucian called, grinning as the beautiful woman approached, moving with feline grace.
Her hair, cut in a strict bob, was dark as night, and her eyes, moss green. No wonder I’d never guessed they could be related. Even her skin tone—closer to olive—couldn’t have been any more different from Lucian.
Most of all she felt…normal. Almost mortal. The amount of power I sensed coming from her was weak compared to Lucian.What he said about the Saltzins mixing their blood with mortals made sense. Still, Kore held herself like a queen.
She kissed both of Lucian’s cheeks, and Ronan’s, her eyes taking me in from the tips of my toes to my hair. I had to consciously restrain myself from braiding it nervously. I knew I shouldn’t have put on jeans.
I wore them with a white, fluffy cable knit sweater, my shawl thrown on top. I looked nice. She looked ready to crush hearts beneath her stiletto knee-heigh boots. Leather pants, boned blouse that made her tits look phenomenal, and diamonds at her throat, ears, and wrists.
“What do you know? Kleos Valesco, out of teen Barbie dresses.” She grinned, completely stunning me as she moved to kiss my cheeks, too. She chuckled at my evident shock. “Chill, darling. I don’t bite.”
“Oh. Erm—yeah. My mother picks my dresses for events.”
One of Kore’s perfectly groomed eyebrows hiked up an inch. “Zenya Pendros? I note she’s fully capable of choosing actual grownup clothes for herself.”
Those green eyes, I decided, saw far too much. “Yeah.”
“Hm. Thirty, twenty-six, thirty-nine?”
