Page 98 of Halfblood Deceived

“Yep, I can tell,” Aylana agreed.

Aella glared at her sister and the phone. “I am not. I’m just out of practice.”

Because she didn’t have to pretend to be someone else around Diana.

Aylana sighed. “Aella, murder attempt is beyond illegal here, alright? And since you weren’t attacking them, they had no reason to hurt you, so I’m going to make sure they pay for it. I’ll drag their asses to the court myself if I have to.”

The court.

Aella’s stomach sank. A tribunal full of supernaturals who would look down on her and judge her, and ask her to speak in public. Not in a million years.

“I can’t go to court,” Aella protested. “Please don’t make me. Please.”

Diana blinked at her, brow scrunched up with something like pain and rage. “I’ll never make you do anything you don’t want, Aella. But they can’t just get away with it.”

“I have an idea, Diana,” Aylana said. “Meet me at Hecate in three hours. And bring Aella if she feels up to it.”

“Thanks, Aylana,” Diana said with a relieved exhale.

“No problem,” Aylana said, before disconnecting the call.

Diana squeezed Aella’s hand. “Do you want to come?”

Aella considered it. “I’m afraid, but I’m also curious. So yes?”

Her sister smiled approvingly. “Good. Let’s see if we can snooze for a while before getting ready.”

Aella nodded. “You go ahead, I’ll clean up.”

Diana shook her head. “Nope. I’ve had it with you cleaning up after me all the time. I’ll do the dishes before we leave.” She gently ushered Aella toward the stairs.

Aella went, even as part of her wanted to go back into the forest and see if the wolf was still there.

CHAPTER 24

Hecate was massive. The ceiling was three stories high, with the VIP area on the second half story and the office with tinted wall windows above it. The bar could easily accommodate dozens of people. Even more people could sit on the many sofas mostly lined against the walls, and at the small round tables. The dance floor was vast as well.

Kamilla’s nightclub didn’t intimidate Aella as much as Lilith, the club where she’d gone to lure Zeydan into a trap weeks ago, had. Perhaps because it was empty, well illuminated, and night hadn’t fallen yet. Or because Diana was right beside her, offering silent support with a warm hand on Aella’s waist.

A sense-memory of the night she met Zeydan came to the forefront of her mind. Her heart quickened as she remembered meeting those jade eyes. Something seemed to expand and contract inside her chest at the memory of Zeydan’s half smile, the way his hair moved when he tilted his head…

Just then, she remembered she hadn’t apologized to Zeydan for having stabbed him.

That had been rude.

“Hey, Di. Is that your baby sister?” said an unfamiliar male voice.

Aella turned from her unfocused examination of the bar to see a tall male dressed all in black approach.

She gulped. He was taller than both Diana and her, with brown hair and eyes.

Her throat cramped, and she huddled deeper into her soft beige hoodie.

He reminded her of Micah.

“Yeah, this is Aella,” Diana said with an easy smile. “Aella, meet Rod.”

Rod smiled at Aella, flashing sharp canines. His expression was kind, not mocking or leering or cruel. His hair was more curly than wavy and his forehead had no scowl marks. He was far more handsome than Micah.

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