Chapter Four
AVA-MARIE
To go through with my plan, I needed to conceal my identity. No one could know who I was, or this would never work.
Alistair had all kinds of potions. I knew there was one I could take to use as a disguise. I checked his room and found it deserted. I didn’t know where he was or what he was doing at this time of night. He should be here.
It was in my favor that he wasn’t. I rummaged through his cupboard, searching for a potion that had a base of fern seed and a mix of glamour herbs.
I found it easily, because he had a whole stash of at least twelve or so. It gave me pause. What was Alistair doing with all these disguise potions, and why did he need so many?
He must’ve made a bunch for all of us, just in case we needed them for a mission where we needed to hide our identities. Like that would ever happen again. Any chance of our friends working together again was done-zo.
I shook the potion to mix the ingredients. This potion applied a slight glamour once taken. I’d still look like myself, but it would change my features so any onlookers wouldn't realize I was the princess.
I returned to the Ladies’ Court with the potion in hand. Eldin was standing guard near the bedroom where I’d left her. She noticed the potion in my hand, but remained expressionless.
“Eldin, I want to go back into the city.”
She raised an eyebrow, as if she knew exactly what I was thinking. “But princess—”
“Do as I say! Don’t ask questions,” I snapped. “Now help me dress.”
I hated speaking to her like that. I didn’t want to boss her around and give orders, treat her like a servant instead of a friend.
But I also didn’t want her to comfort me, or convince me not to do this.
If I was an asshole, I could push her away, and she’d stay safe from me.
This was a mob, so I’d act like a mob boss’s wife and be a fucking dick.
They wanted me to play this role so badly, so I would for as long as I was forced to put up with it.
Eldin fell silent at my orders. She helped me into a slim black dress that clung to my figure.
It was an outfit that Charlie loved on me, but I knew other guys would like it just as much as he did.
I curled my hair and did my makeup, brushing perfume into my locks before I downed the potion.
Eldin watched me, her expression unflinching as the potion morphed my features into ones that would be unrecognizable.
I ordered her to change into street clothes before I was satisfied we wouldn’t be recognized.
“Let’s go.” We proceeded toward the palace garage, where I easily found my car. I kept scanning the area around me for a night shift of guards, a late-night scan of the perimeter, something.
There weren’t any. For fuck’s sake, I figured this would be harder.
How absolutely boring this was. I’d been looking forward to some kind of fight, even without my magic, to be dragged off punching and screaming, but nope.
I could host a party in the gardens right now and I wouldn’t get caught.
Maybe, deep down, I wanted someone to stop me.
But I guess I didn’t give a shit about that anymore, because I was leaving this family, the monarchy, all of it, and I was letting the Warden win by having the world.
I didn’t want to fight in this war anymore.
Trying had only resulted in me slaying my own people, so I might as well just give up and give in.
Eldin took us into the city. She drove my car around the few city streets that were still clean, until I saw one of the only nightclubs in the area that was still open.
“Stop here.” Eldin pulled in front of the nightclub, and she got my chair out. Before I went inside, I turned to Eldin.
“Park the car. Make sure it’s hidden. You’re not to speak of this to anyone, understand? Wait in the car until I call you to pick me up.”
“Yes, princess.” Eldin nodded, then drove away.
She was such a loyal guard. At least I could depend on somebody.
I entered the nightclub, looking around. It was sparse inside, as most of the Elves around the city were either helping to clean up or looking for loved ones, but there were a few groups of supernaturals littered around the place.
I needed to find a guy that wasn’t a psycho. Just a normal, safe man who was looking for a one-night stand. I wasn’t sure how many of those guys existed, but there had to be at least one in this bar, right?
I was a woman who’d entered a bar by myself, so I knew I wouldn’t be alone for long.
I needed to find my target. I scanned the room, observing the flashing lights as the low thrum of the bass bounced against my ribcage.
The dance floor was practically empty, but the bar itself was pretty busy. Maybe I could—
“I’m not interested. Get lost, loser.” A female voice by a pool table caught my attention. A mermaid girl and her friend had been cornered by a big, hulking shifter, who looked like he wanted to eat them more than take them on a date.
