Exposed [Book 4 in the Expiring Series]

1 Hello, Dears

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Erik~~

This is living.

Still fastening the buttons on my shirt, I slip out of Cerenia Lochel's bedchamber and make my way out of her townhouse. I have to duck behind a few curtains and inside a couple of doorways to avoid the ever-watchful eyes of servants—if my presence wasn't enough to raise suspicion then the lipstick stains on my gray collar might. I'm not sure if that's as damning as my lips almost certainly being red and swollen.

It'd take them mere moments to report my presence to Rallem Lochel who's currently somewhere on another continent, plying members of an Order with wine to get them to fund his ventures.

            It's late enough in the night that when I exit her house through a backdoor, no one else is on the street.

            Light emanating from a lamppost glints off of the gold emerald encrusted band circled around my finger. A new gift from Cerenia. I wiggle my fingers, taking a moment to watch how the light bounces off it. I'll sell it soon enough.

            Iron lampposts line most of the streets in Sola including this back one. It's not real fire that burns inside their glass prisons, but even knowing that, I can't tell it's fake from looking at it.

All of the buildings in Sola were built to match, and any new buildings must be constructed with the same dark gray stone exterior that is found throughout the city. Their doors and trim have to be either black or gray.

The street is made out of a light tan material that is not found on Earth. I once visited Bath on my only trip to England, after the monarchy issued a rare invitation to my father and Jonas's father to come and discuss healing the centuries-old wounds our countries have between them. Sola is Bath if it were to undergo a creepy paintjob.

Jonas insisted the two of us visit the Roman Bath Houses. That was back when my cousin could talk me into things, back when my cousin was my friend and not my former boss. 

            I head up the sidewalk ready to end my night with a drink. There's a tavern a few blocks away that I usually end up making it to once a week. They have good prices, and I'm in no hurry to ask Alastair for help.

            A light buzz still trickles through my veins and mind from the wine I shared with Cerenia nearly two hours ago. I stretch out my arms, cracking my back and letting out a yawn. There's no one around to see my behavior so far removed from the realm of decorum. I lick my lips wishing I could still taste wine on them but instead only find the taste of Cerenia's lipstick. This planet truly has the best wine, and I've absolutely no clue why the Society didn't import it. As I cross the street, I picture my family running a winery and a rogue laugh slips out. I can so clearly see Eli, my cousin, complaining about smashing grapes with his feet—they'd better run that kind of winery only so they can torture Eli. Bently, another cousin of mine and falling in rank in the Order right below Eli, would host wine tastings and use them as an excuse to get drunk.