Chapter 17
BLACKMAIL
Kalypso
Ozirax was acting fucking weird.
And Kalypso could do nothing about it because the moment he’d abandoned her, Rosalind had appeared out of thin air and begged for a social buffer.
No one had ever asked Kalypso to be a social buffer before, but when a full half an hour passed where no one approached Rosalind to ask how many stacks of napkins there should be on the table or whether the floral decor should face north or south, she realized she wasn’t a social buffer so much as a keep the fuck away buffer.
Kaly didn’t mind. That’s all she was good for anyway, wasn’t it? Driving people away?
Though she did find it quite amusing that Rosalind had dumped all of her anxious stress on a relative stranger through the crack under a door as the woman peed for a minute straight because she’d been holding it since midmorning.
Even more amusing was one of the caterers—a massive gray demon with dark blue hair knotted at his nape—who happened to be walking by every time Rose’s drink was empty with alternating wine and water glasses.
Kaly wasn’t even sure Rosalind noticed, she just kept talking like it was perfectly normal.
But it was… nice. Talking to another human, even if it made her ache for the closeness she’d once had with her sister.
Their luck did, however, run out, and soon Kaly found herself wedged in a conversation she could not extricate herself from.
Argeth had bailed after dragging over Harrox’s assistant, Dolgeraus, and some Important Demon of Money, which she supposed she should probably care about since that was the whole fucking point of the night.
Except all she could focus on was the empty table with those stupid scones that Ozirax thought she didn’t notice he kept swiping when they walked past.
He’d show up for another eventually, and she’d confront him about why he was acting so weird around her.
But then she chastised herself for even caring because…
it wasn’t her problem. He was just her squadron leader and a means for release in this damn city full of demons who hated humans.
And she was obviously a detriment to his career among these politicians.
A pathetic human who couldn’t even keep her own sister around.
“—it’s just such a special place,” Rosalind was saying. “There’s so much potential within the art district, and the shopkeepers have been doing what they can—”
“That district is a joke,” Dolgeraus grunted, distaste evident in the curl of his lip. “You’re wasting your time with a proposal. There’s a reason funding was cut years ago for more important things.”
Kalypso didn’t really know what proposal they were talking about, but even if Rosalind had suggested all the toilets flush a different direction, there was likely a good reason for it.
Besides, she needed somewhere to direct her rage. Or emptiness. Whatever it was inside her now.
Kaly folded her arms and glared at the blue demon. “And what’s more important than the arts?”
“The guard, obviously,” he said, gesturing with his wine glass toward her.
“The very thing you’re supposed to be petitioning for.
After the uptick in monster attacks and their proximity to Heck, it’s imperative that additional funding be allocated to our warriors.
Just yesterday, a human was attacked and our warriors risked their lives stepping off the carved ways, not to mention the damage to armor and weapons that must be replaced. ”
Kalypso’s sword included, but it’s not like it was anything special. That wasn’t the point. “That’s classified information.”
The blue demon rolled his eyes. “Please. Those reports are given to the council through Harrox almost immediately. It’s nothing Tarzul doesn’t already know.
” That didn’t feel right, but then he was already turning to the Horn of Shiny Coin.
“I have a thorough and much more manageable proposal for funding that is ready to be implemented when I’m captain—”
“What makes you so certain you’ll be captain?”
Dolgeraus let out a sigh, like her prod had tried the last of his patience, and turned to face her again. “As Harrox’s assistant for years, and liaising between captain and commander regularly, I am intimately familiar with how our system works. I am obviously the best candidate.”
She opened her mouth to counter, but he spoke faster. “Dance with me.”
It was a thinly veiled order, and Kalypso bristled, but she had no choice as Dolgeraus passed off his wine and took her by the elbow.
She attempted to give Rosalind a pleading look only to realize the woman was giving her the same look right back.
It seemed they were both helpless to their new company.
His grip wasn’t tight, but it was enough to get her to move, and she stumbled into a disjointed twist as he tried to initiate the first dance. Awkward, compared to the ones she’d shared with Ozirax earlier.
The floor was much emptier now, the night in full swing with conversations happening all around, but Kalypso was grateful that the music wasn’t all that different from what they had in the human world.
