Inferno of Darkness (Divisa Huntress #2) - J.L. Weil Page 0,90
dressed?”
“You would like it,” I groused, glaring down at the soft pink dress. If you could call it that. The flimsy material was thin, offering little coverage, except for the parts that counted, but even then, I felt exposed. I only wore the stupid thing because it kept me cool during our practices. I hadn’t expected to actually leave the room looking like a slutty version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Ashor gave a lazy shrug. “At least you blend in.”
“Blending is not my goal. I don’t want to be mistaken for one of her succubae.” My black boots clamored over the floor in time with Ashor’s strides, echoing over the long corridor. With each step, the slits on either side of my hips exposed my thighs, and I spent the entire walk to the dining room fighting to keep the flaps closed.
“You are one of hers,” he said casually.
I elbowed him, drawing the attention of two guards. “Will you stop reminding me.”
The prick only laughed.
The dining hall was empty when walked in, yet the table was spread full of food like it was a Thanksgiving feast. “Okay, what gives? Where is our oh so gracious jailor?” I grumbled, crossing my arms, which did nothing to make me feel less naked.
Ashor’s smile was sharp. “Fashionably late, I assume.”
“Great, another queen who likes to make an entrance.” The scents of freshly baked bread, steamed veggies, meats, and potatoes drifted from the table, causing my stomach to growl. “Would it be rude to start without her?” Demons didn’t need to eat, but I’d learned that higher demons liked to pretend they were actually normal, going through the motions and etiquette of fine dining. Please. It was ridiculous.
“Help yourself,” Ashor said, holding out a chair for me at the far end of the table. He waited until I was seated to join me on the other side.
My hand reached across the table, plucking a piece of fruit off a silver tray. I had it almost to my mouth when I asked, “She wouldn’t poison us now, would she?”
“Verena?” he drawled, raising a single brow. “She most definitely would.”
I glared at the glistening round cherry. “Way to ruin a girl’s appetite.” I tossed the cherry back onto the platter and sank deeper into my chair, a pout forming on my lips.
“It won’t kill you, luv.” Ashor poured himself a glass of spirits and took a sip as if to prove his point.
I gathered the flimsy fabric and tucked it around my legs, wanting to be anywhere but here. After the bloody display the other day, I’d been reminded how ugly and cruel the underworld was. I was eager to leave. Being at the mercy of a demon queen sucked. “How much longer is she going to make us wait?”
The words no sooner left my lips than the queen breezed into the room like the wind blowing through the trees. It was as if she had timed it perfectly. I frowned at the polished queen dressed in a gown that was reminiscent of fall in Spring Valley. Bold shades of cranberry, pumpkin, and gold draped to the ground in one of her more modest dresses. Her strawberry-colored hair was loose and tumbled down her bare back. The Crown of Envy glittered on the top of her head, twigs of ivy interwoven from the crown into her hair. “So glad you could join me.”
“Did we have a choice?” Ashor posed, appearing bored and uninterested as he swirled the liquid in his glass. He hadn’t bothered to spare the queen a single glance, seeming more intrigued by his drink.
But Verena wasn’t put off by the prince’s mood. “Touché,” she said in her sensuous voice. Two of her fluttering demon fairies trailed in behind her, lifting the dress as she prepared to sit at the head of the table. A moment later, a human slave poured her a glass of deep red wine. The bangle bracelets on her arm chimed together as she lifted the cup. “Before you ask, the demon from the Court of Darkness is recovering. His soul is almost fully restored, still intact… for the time being.”
Ashor’s finger tapped the edge of his glass, lifting his eyes finally to meet the queen’s. “I will need to see him, of course.”
Verena lifted her glass in the air in a salute. “And you shall, eventually. But first, we have business to discuss, as you say. Also, there is the little detail of our bargain.”