Excerpt from Leviathan’s Song
Excerpt from Leviathan's Song
Elara
“Empress.”
“Siren.”
“Are you just going to stalk me, or would you like to sit?” he asked, making me sputter. He laughed lightly, his eyes shining in amusement.
“I’m not stalking you. I wanted to apologize,” I said, mortified.
He gestured at the chair across from him, obviously seeing my slight horror.
“I promise I don’t bite,” he murmured. My gaze jumped to his slightly too sharp teeth, though I knew he meant it jokingly.
“You really want me to sit?” I asked, stalling. I looked toward my shop, briefly wondering how awkward it would be for me to simply dart away. Pretty awkward. Only my years of ingrained composure training rooted me to the paving stones.
I didn’t like how flustered looking at him made me feel.
He was too pretty to focus on. His angular jawline framed generous, soft looking lips, and high cheekbones highlighted a straight nose.
Full, sweeping eyelashes surrounded piercing, clear-blue eyes.
When factored in with his enchantments tugging at me this way and that, I knew I was bound to embarrass myself again.
“Sit.” He nodded at the chair and pushed it out with his foot, staring at me like he had guessed my plan to bolt.
I hesitated. “Can you turn it off?” I asked, creeping slowly around the table.
The curve of his mouth dipped down into a frown, his eyebrows drawing low. “Turn what off?”
“You know…” I waved my hand around in the air near my head.
He stared at me, obviously having no idea what I was talking about.
“The enchantments.”
He blinked. “Ah, that.” He gave a brittle smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “No, I’m afraid I can’t. That’s a permanent feature.”
My cheeks grew hot again. Apparently, I had pointed out something that bothered him. Maybe it was frustrating, constantly influencing the people around you, whether you wanted to or not.
“I’m sorry,” I said in a rush, quickly pulling out the seat and lowering myself into it. “It’s just a little disconcerting, that’s all.”
“Most people don’t mind. In fact, they never even notice.”
“Oh, I see. Yes, that doesn’t turn off for me either, unfortunately,” I said, eyeing the passersby. It was easier to talk to him if I didn’t look at him.
“And how is it that you’re able to feel them, yet you don’t seem to be influenced by them?” he asked, sounding casual, though when I glanced at him his eyes betrayed his curiosity.
I tapped the manacle bracelet on my wrist, a wide silver cuff inlaid with labradorite and pale jade.
It connected to several rings on my hand that were holding pale blue and green chalcedony gemstones via strands of thin, silver chains.
It was an intricate piece and one of the more physically taxing to imbue and modify.
I was immensely grateful I’d spent the time to get it right.
Every word he spoke felt like, if it could just get its hooks in me, it would be an overwhelming lure, dragging me toward him. Is this what everyone felt like around him? I found myself wondering what it would be like to kiss him.
My experience with men was nearly zero, unless you count my childhood friend Rafe, who was strictly an older brother figure anyway. And he certainly doesn’t look like the siren, I thought, gazing at his flexing biceps as he set an arm on the table.
“Huh.” The siren’s eyebrows drew together. “Where’d you get that?” he asked, drawing me back to our conversation.
“I made it,” I answered, focusing on my bracelet, suddenly self-conscious.
“You made it?” he asked, his eyebrows rising in shock. He actually looked impressed. His eyes skated over my body again, flickering from one piece of jewelry to the next, cataloging them. “You make amulets?”
“I do.” I dug a card out of my small purse and set it on the table in front of him. “Do you need an enchantment ward?” I asked, a little confused by his interest.
“No, I’m good on that front,” he muttered, inspecting my card.
He dropped his forearm onto the table in front of me with a soft thump, his hand landing palm up.
The tattoo sleeve started at his wrist and crawled up under the sleeve of his t-shirt.
A large, detailed cephalopod I recognized as a kraken sprawled lazily across his skin, flanked by a predatory whale, while little fish flitted among coral arches and rocks.
The piece was exquisite, but even more intriguing than the artwork was the feeling of fortification or even numbness radiating off his arm.
I set my coffee on the table and lifted my hand to let it hover a few inches above his skin, inspecting the artwork more closely.
There, hidden among the seafoam and tentacles, were runes, expertly drawn and permanently embedded.
Rune smiths were a rare find. Granted, so were golemancers and artificers, and I was sitting right here.
“Elara,” he said, causing me to jerk my hand back. He was reading off my card. “I still think Empress is a better fit. I’m Levi,” he smiled.
“Levi… like the jeans?”
“Short for Leviathan.” He smirked like I was slow. I guess that did make more sense. I glanced down at the paper he’d been writing on, realizing it was sheet music. Which reminded me…
“I actually came over here because I wanted to apologize.” I pursed my lips and winced.
“Oh?” He raised an eyebrow and leaned back, letting an arm hang limp over the back of his chair, the other hand reaching for his empty plastic cup. His long leg stretched forward into my space as he inspected the siren in the logo printed on the side.
“Yeah, I’m sorry about last week. I shouldn’t have judged you or accused you of stealing just for using your gifts.” I watched him out of the corner of my eye. My heart felt better just having said it, even though my cheeks felt hot with shame.
He considered me silently, his eyes shifting between mine. “We’re good,” he said with a secretive smile, my chest suddenly buffeted with a riot of butterflies.
My phone buzzed, startling me, and I dug it out of my purse to find a message from Sidney.
Sidney: I think I found a buyer for the daggers, but he needs a charisma and speed mod on them ASAP. Where are you anyway?
Charisma on a ceremonial dagger… Must be a performer. I rolled my eyes; I hated rush orders. “It was nice to meet you, Levi, but my empire needs me,” I said, rising from my chair.
He tapped my card on the table and smiled. “I’ll see you around, Empress.”
I grinned to myself as I walked away, wondering what he’d think when he noticed the quarter on the table. A muffled shout as I rounded the corner told me he’d taken the bait. It might not have been magical when he gave it to me, but it sure was now.