“Why are all your friends—"
“Allies.” Dragon-leather lady, corrected.
“No, friends work in this context.” Ava reassured the dragon-leather lady. “This is Sera. She’s a friend. Slightly confused with human customs and verbiage. Totally here for moral support.”
“And possible carnage if needed.” Dragon lady--- Sera corrected firmly this time. The way she looked at Ava… She didn’t want a human correction there. She definitely wanted me to know she’d kill me.
“Believe it or not, I’m not just friends with Fae.” August smiled, answering the interrupted question.
“I’m not fae.” Zak assured me. Though he didn’t openly tell me what he was. From what I could see, he was strong, but he concealed what he was fairly well.
“Neither am I!” Chirped the girl on August’s phone. When the gaps in conversations happened, I gathered she was running a coffee shop and listening to the conversation. Since she was nowhere near us, I couldn’t figure out what she was, either. August’s emotions didn’t give much away about them. I took this to mean while they were strong, they probably weren't as strong as Ava or Drago-Sera, so he felt it was necessary to help conceal their identities.
What one would expect from a friend.
“Sorry to disappoint you guys," I started. Though I was nowhere close to feeling sorry to disappoint any of them. August tilted his head as he was fully aware of how I felt then. “But there’s nothing here. You just have some creepy old people pretending to be Faye’s parents.”
“I am, for one, not disappointed.” Zara stated, "However, these people do need to be squashed. I’m not the squashing kind. But they know where August's gigs are. He’s never told them.”
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“You didn’t think that was something important to bring up?” I asked. He pushed back away from me.
“Or me?” Ava’s response was more hurt than anger. A vast difference between our reactions and his response. He leaned toward her apologetically.
“So, I might get to still kill people?” Dr-Sera asked, looking up at Ava.
“I like this person. Where did you get her, Silas?” Solenne’s voice above the booth. Made everyone jump as she was not in a human disguise—she wouldn’t need to here. Her smile was ghastly, though for some reason Faye found it charming.
“Jesus fuck," Zak cursed loudly. “Forgive me," he said right after the reaction washed over him.
“That is a better reaction than what I am used to receiving.” Solenne teased. “But whatever you’re doing is fucking with my memory blocks.”
“Shit.” I frustratingly ran my hands through my hair.
“Why do you have memory blocks and how is that—" August stumbled over the words, flustered, written all over him. But Jeb was back through with plates, sliding them across the table to everyone.
“Sol, if you’re going to stay here and scare people. You have to order.” Jeb shouted joyfully at the demon. “You’ll like the dragon lady.”
“Funny you should say that.” Solenne sighed dramatically, leaning onto the booth, her face directly beside me—and making direct eye contact with Sera.
“Can you keep your flirting away from this table?” I asked.
“Oh, shut the fuck up, Silas. If I have to suffer with August’s stupid crush on you. You can handle a little flirting.”
“But that’s not my problem.” I countered by turning my head toward her. She playfully kissed the top of my forehead before jumping over and squishing herself between Dragon Lady and Ava, nearly squishing August deep into Zak’s arms.
“Ouch.” The pocket lady sucked a breath in, loudly, drawing attention to August’s reaction and the feelings.
“But it will be.” Solenne pretended to get cozy between Ava and Sera, “If I remember where she’s gone. I know you purged most of your memories of her except minor details. I have kept mine under what I thought was a pretty strong fucking lock.”
“You do get what you pay for.” I shrug then sigh, “She is right. There is a reason we’ve purged her from our memories.”
“Why?”
Active Quest: The Purge of "Her"
Objective: Maintain the memory blocks regarding Faye
Difficulty: Legendary (Threatened by August’s presence).
Current Penalty: [Collective Amnesia] - You cannot remember why you are afraid, only that you should be.