"Alright...alright...Miera," Niva sighed, clapping. "No more romantic dares."
"Why not?" Mara giggled. "This is better than any soap opera."
Autumn reached for her water, her hands shaking slightly.
Because somewhere between that kiss and that smirk...The past was clawing back to the surface.
And it clearly wasn’t done with her yet.Not even close.
" Because we are all straight women... aren’t we... I definitely don’t want to discover another side of me tonight.. So... no more touching... or kissing! "
Another round of giggles erupted and from the sound one could tell they were all losing it. None of them were sober anymore... except Autumn and Lyla.
Next up was Meira. "I dare you to name the last man who made you cry... and the reason."
Meira stilled. The smirk slid off her face like melting wax.
She took a breath, loud in the silence.
"...It wasn’t my stupid husband," she said after a pause. Her voice trembled faintly. "It was... the healer..."
Everyone gasped at the scandalous revelation, but then...
"He told me I can never have children anymore. Not after the last miscarriage."
Even Serra’s grin faltered.
Everyone saw the tears falling from Miera’s eyes.
"Shit," Mara whispered.
But before anybody could intervene or console her, Meira let out a dry laugh." Don’t pity me. I buried that truth with three bottles of whiskey months ago. But there. It’s said now...and my husband got lots of whores to push out his babies...Less work for me..." She tried to shrug...indifferent.
Autumn felt her throat tighten.
She pressed a hand subtly to her belly, as if to shield it. Not being able to bear a child for the person you love so dearly... and watching him with other right in front of your eyes... days after day... suddenly her own troubles felt like nothing... and she almost saw Kieran as a saint... almost...
But then next to her, she noticed it...Lyla’s eyes flicking down to the gesture. Just for a second.She quickly moved her hands and placed them on the table.
But that second felt like a trapdoor opening beneath her.
"Alright," One of the other Lunas said gently, breaking the tension. "Niva, your turn. Truth or dare?"
"Dare. Obviously."Niva smirked.
"Tell us the biggest lie you have told your mate."
Niva didn’t even blink."That I forgave him."
Mara let out a stunned gasping laugh."Oh, Moon."
"Which time?" Meira asked bluntly ,maybe not completely grasping the gravity of her words.
"Does it matter?" Niva smiled, but her voice cracked like thin ice. "He thinks it’s all good now. He sleeps fine. I let him. That’s the lie."
Autumn’s skin crawled. Because that hit far too close.
The lies we let them believe.The masks we wear.
What was Niva talking about? Forgiving him for what? But it didn’t matter. Not all questions needed to be answered.
A strained silence followed Niva’s confession.
No one reached for their glasses. No one cracked a joke.
Because what do you say to a woman who says she chose to carry the weight of Judas kiss...in silence?
Eventually, it was Mara...predictably...who tried to breathe life back into the room.
"Alright, alright. Let’s not all start crying at once. This is supposed to be fun, remember?"
"Okay, okay," Serra clapped dramatically. "Let’s bring it back to scandal and spice.Let’s spin the bottle...make things more interesting..."
Her eyes raked the room like a cat choosing which mouse to play with next as she turned an empty bottle in the middle of the table, scattering snacks and wine all around.But nobody seemed to mind.
Then her eyes landed squarely on Autumn as the bottle stopped. She was in the middle of sipping more water. " You again. Water girl. Truth or dare?"
Autumn blinked. "I... umm...truth."
Serra smirked. "Coward."
But then her smile sharpened.
"Fine. Here is one. Who is the last person you have dreamed about?"
"Dreams?" she echoed, stalling.
"Yes," Serra purred, eyes glinting. "The kind that makes you wake up sweating.Like the hot,titillating kind...you know...explicit..."
Several women whooped. Mara banged the table laughing like a hyena. Lyla’s gaze, however, was stone cold.
Autumn reached for her glass again...water, not wine...but her hands were trembling just enough to betray her.
"Pass," she whispered, trying to sound amused.
"No passes, remember? You break the rules, you do a penalty shot..."
"She doesn’t drink," Niva cut in gently,eyes glaring at Serra with authority. "She is... not feeling well."
Serra raised a brow, caught the meaning behind Niva’s glance.
"Hmmm. Fair." She turned back to Autumn, smiling slyly. "Then just answer. Who was it?And don’t forget to give us the details..."
Autumn’s pulse pounded. Kieran’s name burned behind her teeth.
"No one," she said finally. "It wasn’t like that." But her voice cracked. And it was too late."Alright...you know what...I choose Dare."
Serra grinned like a wolf catching the scent of blood. "Wooo...ho! Switching sides, are we now?"
Autumn forced a smile. "Just figured I am better at doing stuff than...talking."
"Are you certain? Hhhmm, we will see about that." Serra leaned forward, elbow on her knee. "Alright, water girl. I dare you..."
"...to whisper the name of the last person you kissed into Lyla’s ear."
Even the fire in the hearth seemed to dim.
Autumn blinked. Once. Twice.
Lyla slowly straightened in her seat, eyes narrowing.
"Serra..." Niva began, but Serra waved her off. "What? What’s the point of dares if they don’t leave someone breathless and someone blushing?"
Mara leaned forward, clearly salivating over the drama.
Autumn’s heart thundered. Her skin felt too tight. Her mouth dry.But Autumn also knew...refusing now would only draw more suspicion.
So she stood up slowly as her legs became like jelly beneath her.
She walked around the edge of the circle,holding her breath like she was approaching a guillotine, not Lyla.
Lyla did not move. Not a flicker of expression. Her face was carved from frost.
She did not look at her sister. Closed her eyes shut.
She leaned in, close enough to smell the faint scent of rosewater and earth on her skin.
Her lips brushed Lyla’s ear.
And then...soft as wind, almost breathless...she mouthed...