“I’m just asking for one dance. It’s not gonna kill you,” the werewolf complained. He put a hand on the wall to prevent either of the girls from escaping.
My first reaction was to shove a fireball up this guy’s ass… except, I couldn’t do that anymore. I was defenseless, even more so than those girls, because I wasn’t able to run away or cast magic if I needed to.
Defenseless and alone in a bar. Shit, what was I getting myself into?
“Back off, asshole. She said no.” A young male Elf came between the girls and the shifter, shoving him back. The werewolf stumbled against the wall, and the girls took their chance to hurry out of the nightclub.
The shifter emitted a wolfish snarl. “It’s a club. If bitches don’t want to get laid, why are they here?”
“To have a good time, to dance, to hang out. Literally any other reason is a better option than sleeping with you. Now take your ass out of this bar, before I throw you out,” the Elf snapped.
The werewolf cussed him out, but left anyway. The Elf shook his head, before he lifted his gaze and his eyes landed on me. They roamed up and down my body, checking me out.
Perfect. I made the first move and rolled toward him. “Hey. I’m— new here. Never been here before.”
“You came to the right place. It’s the best club in town. Sorry you had to see all… that.” He scowled as he glanced at the door the shifter had left through.
“It’s no big deal. I just moved here and am looking to make some friends. Can I ask your name?”
“Taylin.” He smiled roguishly. “What about you?”
“Marie.” I leaned over to shake his hand, letting my hair fall across his arm. “I’m just here for a good time.”
“Single?” he asked, cocking an eyebrow.
“Yes.” I technically was, right, since I’d asked for a divorce?
I didn’t know. That felt like a lie.
“Can I buy you a drink?” Taylin asked. “I’d love to get to know you better.”
Don’t take drinks from strange men. The automatic reaction fired off in me like a signal, but I plastered on a smile and said, “Sure. Sounds great.”
Taylin got us a table by the bar, and we started chatting. He even bought me a mocktail instead of something with alcohol, which I thought was nice. He wasn’t trying to get me drunk, but genuinely have a conversation. Though I’d chug the whole bottle if it meant making this easier.
This was the guy. He’d defended those girls from that creep, and from the argument I’d overheard with the shifter, he was a good person. From the little I knew about Taylin, I was almost certain he was a safe choice. I could go home with him and not worry about getting hurt.
And… he looked like Charlie. Dammit. I just now realized it. I’d picked the one guy in this place who resembled my husband. For as much as my mind was screaming at me to just do this and get it over with, my heart was already turning its back on the plan.
I’d drag my heart into this if I had to, because I couldn’t let Charlie break it any more than he already had.
The drink wasn’t spiked. I felt fine. I was shocked that it wasn’t, but I told myself I was being paranoid. After all, there were tons of guys in the world that weren’t predators. I needed to stop being afraid of them all.
But I guess… how could I, when the one man I thought I could trust had taken everything?
Taylin was an extrovert who enjoyed talking, because he carried on the interaction while I nodded and gave short responses.
The longer the conversation dragged on, the sicker I felt.
I thought I was going to barf all over the table as Taylin rambled on about a bunch of shit I didn’t care about.
Even as I tried to listen, his voice became background noise, because I was too busy trying to talk myself into this.
You just have to do this once, then Charlie will leave. And it won’t hurt anymore.
My eyes were on the clock. After about an hour of chatting, I stopped Taylin mid-sentence.
“That’s awesome. Really.” I let my hand fall on his arm, and squeezed it before lowering my eyelashes. “But do you think we could talk about this somewhere more… private?”
Taylin’s eyes dashed with excitement. He was a gentleman, but he was still a man, and he got the hint. “Definitely. My apartment’s down the block. We can, uh… chill.”
Code word for fuck each other’s brains out. “That sounds like just what I need. Let’s go.”
We left the bar. I rolled down the street beside Taylin while attempting to hold my twisting insides inside my guts, to prevent them from spewing out my mouth. As Taylin continued polite small talk, my mind wandered.
This wasn’t me. I would never go back to a strange man’s apartment, and certainly not alone.
Hell, my past trauma was demanding that I get the hell out of here, no matter how nice this guy was.
Eldin was around, and she’d save me if I called for help, but I still felt uneasy going to a man’s house I didn’t know.