Call Of The Dark

"Why hasn't Lady Gladys come with us?" asked Emma as she dismounted the horse with the help of Ginger.

"She said that she was very busy. She had a meeting with her father and other courtiers," Ginger replied as she brushed the grass blades off Emma's skirt. Then she muttered, "I hope Lord Lazarus's spies don't see us."

Emma sighed. "Stop being so paranoid, Ginger. Lord Lazarus is busy with his betrothed, Goddess Maeve!" She blew a strand of hair in front of her face as anger surged in her chest.

Yul grasped the reins of their horses and took them to the corral at the back of the alehouse while Magnus took Emma inside. Ginger bowed to him and didn't go inside. She stayed out and walked into a small room that was especially made for the maids in waiting.

Magnus took Emma to a table that was right in the center of the alehouse.

"It's beautiful!" Emma said as she admired the interiors of the alehouse. She had never even known that this kind of a place existed in the village. The chairs were cushioned and there was heavy drapery on the windows and doors. Dim light from the fire hearth that burned on either side, spread in the large room. The floor was covered with a red carpet. All around the room were small cubicles in front of which were dark gauzy curtains, hiding those who sat behind them. A large stage was set up in front of them.

Emma let out an excited exhale as along with Magnus she sat down at the round table that could seat five people. Every other man or woman in the room was dressed in velvets and silks. Very few red eyed were there.

"It is," Magnus remarked. "This alehouse caters to the rich and royal." He pointed at the cubicles. "Those are reserved for the wealthy and the owner charges heavily for them. Their waiting is more than a year! Everything debauched happens behind those curtains."

"But you are a royal. Why aren't you there?" she asked as her gaze scanned the cubicles.

He chuckled. "Why Emma? Do you have plans for debauchery?"

"What? Oh hush!" she blushed heavily.

A scantily dressed woman came and served them with wine. She smiled at Emma and bowed to Magnus and without asking questions, left. Yul joined them ten minutes later.

As Emma sipped her wine, she asked, "What's so special about this place?"

"It gives you all the privacy. Whatever happens in the alehouse, remains here," Yul gave her the answer as she shifted his chair beside her. "And…" he drawled. "There will be a lovely show here in about half an hour."

"What kind of a show?" Emma asked, curious.

"There will be many nude women dancing on the stage clad in nothing but pearls."

Emma snapped her head at him as her blush deepened to her neck. Yul laughed at her and shook his head. "I—I can't sit with you while watching them," she said innocently.

"Why Emma?" Yul asked, raising his eyebrow as Magnus seemed disinterested in their talk.

"Goddess!" she rubbed the back of her neck, feeling a thousand shades embarrassed.

---

Lazarus rode with Maeve to the alehouse with a few soldiers. The owner came to receive him. He bowed to him and immediately guided them to the cubicle. Maeve sat opposite to him, not wanting him to even touch her. She picked up her wine glass and sipped wine from it, her rosy lips leaving a stain on the glass.

"I like it when you are with me," Lazarus said, his lips curling up. "And I like it when you are here with me in this show."

She tilted her face, studying him. "When I become your queen, you will find me even more interesting. I am waiting for the soul casting ritual." She paused to see his reaction and there was interest on his face. She quickly added, "Until then, you can thoroughly enjoy Emma. The two of you seem to be enjoying each other's touch a lot."

"Enjoy each other's touch?" She squirmed beneath him and he had come for the whole Lore on her belly. "Yes, I think we both are doing—" And suddenly he heard a chirpy laugh he so well recognized. He whipped his head to the room beneath and saw… Emma. She was sitting with Magnus and Yul. Yul was sitting very close to her. He gripped his glass hard as his jaws clenched. What was she doing here? And how come Maeve's magic didn't work on her? And why was Yul sitting so close to her? And she was laughing? Without him?

Maeve followed the direction of his gaze and she chuckled. "You were saying…?" she goaded him to speak further.

Lazarus's breathing was labored as fury blasted in his chest. Yul just touched a curl of her hair. How dare he? Yul was about to get killed!

"Lazarus?" Maeve called him.

He snapped out of his reverie. "What?" he asked through his clenched teeth.

"You were saying something about enjoying her touch?"

His gaze went back to Emma. "Yes, we both are getting along well in that field." Then he narrowed his eyes and turned his face to study Maeve's expressions. "But it's nice that you aren't jealous of her. Because the two of us are really debauched. We are totally grinding against each other. Hard." He wanted to see if she was jealous or not. He wanted to see one hint that would show that she was not happy. One expression that would show that she was worried about how he mentioned their debauchery.

Instead, Maeve just laughed. "You mean that you didn't even have to suggest or force her to have sex? She is just happy to do it?"

Lazarus scoffed. "I am a fine specimen. Emma is attracted to me to the extent that when I enter the room, she gets aroused."

"That is surprising," Maeve murmured. "She knows that you are betrothed to me and still she has no reservations?"