Page 107 of Remnants: Disruption
“Oh,” Marla says, and the tone of her voice grabs my attention immediately. “So, the rumors of The Dark One are true, then.”
She must see the way my face pales, because her grin turns softer. “Not to fear, Arya. If you’re done trying to get into another fight with the God Queen, would you care to walk with me?”
I look back to Mary’s booth tucked back in a clearly marked VIP section. She’s sitting with Bast and Morgana plus a few others I don’t recognize. At least she doesn’t hang out with Loki or Beowulf in her free time.
“Fuck it, why not?” I say, sliding out of my booth.
Marla reaches her hand up to me, and I can’t help the bubbled snort that escapes my throat. But I take it all the same, pulling her to her feet.
I glance down and notice she’s wearing shoes.
“No paws,” she says, a hint of mirth in her tone. “Follow me.”
She starts past me, and I catch a hint of earthen perfume that tickles at my nose. And I can’t help but notice the way her hips sway, and the way her tail sort of twitches along with it.
Only then do I catch orange irises looking my way.
Mary’s gaze locks onto mine, and I can feel the annoyance radiating across the room. Or maybe it’s just general disinterest. She looks at me as though I’m a simple bug.
Something to squash.
And, God, it’s fucking annoying.
Though I can’t help but want her attention.
“Coming?” Marla asks, and I realize she’s only a foot or so away, having turned when I didn’t join her.
She doesn’t look back at Mary, but I sense it might be more for self-preservation than ignorance.
“Yeah,” I say, winking at Mary and shooting her a snide grin.
Marla is quiet as we exit the small eating hall. It had been a real coincidence that Mary and her escort had joined soon after I’d started my dinner.
When we hit the central stone road, Marla continues further down the street. She turns, walking backwards to study me.
“You know, a lot of people–well, everyone is afraid of her. Rightfully so, actually.”
I shrug, noticing the way she nimbly navigates the uneven rock surfaces.
“She’s pissed me off,” I say, and nod to Marla’s feet. “You’re a fox, right?”
“What gave it way?” She asks, again giving me the toothy grin.
“I think the ears, though the tail was somewhat different.”
“We’re called Vultox. Don’t ask me why or where the name came from, I am but a simple member of my species.”
“It sounds suspiciously close to–”
“Don’t say it,” Marla groans, tilting her head back in exaggerated exasperation. “It’s why I’m enunciating everything.”
“Sorry,” I snort, noticing that on this end of the cavern, no one’s giving us weird looks. “It’s my lesbian brain.”
“Evidently,” she literally purrs, her pink tongue flicking at her teeth. “And no one’s going to give you trouble here, Arya. The only reason they were staring at you early on is because you’d been with the God Queen.”
“Not because I’m the Dark One?” I ask, and she simply snorts.
“Girl, the only reason people would be staring at you is because they’re insanely jealous.”
