Page 72 of Riftborne
“I’ve heard whispers of it, but I never imagined that I would ever actuallygo,” Raine said, excitement gleaming in her eyes.
“I’ve never heard of it, but yes, yes and yes. Absolutely yes. Nothing but yes.” Briar was nearly vibrating.
I stopped my heart from sinking, reminding myself that tonight wasn’t about me. It was about Osta.
“It’s close by, right?” I asked, attempting to sound as thrilled as my fellow recruits.
“Just down the street. I’m the best, huh?” Osta cooed, turning to walk in the direction of the club. I caught up with her, hooking her other arm.
“You’re something,” I whispered, nudging her. She only smiled wider as we made our way down the busy street.
“By the way, we need to talk about that little flirtatious conversation I noticed back at the Compound.” I looked at her, making my eyes hauntingly serious.
“What, that boy? He was so nice. Why are you looking at me like that?”
“It’s a hard no. He’s awful, Osta. Seriously. He’s also a bigot. His best friend is the one who keeps sending me death threats with his eyes.”
“Really?” Osta looked down at her Riftborne marking, disappointment fanning across her features.
“I know you have a way with even the stuffiest of Sídhe Nobility, but don’t waste your time with this one, Osta. You can do much better.”
She sighed and met my gaze again, smiling thinly. I nudged her.
“But let’s not talk about it anymore. Tonight is all about you, so let’s have fun.” I winked as we continued down the street.
“This is it,”Osta mused as we all examined the lackluster exterior of a low-rise dwelling with an unassuming entrance.
“Are you sure we have the right place?” I asked hesitantly. Osta stepped forward, knocking on the door in an abnormal pattern. Raine shot me a confused look, which I returned with a shrug.
The door creaked open, revealing a woman in black dress robes.
“Password, please,” she stated.
“Mirage,” Osta said with confidence.
“Granted,” the woman stepped back and ushered us into the small room. It was bare apart from a door on the furthest wall, and the floor shifted as we walked across it. The woman stepped towards the back and slid her finger down the door. It shined a bright gold in the pattern she traced.
“Are you a light weaver?” Briar asked.
“Nearly all of us who work here are. It’s the only way to unlock doors and get around,” she replied with a mysterious smile.
Soon enough, I heard what sounded like a lock being turned, and the door crept open.
“Follow the stairs down. The hostess will seat you,” the woman said.
We all exchanged looks before shuffling through the door and making our way down the flight of wooden stairs.
The room we entered was painted black, and pulses of music emanated from the floor. A woman with dark hair approached us with a wooden tablet in her hands.
“Reservation, please,” she stated, eyeing us.
“Osta Riftborne.”
The hostess didn’t even flinch at the mention of our shared last name. She only smiled and softened her features.
“You’re Shun’s friend?” The hostess asked.
“Yes, and we really appreciate you getting us in so last minute,” Osta gushed, excitement brewing.
