Page 86 of Bite The Terror That Feeds

“How was your day?”

I couldn’t share any details of my day—not when she was the enemy. “Fine. Yours?”

“Boring.” She took another drink. “Except when you were here, of course.”

A soft grin moved across my face.

She grabbed her utensils and began to eat her vegetarian dish.

“Why do you abstain from meat?”

“It’s our way.”

“The Ethereal are a vegetarian race?” Little was known about the elves. Their borders had the best protection, and they didn’t have friendships with other races. The information we had had been gathered from various interactions with them, but they were all inferred facts, not directly shared.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“We eat what the land provides us. No need to keep prisoners to slaughter.”

I kept a lot of prisoners. But I didn’t usually slaughter them. “How old are you?”

“A question you never ask a lady…”

“You know how old I am.”

“Let’s just say I’m abitolder.” She took a bite of her food and chewed slowly. Her elbows stayed off the table, she sat with perfect posture, and she took small bites and didn’t make a single sound when she chewed.

“Tell me your name.”

She cut into her food and took another bite.

“I’ve never bedded a woman without knowing her name.”

“A name is just a name.”

“It’s obviously more than that if you won’t share it with me.”

She continued to eat and ignore my inquiry.

I was even more convinced that she was someone important. A name was everything to royalty. It opened locked doors and blocked passages. Identity granted power—and she carried herself like she had a lot of it. “Why did you choose to be an assassin?”

“I know what you’re doing.”

I hadn’t touched my food because I was thoroughly absorbed in this woman with the glowing skin. “And what is that?”

“Trying to gather as much information as you can about my people.”

“I’ve never shared a meal with an Ethereal. It’s quite the opportunity.”

She continued to eat.

“Why?”

“I’m one of our best fighters. And it’s an honor to defend my people.”

“You are a good fighter.” She had incredible aim. Every time she threw one of her daggers, it nearly got me. She took hits like they were inconsequential. She was right back on her feet and more furious than before. “Who trained you?”

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