Chapter 5 #2
A burnt sugar scent filtered through my nose as we approached the door.
Probably magical. I’d heard this place was spelled for safety, run by a witch?
Witches? The slightest bit of excitement pumped through my veins.
All my life, I’d been craving something different from the society I’d been born into—rigid, confining, restricted.
I stepped into Haven, and my senses launched into overload.
The place smelled like cinnamon and other spices, sharp and alluring, and the colors sparked my inspiration.
Black and white checkerboard tiles on the flooring, purple and green vinyl on the booth seating.
Purple velvet curtains that I itched to paint.
And that was only the décor—the patrons were just as varied, just as fascinating.
A massive horned minotaur sat with a dainty human, deep in conversation, while three satyrs took up another booth, their cloven hooves nudging against each other beneath the table.
A vampire applied her makeup from a compact in another booth, in professional business attire.
A group of humanish people sat around a table, but the bright colors, the tattoos, the flash of their accessories drew me in.
Somehow, I had the feeling they weren’t all humans, despite their appearance, but even if they were, their presentation was far more fascinating than I was used to.
Unexpected comfort filtered through me, despite this place being new, being different.
A woman at the host stand strode up to us, her hips swinging like a pendulum. She was tall and gorgeous with dark wavy hair and a sanguine smile.
“Sofia,” Ursuline said, their voice a seductive purr. Was this a partner of theirs? They were both so impossibly attractive.
“And who’s this you’ve brought?” Sofia asked, a wicked sparkle in her gaze as it turned on me.
I stood a little straighter under her perusal, even though it didn’t seem flirtatious—more curious.
“Elrich,” Ursuline said. “Another addition to the Triton family collection.”
Sofia’s lip curled into a sneer. “Frederick hasn’t stopped his acquisitions?”
Ursuline’s jaw tensed, making it razor sharp. “Why would he do that?”
Sofia gave a knowing nod and swept an arm out before she directed us over to one of the nearest open booths.
Maybe they weren’t partners, but they were definitely familiar with each other.
Curiosity burned through me—both at their intimacy and their comments.
Even though Ursuline worked for Triton, they didn’t seem to have a strong care for their employer.
And the reach of their job seemed a bit… more than that of a regular lawyer.
“Here are the menus,” Sofia said, her intense gaze landing on me. “You look like you could use something sweet.”
“Don’t you have a wife to attend to, Sofia?” Ursuline arched their brow.
Sofia’s canines flashed with her grin, her gaze wicked. “Doesn’t mean I can’t tell the truth. Just look at him.”
Heat flushed through me, my cheeks burning.
Both of their gazes landed on me, and I squirmed in my seat.
The perusal did something surprising to my insides, waking up my libido.
I hated when my folks talked about me like I wasn’t in the room, but this wasn’t registering negatively.
No, this felt…positive in the way it pinged my senses, in how they stared at me like I was the only one here.
Far from invisible.
“You’re not wrong,” Ursuline said, a smirk on their lips. “Want me to order for you? In case it wasn’t obvious, I’ve been here plenty.”
“That works for me,” I said, relief prickling through me. I could barely focus on the menu let alone make a choice right now. Not with all the changes coming up.
“Cinnamon roll pancakes,” Ursuline said. “A club sandwich for me as well as a coffee.” They paused to look at me. “Coffee or tea drinker?”
“Tea,” I stated. “Coffee makes me too jittery.”
“I’ve got you,” Sofia said, passing me a kind look. “We’ve got a great tea selection.” With that, Sofia whirled around and headed for the kitchen. Her skirts swirled around her legs as she moved with a mesmerizing fluidity.
“She’s quite a woman, isn’t she?” Ursuline said, a low mirth to their tone.
I blinked, realizing I gawked, and another blush colored my cheeks. “Does she work here?”
“She’s the owner,” Ursuline said. “As well as a formidable witch.”
I nodded. “That makes a lot of sense.”
“You don’t seem twitchy to be in Haven,” Ursuline commented. “Unlike most of the humans I’ve met in your sphere.”
I shrugged. “I don’t share their perspectives. A kraken is the one who taught me art, and he’s probably the closest person in my life.”
Ursuline arched a brow. “How well known is this kraken in the art community?”
“Fairly,” I said, a hint of a grin on my lips. In the moments where despair crept in, I held those memories with Jason close to my chest. Maybe I’d still be able to see him. To go visit his home and find the escape I’d need.
“It wouldn’t be Jason VanStaten, would it?” Ursuline asked.
I blinked. I forgot I was around monsters here, not in my parents’ world, where only human artists and creators were lauded. “He was the best teacher I could’ve asked for.”
“If he deemed you worthy of teaching, I now want to see your work,” Ursuline said. “Jason is a close friend of mine.”
“Really?” I asked, excitement prickling through me. “What are the odds?”
“Mm, undersea monsters band together a little more than you’d think. The ocean might be vast, but the ones who traverse between this stretch of the sea and Peregrine City are limited.”
“What’s it like?” I asked, fascinated. “Being able to go to the depths like that?”
“For me, swimming is as natural as breathing, so the sea feels more like home than the land often does,” they said, one of their tentacles giving a lazy twirl. “Curious?”
“More than anything,” I breathed out.
“Sofia’s right,” Ursuline said, their voice low and decadent. “You’re sweet.”
A shiver rolled through me. “Why do you say that like it’s a bad thing?”
They shook their head, a wan smile on their face, one that didn’t reach the shadows in their eyes. “In Peregrine City? You’ll get eaten alive.”
I swallowed hard. The warning in their voice, the seriousness, settled in my bones.
Those dreams of escape, of running free in the city felt so laughable when faced with parts I’d never even explored before.
Maybe I really was destined for nothing more than a gilded cage.