Page 16 of Songs of Vice

The entire group jumped as another person appeared in the clearing, their chestnut hair pulled into a tight braid, their tan skin shimmering against the fitted black outfit they wore.

Sai’s shoulders dropped as everyone eased back into their places. “Luz.”

CHAPTERSEVEN

SAI

Luz sauntered into the clearing,their feet crackling over leaves. “Have I interrupted something?” Their eyes darted to Lira who stood in her sleep-rumpled gown, her ivory hair mussed. Lira looked like a goddess or a ghost in the creeping mist of the forest. She was a specter that would drag me towards the pits of Naraka, and I wouldn’t fight. I’d follow her and face my fate and be reborn into some lesser reality all to feel the warmth of her flesh against mine one more time.

I turned back to Luz, someone I didn’t find distracting and haunting. “This isn’t where we were supposed to meet.”

They shrugged their pack off and leaned it against a tree. “With the trace you all left here, did you seriously expect me to wait around and see what would happen? Come on, Sai.” They smiled brightly. “You know me better.” Their eyes darted to Lira again. “And why do you have a siren with you?”

Lira gasped, and the entire group froze. Luz placed their hands on their hips and fixed Lira with a stare. “Oh, you don’t even know that you’re traveling with magical beings yourself. Sorry, love, but they’re already aware of what you are.” Luz had perception magic which allowed them to read others’ feelings. Somehow that didn’t translate to any sort of filter on what they said, though.

Lira lifted her wide eyes to me, and so much rippled across their jeweled surface. Hurt, maybe, and fear that pinched her brow, and possibly hope? I turned to Luz. “We need to talk alone for a minute.”

They rolled their eyes but trundled with me until we made it away from the group to a ridge that overlooked a valley undulating in lilac and gray as the last of the dispersing morning mist glowed peach in the rising sun.

“Luz,” I said. “What the hell are you doing?”

They leaned against a tree and gave me an unimpressed look. “I actually came to make sure you didn’t need help. Who left the imprint? It wasn’t you.”

I sighed, and it puffed out in a cloud in the air. “Elisa. We ran into a bit of trouble but nothing we couldn’t handle.”

“Elisa’s magic isn’t strong enough for what she must have pulled off last night.”

“I know.”

“And you haven’t even reprimanded her, have you? It’s a shame your team doesn’t know how grossly devoted you are to them.”

I hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Neia knows.”

“Not because you’ve ever told her, but yes, she does. Now why do you have a siren with the group?”

I kicked a pinecone, and it stuttered down the hill, tumbling over itself before disappearing into a tent of grass. “You know, your perception abilities are annoying at times.”

“Sai, you charmer.” They grinned at my scowl before continuing. “Stop distracting from the question.”

“We… bumped into her last night.”

“Youbumpedinto a siren and kept her? Like she was in line at a tavern and your elbow knocked into hers and you invited her to join your heist?”

“Don’t bullshit me right now, Luz.”

Their lips thinned. “Okay. Explain to me why your feelings for her are so intense if you just met her last night.”

I turned away from them and stared at the sunrise that warmed the sky and sent rays of light across the valley. I wish I had the answer to that question. This spark of interest in another being was something I’d never experienced before. Sexual interest, sure. But I’d never felt drawn to someone like they possessed anything beyond that. I had damn good reasons not to get caught up in a romantic entanglement, but before I’d met Lira, I’d never even considered the idea. It hadn’t appealed to me at all. Now the idea of losing Lira—someone I didn’t even know—made my throat stick with a grief that made no sense. “I don’t know,” I whispered.

“Could this be something serious?”

“No.”

“It would make your mother happy.”

“Believe it or not, that's not my top priority when considering my romantic life.”

Luz grasped the thin trunk of a young Aspen tree. “I have to consider your mother’s feelings. I’m her favorite child.”

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