The Rise of Fortune and Fury (Chronicles of the Stone Veil 5)

Maddox shoots me a glance, winks, and turns on his booted heel to leave us alone again.

“He’s very annoying,” Zora says primly when the patio door shuts behind the demi-god.

“That’s his way of trying to get you to smile and open up,” I explain.

Zora snorts, and it’s the first time I’ve actually seen her show genuine amusement. “Finley,” she drawls, giving me a chastising look. “He merely wants to have sex with me, is all.”

“No,” I immediately deny, picking up my coffee to take a sip. Although I know Maddox is indeed attracted to her, he’d never press that right now.

“Yes,” she asserts, and then picks off a piece of croissant. Holding it before her mouth, she looks me straight in the eye. “He’s going about it wrong, though. If he wants to have sex, he just has to ask. All this other stuff he does to get my attention is wearing on me.”

I suck coffee into my airway, then start choking and coughing, I’m so stunned by her actual insight into the male psyche and that she’s so matter-of-fact about it.

Taking note of my reaction, she asks, “What?”

Shaking my head, I give her an apologetic look. “Nothing. Sorry. It’s just… you’re very cavalier about sex.”

Zora shrugs. “I’ve only ever had it with Amell, and it feels amazing. Don’t you view it the same way?”

“Yes,” I say without hesitation, but then lower my voice as I lean forward. “It’s just… sex is often tied up with emotions. In our society, you usually get to know someone a little bit before you have sex with them. That’s why Maddox is trying to get you to open up to him with his flirting.”

Zora turns to look thoughtfully at the sliding glass door before shrugging. Bringing her attention back to me, she says, “Wasted energy. Like I said… if he wants sex, he just needs to get to the point.”

I’m stunned silent a moment before I ask, “And would you have sex with him?”

Another shrug. “He’s pleasing to look at. He seems like he’d be good at it.”

“What about Amell?” I ask hesitantly.

“What about him?” she replies, brow furrowed.

And never has it been more apparent than it is in this moment that Zora was raised in a society that is radically different than ours. Love isn’t something to strive for. Apparently, sex is only about how the body feels. And loyalties to a person don’t extend into physical relationships. It’s all so fascinating and, yet, in these modern times, it’s actually what many women strive for. I know lots of people who are all about the friends-with-benefits lifestyle.

I decide it’s time to change the subject. I really don’t want to know more about Zora’s sexual proclivities, nor do I feel like I need to dissuade her from Maddox. If they have sex, so be it. I know he won’t hurt her heart, because hers is encased in a thick wall.

And Maddox isn’t looking for anything serious, so he wouldn’t be hurt either.

To each his own.

But since Zora is in a talking mood, I take advantage. “Can I ask where you were raised while you were in the Underworld?”

Zora’s eyes move from her croissant to me, then back to the croissant where she pulls off another piece. She puts it in her mouth, chews slowly, and swallows now that she’s been somewhat satiated by the first one she ate. “A Dark Fae couple took me in. Gave me a bed, some clothes, and provided me with food. In return, Amell gave them tokens, but he visited me regularly. He took it upon himself to educate me with books he brought back from the Earth realm.”

I had previously learned that their system of currency was by wooden coins called tokens that could be used to buy goods. I had shown her our currency as well as explained banks, interest, credit cards, and PayPal. This was after I had shown her a computer, which had completely boggled her.

“Why didn’t Amell just have you live with him?” I ask.

Zora’s expression says she thinks that’s a dumb question. “He’s royalty. He lives in the castle. I was a lowly human.”

“That doesn’t make you lowly,” I retort in offense for my sister.

“Did you know that was all I was called for years?” she asks, a slight bitterness to her voice. “Human. In fact, I didn’t even know the word human was my species classification. I actually thought it was a name.”

My throat goes desert dry. “You’re kidding?” I manage to rasp.

Zora shakes her head. “It wasn’t until I was in my teens… I don’t know what age, but I know my body was starting to change. My breasts were getting fuller, and I had my period. I didn’t understand those things and neither did the Dark Fae I lived with. So I asked Amell on one of his visits. He was the one who finally sat me down and told me what a human was. He also explained my periods and pregnancy—although pregnancy would be irrelevant to me since humans can’t procreate with fae—and made sure I had appropriate undergarments and tampons from the Earth realm to use.”