It wasn't. Deidre went through another courtyard before the scents of breakfast drew her to the correct one. She walked into the dark dining area to see a few others already present: two of the nuns and two normal looking people.
She didn't want to know what kind of creatures they might be. She sat near the door and waited. Daniela had told her the kitchens would serve at any time of day. Deidre was seated for a minute before a red-faced nun brought out a tray with a plate heaped with food and a coffee pot with creamer, sugars and mug.
Cheered by the sight of food, Deidre dug in. She'd barely finished her omelet when the two people from the other table sat across from her. She paused, not at all certain what to do. The man was tall with Oriental features and striking, turquoise eyes. Handsome and lean, he wore slacks and a collared shirt left open at the neck with the long sleeve meticulously rolled in a faux casual style.
"Keep eating," he said, glancing up from the laptop he set on the table before him. "It'll take me a minute to set up."
Deidre's brows furrowed at his no-nonsense tone. The woman beside him was blond, her eyes pale blue. Beautiful and slender, she offered a faint smile. She was more casually dressed in leggings, knee-high boots and a shirt that fell to mid-hip. She wore a glove on one hand that extended to her elbow.
"He means, we're in no rush. Enjoy your breakfast," the woman said. "I'm Ileana. This is Kiki. We're here to do the interview we do for all new members to the Immortal society."
"I'm Deidre," she replied. "You probably know that though, right?"
Ileana nodded.
Deidre nibbled on her food then pushed it aside to drink the coffee. She feared asking what they meant by Immortal society. Half-drunk by the time Rhyn explained things to her the day before, she'd come away from that conversation more baffled than she'd been when she fell out of the sky onto the beach. Gabriel's matter-of-fact talk of magic and laws older than time hadn't clarified much, except that he believed she belonged to him.
The way his touch made her feel, she almost believed it herself.
"How long have you existed?" Kiki asked.
"Pardon?"
"How old are you," Ileana translated.
"Twenty six."
"You've been on the mortal world the whole time?" Kiki appeared doubtful.
"As far as I know," Deidre replied.
"You remember being born here and everything?"
"I don't remember being born, but I mean, I grew up in Indiana and moved to Atlanta for college and stayed after I graduated. Pretty sure those are both in the um, mortal … world," Deidre said. "Does that surprise you?"