CHAPTER 375: UNITED IN CELEBRATION, PART THREE

Melisa tugged at the hem of her tunic.

The outfit Rakia had given her earlier was supposedly casual by Yalmir standards, but the fabric clung to her curves in ways that made her self-conscious.

[At least it covers more than that dress.]

She slipped out of the guest quarters and into the palace corridors.

The moonlight streaming through the carved windows gave everything a soft blue glow. Most of the palace staff had retired for the night, leaving the halls empty.

"What are you doing?"

"FUCK!"

Melisa’s soul evacuated her body. She spun around to find Raven standing three feet behind her, dressed in her usual dark cloak.

"Raven! You can’t just... How long have you been following me?"

"Since you left your room."

"That was literally thirty seconds ago!"

"Yes."

Melisa pressed a hand to her chest, trying to calm her racing heart.

"Why are you even awake?"

"Couldn’t sleep. Saw you sneaking around." Raven tilted her head. "You’re investigating something."

It wasn’t a question.

[Of course she figured it out immediately.]

"Maybe."

"The Shadow Mages?"

"How did you..."

"You have that look. The one you get before you do something dangerous." Raven stepped closer. "I’m coming with you."

"Raven, I don’t think—"

"You’re going somewhere potentially hostile without backup. That’s stupid."

Melisa sighed. There was no arguing with Raven when she got like this.

"Fine. But try to be subtle."

"I’m always subtle."

"You literally announced yourself by scaring me half to death."

Raven gave a little smile.

"That was funny though."

Melisa sighed.

[She’s too cute to stay angry at.]

The Moonlight District lived up to its name.

Paper lanterns in blues and purples hung from every building, casting the streets in twilight colors even though the actual moon was hidden behind clouds. The air smelled like incense and sex.

The Silver Tail sat wedged between a brothel and what looked like a massage parlor. The sign above the door showed a nim tail curled around a wine bottle.

"Classy," Raven muttered.

They pushed through the entrance.

Inside, the bar was all dark wood and silver accents. Cushioned booths lined the walls while a long bar dominated the center. Nim and kitsune sat in various states of undress, some openly making out in corners.

[Even for a shady dive, this place has style.]

A nim woman with green hair and impressive curves approached them. Her tail swayed as she walked.

"First time at the Silver Tail?"

"Rakia sent us," Melisa said.

The woman’s expression shifted from professional to amused.

"Of course she did. That girl sends everyone here." She gestured to an empty booth. "I’m Kava. What can I get you?"

"Information," Melisa said as they sat down. "About recent... tensions in the city."

Kava’s smile didn’t falter, but her eyes sharpened.

"That’s an expensive drink."

Melisa pulled out a coin purse and set it on the table. She wasn’t too sure how much suns were worth in Yalmir, but Kava glanced at it and then slid into the booth beside them.

"What kind of tensions are we discussing?"

"The kind that involves nim and kitsune suddenly hating each other."

"Ah." Kava signaled to the bartender, who brought over three glasses of something that glowed faintly pink. "That’s been bad for business. Hard to run a pleasure bar when your customers won’t stop arguing."

"Any idea what’s causing it?"

"Rumors, mostly." Kava took a sip of her drink. "Someone’s been spreading stories. Nim planning to overthrow the Matriarch. Kitsune secretly poisoning nim food supplies. Stupid shit that shouldn’t work, but..."

"But people believe it anyway," Raven said.

"Fear makes people stupid." Kava’s tail curled around her leg. "Started not too long ago. Little whispers at first. Now I’ve got regulars who’ve been friends for decades refusing to share a table."

"Have you seen anyone suspicious? New faces spreading these rumors?"

Kava laughed.

"Honey, half my clientele is suspicious. But there’ve been a few." She leaned closer. "Young kitsune, mostly. One tail, maybe two. They come in, have a few drinks, start conversations that always seem to end in arguments."

[Shadow Mages recruiting locals, maybe?]

"They never stay long," Kava continued. "And they pay in old coins. The kind you don’t see much anymore."

"Old coins?"

"Pre-Matriarch currency. From when Yalmir had a different government structure." Kava finished her drink. "Whoever’s funding them has access to historical treasures. Or they’re very good at counterfeiting."

A crash from across the bar interrupted them. A nim man had shoved a kitsune woman, both of them shouting.

"You think you’re better than us!"

"We don’t think it, we know it!"

Kava sighed.

"Third fight tonight. Excuse me."

She stood and walked toward the argument, her voice cutting through the noise.

"OUT! Both of you! This is a bar, not a daycare!"

Melisa watched the two troublemakers get escorted to the door.

[Good. Rakia was right. They haven’t really established themselves yet.]

The Shadow Mages were still in the rumor phase. If they could disrupt things now, before it escalated...

"We should go," Raven said quietly.

Melisa nodded. They’d gotten what they came for.

---

The next morning, Melisa stood outside Rakia’s workshop in the Crystal Wing. She’d decided to actually help with the festival. If they were going to counter Shadow Mage propaganda, they needed something big.

She knocked on the door.

"Come in! It’s open!"

Melisa pushed the door open and immediately wished she hadn’t.

Rakia was bent over her desk, completely naked, while a nim woman with blue hair pounded into her from behind with some odd strap-on. Both of them looked up at Melisa’s entrance, but neither stopped.

"Oh! Hi Melisa!" Rakia gasped between thrusts. "You’re early!"

"I... you... what?"

"This is my friend Rhamie! From yesterday!" Rakia moaned as Rhamie grabbed her hips. "We’re discussing costume materials!"

"That’s not... that’s not discussing!"

"Sure it is! Multitasking!" Rakia’s tail wrapped around Vera’s waist. "Did you need something?"

Melisa’s face burned. She backed toward the door.

"I’ll... I’ll come back later."

"Okay! Give us like twenty minutes! Rhamie’s really close!"

Melisa slammed the door shut and leaned against the wall outside, trying to process what she’d just seen.

[This place is too easygoing...]

From inside, she could hear Rakia’s increasingly loud moans.

[Twenty minutes my ass. That’s going to take at least an hour.]

She walked away, deciding to find breakfast instead. Maybe by the time she got back, Rakia would have clothes on.

Probably not though.