Lilting in spaces, powerful in others. Strings and drums and flutes, or some demon equivalent of those instruments.
They were easy enough to follow, even without her skill, but training at least prepared her to be light on her feet.
Something Dolgeraus was not.
“You’re limping,” Kalypso observed, and while her feet moved rhythmically, her arms and back were stiff to minimize any sort of touch with the blue demon.
A fang pressed into his lower lip. “It’s the wine.”
She did smell a hint of it, thanks to the proximity. Something she’d surely pick up on easier if she’d had demon senses. But then again, she’d been around drunk fools before. The stench coming off this demon was not what she’d consider intoxicated to the point of stumbling feet.
“Well,” she said, dismissing the thought. This was just a demon disgruntled he’d not been able to hold his skill against her. “You got me out here. For what?”
“Appearances, obviously.” She bared her teeth and went to tug away, but his grip tightened. “Ah, the hostile human acting predictably with harsh words and lowly behavior. I’d reconsider that, if you have any care for your squadron leader’s current employment.”
He made an obvious glance around the room, to the demons who held power in this city.
Kalypso bit down on her tongue, body still moving stiffly with his, but managed to loosen her shoulders just enough to be believable.
Dolgeraus’s smirk lifted. “That’s who you were going to say was a better candidate than I would be, yes?” He clicked his tongue. “Then again, he’d have to actually submit his paperwork to be considered.”
Fuck. So much for avoiding that conversation.
“Do you have a point?” she grumbled, feigning boredom.
He shrugged. “I wondered what your relationship with him was. Intimate, I take it.”
“That’s irrelevant. And none of your fucking business.”
“Considering what your sister said about you, I’d say it’s quite relevant.”
There was no disguising her stumble then, but Dolgeraus used his hold to pull her upright and much too close for her comfort as he leaned down and spoke in her ear.
“A screaming match between humans in a public space is quite the spectacle.”
Kaly jerked her head away, fingers tightening to the point her decorative nails would have pierced softer skin. “Are you threatening her?”
“Not at all,” he said, leaning back again. “Just curious to see someone cold enough to drive her own sister away would then find herself protecting a demon she was determined to run from.”
Dolgeraus swept her out in the dance, limp still present. But when he pulled her back in, his hand dropped to her lower back, holding her firm. “Did you know he lied on his report after you met with your sister? Not a risk to Heck or our safety.”
Not threatening Kat. Threatening Oz.
“It wasn’t a lie,” she snarled.
Because she’d given up her desire to run.
Hadn’t she?
That notebook you’ve been drawing in… You’ve almost got it.
The demon who understood runes better than anyone in this city, who watched her every move, knew exactly what she had been trying to solve.
And he’d let her continue. Still given a false report… for her.
“I wonder what it would look like for our future captain to have lied on official documents to protect the human female he’s fucking on the side.
” A small prick at her spine had her stiffening against his claws.
“But I’m sure there aren’t multiple accounts detailing what was overheard of your friendly conversation with family. ”
Threatening her, too. “What do you want?”
He smirked. “Smarter than you look.” He dipped his chin, dark eyes narrowed. “I expect you to stay in line. The guard needs that funding, and in light of recent attacks, Harrox will see my proposal as the perfect qualification for the guard’s future captain.”
Kalypso’s nostrils flared. “I’m supposed to convince Ozirax not to apply for captain. Because you know as soon as his papers are submitted, he’ll get the position.”
Dolgeraus’s tail whipped behind him, the clubbed end a clear threat.
“My uncle has all of the official complaints prepared to present to the council. The Horn of Finance could, however, misplace those. Why have Ozirax’s record tarnished, have him shamed out of the guard, when all of this could just be…
forgotten, if a certain demon remained in his squad? ”
“Fuck you,” she growled, but it was with no conviction, and the demon knew it.
He had connections in a political landscape she would never understand.
And how easy would it be to use her reputation against Ozirax?
Not only that her own sister wanted nothing to do with her, but there were heaps of other evidence with her attitude.
The whole reason she’d been kept away from Kat until they could decide if she was trustworthy.