Sticks and Stones

Chapter Nineteen

Caspian took deep breaths as he made his way past the queue towards Balthazar. He wore a baseball cap to cover his horns, his eyes deadest forwards. As he skipped the queue, mortals hurled abuse. But each and every one of them fell abruptly quiet. Maybe they were wary of his size and muscles. Or maybe they saw the look of death on his face and thought it better not to push him.

By the time he reached Balthazar, Caspian had the majority of his anger under control.

"Caspian, last place I was expecting to see you tonight."

The demon Balthazar gave him a friendly smile, nodding at the other guards.

"I'm on duty."

"I take it you're here for Lorcan." So the bouncer wasn't stupid. "Can't be a coincidence that the two of you show up on the same night. And that pretty blonde girl he was with."

So Lorcan didn't want it getting out that he was travelling with Evette.

That was alright. Cas would be mindful.

"Yeah, I'm here for Lorcan."

"Good to see you anyway buddy. In you go."

Balthazar let him past the barrier and into the dark.

God I hate nightclubs.

It all hit him at once. The strobe lights. The stickiness of the floor. The empty VK bottles and the vape frenzy.

Fucking hate this shit.

He pushed through the crowd, making for the VIP section. At the door, a security guard was speaking into a walky-talky. He looked Caspian up and down and let him in through the door.

Upstairs, he focused on the feel of power—Lorcan, as a royal, was full of it.

He took his seat at a booth and waited for the royal to approach. All the while, his knee bounced with jitteriness.

As Lorcan approached, he gave Caspian a nod in greeting, guiding the blonde into the booth.

"Evie, this is Caspian. Cas, this is Evie."

So that was the name the oracle was operating under. For discretion, he imagined. Because Evette being back in the game changed everything.

Did Lorcan know Caspian knew who she was?

Just in case, he'd play oblivious.

He watched as the werewolf gave the witch a look of warning. Huh, maybe Cas wasn't the only person with trouble in paradise.

"So, what can I do for you today Lorcan?" Caspian asked, setting things back on track.

"Claudio didn't tell you already?"

Evie's brows shot up. "King Claudio?"

The werewolf scowled at her. "Don't go getting any ideas."

Definitely trouble there. Cas enjoyed it more than he should've. Until he caught her scent again. With this couple arguing, he scanned the VIP section, looking for her.

He spotted her hanging around nearby, dressed to the occasion.

She wore a slinky, cowl-neck dress that exposed her thighs. With her makeup done like that, those slashes down her face almost looked sexy.

His fists clenched beneath the table.

Is she fucking crazy?

She'd had a ruinous run in with the wolf King mere hours ago—showing her face here meant she had a death wish.