Alcohol & Economics - Ashes & Wine - Part 2

“You’re late,” Etna chanted from the kitchen. Deceit blew her off; she was never on time for a meal. Though this time would make the record of days late, seven to be exact.

‘Oops.’ It had taken James and her four days to find their way to an establishment run by something other than humans. Deceit made a quick mental note to encourage the increased settlement of Greece as a whole.

“Why does it smell like human and dead people...?” Etna’s eyes widened as she found one of the sources of the smell: James. “‘Ciet, you know it’s against the rules to get involved with humans.” She gave her niece a lecherous grin.

“I’m not involved with him,” Deceit shot back. “And how do you know he’s not a Magi?” Etna only raised an eyebrow, and Deceit just sighed in defeat. “Sirens are employing harpies now. He was caught in the crossfire and then saw Mou, so he’s kind of stuck in the middle, now. Set an extra plate.”

“You’re going to get caught one of these days.” Etna warned with a shake of her head, disappearing back into the kitchen.

“I’m sure,” Deceit muttered with a sigh. James was frozen, wide-eyed when she turned around and she sighed again. ‘You would think he was all surprised out...’ He must not have seen people with green tinted skin and dark green hair every day, she mused. "Don't look like that; she's only a chaos daemon." James gave her the same look a deer would give headlights.

"...Only?!" He was horrified to the point where it was almost comical.

"Get used to it. Now come on, we both smell like rotting flesh and I'd rather not attract anything." She dragged him down a dimly lit hall that smelled of lingering strawberries.