Seventh Seal - Jacquelyn Faye Page 0,57

A fact that didn't go unnoticed by Candace.

"Come with me." She snickered and pulled me toward the central square.

As far as I knew, there wasn't any restaurants there, but the few times I'd actually set foot in the area, I'd been fighting demons or vampires and not looking for food. "Where are we going?"

"It's called Charlotte's."

It sounded like a place that would serve salads. "Never noticed it before."

"Most people don't. It's quiet. I like it." She grinned up at me.

We rounded the corner but stayed on the sidewalk instead of heading toward City Hall. Charlotte's Bistro was at the end. It was no wonder I'd never noticed it. You couldn't even see it unless you were standing in front of it. Candy opened the door and the warm rush of baking bread wafted over you like a warm and fuzzy blanket. "Holy shit."

Candace just nodded.

"Welcome to Charlotte's! Oh! Hey, Candace," a twenty-something or other walked out from behind the counter and hugged her. "Who's this?" She looked up at me after she pulled away.

"This is Lady." For some reason, Candace took a step back so Charlotte could get a better look at me.

"I've heard a lot about you." She didn't frown, but it was pretty damn close.

"You must be Charlotte?"

Candace snickered. "No. This is her daughter, Charlie."

I blinked in confusion. "Really?"

"Really," Charlie answered and held out her hand.

The moment my fingers touched hers, her human seeming melted away. Her round eyes elongated into a very familiar almond shape, and her ears stretched and tapered until they were almost even with the top of her head. Charlie was an elf. She noticed my surprise.

"Charlie is just short for Charlenthiel. Figured I should make it easy for the common folk."

"Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue." I didn't yank my hand away, but something inside me made me want to. Probably because Jaeren was such a prick.

"You have forsaken the light. Tis only natural," she answered as if she were reading my thoughts. Either that, or I was making an unpleasant face.

"I didn't forsake anything. The night is just more fun."

"And yet you walk in the company of the sun." She smiled down at Candace. Somebody had a little crush. I wondered how Josie felt about that… "Sit anywhere you'd like. The lunch rush is over." Since the small shop only had about ten tables, the lunch rush must have been spectacular, to say the least.

Charlie walked over to the counter and grabbed a couple of menus. Candace gave me an embarrassed, apologetic look and tugged my hand to the table closest to the door.

"What can I get you to drink?" Charlie put our menus down on the table and folded her hands in front of her.

"Water, please," Candace said almost too softly to hear.

"Do you have Coke?"

She frowned. "No. We have assorted teas and juices."

Luckily, our lunch date was about Candace and not me. "Tea?"

"Sweet, unsweet, peach, raspberry, dragon fruit, or boba?"

"Boba?"

"It's juice infused tapioca balls."

"I didn't know tapiocas had balls." I laughed at my joke. I was the only one. "Sweet. Please." I was definitely in the wrong restaurant. Marge would have at least chuckled.

"Be right back with your drinks." Charlie headed toward the back.

"I don't think she likes me very much…"

"You are the queen of the night and the master of the undead. Give her some time."

"She'll like me when she gets to know me?"

"Probably not. But she might learn to school her dislike."

"I can live with that." Picking up the menu, I frowned at the selections. Ninety-eight percent of it had kale in it. "What do you suggest?"

"They have a turkey burger."

"Does it have kale on it?"

"You can hold the kale."

"I'd prefer not to touch it." I found the turkey burger on the menu and frowned even more. I could only pronounce half of the toppings. "When in Rome."

"Do as the Romans?"

"Try not to get stabbed in the back."

Charlie returned and gave us our drinks. Candace ordered for us both, and Charlie didn't hesitate before heading back to the safety of the kitchen.

Sighing, I put my chin in my hand, leaned against the arm of the wicker-encrusted chair, and looked around. As much as I hated to admit it, the place was cute.

"You will like the food, Lady."

"As long as Charlie doesn't slip some elven poison in it, I'm sure it will be delicious." For the first time in my life, I fervently wished I had brought Jaeren with me. He was royalty. That might have put the snooty