Ryder's POV
The whiskey burned, but not enough. It was not nearly enough.
I found myself in some nameless human bar in a city that smelled like rain.
It wasn't really planned. I kind of stumbled on it after wandering for a while.
It was too early in the day to be drinking but today, according to Joshua, Kai finally tied the knot with her prince. Let's agree that I deserved a bottle or two to get through the day.
And so, It was just me, the sticky counter, and a bottle of cheap bourbon I got off the counter at 10am in the morning at some off the path dive bar.
The bartender appeared. She had rainbow-streaked black hair tied in messy braids, brown eyes and in a baggy T-shirt.
She moved with a dancer's grace, wiping down the bar even though I was the only soul here.
"Bit early for bourbon, don't you think?" she asked, her voice was weirdly loud but It wasn't unkind. Just observant.
"Just getting a head start," I mumbled, swirling the amber liquid.
