like they were sticking to my skin. I looked around as a dragonfly landed on my nose. Taken aback, I held very still, crossing my eyes to stare at it as it stared back at me.
“That’s an omen if I ever saw one,” Viktor said softly. “Dragonflies mean transformation. Something’s going to happen,” the half-ogre added.
Just then the dragonfly skittered off my nose and hovered for a moment before circling around me three times. Then it took off so fast that it vanished as if it’d never been.
I glanced at Herne. “Viktor’s right. I feel like something is going to happen.”
“Well, we can’t prepare for it until we know what we’re dealing with. So let’s get this over with. Here’s hoping that Saílle and Névé aren’t in the mood for a fight today. I really don’t feel like kicking some Fae queen ass.”
I slid my arm through Herne’s elbow and we headed inside, Viktor behind us. But my mind was on the dragonfly, and on the unsettled feeling it had left behind. Viktor was absolutely right. Something was going to happen. I just didn’t know what.
Chapter Five
I was surprised to see Wendy manning the door instead of Waylin, the usual bouncer. The tall, black bartender with the platinum Mohawk gave us a scintillating grin.
“Herne, Ember—I take it you’re here for a parley?”
I knew better than to ask if the Fae Queens were here yet. The bouncers couldn’t tell us who was upstairs. Nobody could, because it went against sanctuary rules.
“I wish we were just here for a drink,” Herne muttered and I seconded the feeling.
“Show me your peace-bindings,” she said.
I pointed to my dagger, which was attached to my thigh sheath. I had peace-bound it well, because not doing so would get us kicked out of the bar. Herne and Viktor showed her their weapons as well.
As she glanced at my dagger, her eyes lit up. “I spy an incredibly beautiful ring,” she said, glancing at Herne.
It suddenly occurred to me that, while we hadn’t talked about it, I wasn’t sure if Herne wanted the news to spread yet. I turned to him with a question in my eyes.
But he was all smiles. “She said yes!”
“Well, congratulations. I foresee a long and happy life for you,” she said. “You seem well suited. All right, there’s a line forming behind you. Let’s get this over with. You are now entering Ginty’s Waystation Bar and Grill. One show of a magical weapon will get you booted and banned. Do you agree to abide by the Rules of Parley, by blood and bone?”
As always, Herne answered for all three of us. “We do, by blood and bone.”
Viktor and I murmured “By blood and bone” behind him. Wendy motioned for us to go on through, and then stopped the next customers from entering. For casual customers who were there for just a drink, Wendy would just check their peace-bindings. Anybody there for parley? Went through the whole oath-taking ritual.
As always, the inside of Ginty’s seemed much larger than the outside, because it was an interdimensional space, grounded in this world.
Most of the booths were filled so we made our way through the crowd to the bar and finally found three seats together. A new bartender was on duty. He was tall and gaunt, reminding me of an extremely lean swimmer. His head was smooth, except for a thin braid from a small round of hair on the top of his head. The man was pale and his hair was the color of sunrise, pale yellow against an even paler skull.
“What can I get for you?” he asked, barely glancing across the bar at us.
Since we were on duty, Viktor and Herne ordered light ale, while I settled for a large cola. At that moment, a familiar voice echoed from behind the curtain that separated the back of the bar from the stockroom.
“Is that who I think it is?” Ginty shouted, barely audible over the clamor of customers.
“If you think it’s Herne and company, you’re spot-on.” Herne wiped the foam off his lips after taking a sip of ale.
Ginty, a handsome dwarf, emerged from behind the curtain. He stood four-five and was the picture of health, with rippling muscles and blond hair that fell to his waist. He kept it French braided, and today he was sporting a five-o’clock shadow. He wore jeans and a tank top, showing off his massive biceps, and his belt was black leather studded with silver. He jumped up on