Page 14 of From Frost to Flame

“Great idea. Any leads on where to find the parts of her soul?” It was hard to keep the hopelessness out of his voice.

Silas shook a bottle, making its liquid contents turn from green to blue. “Yes and no. The compass brought us here, so in theory, a piece is nearby. But I’m skeptical. Wisteria is so populated I would think, if a soul shard was here, someone would have noticed it by now. At the very least, I expected there would be rumors of The Ravenous One attempting to retrieve it.”

“I still think it’s possible.” Lex’s eyes drifted up to the ceiling as he collected his thoughts. “You’re forgetting that she hid these souls over five hundred years ago. Wisteria didn’t exist yet. If no one’s found the piece yet, it stands to reason that it would be somewhere unsettled. It’s most likely in the Infinite Forest. It’s too dangerous for the average person, but I doubt The Ravenous One would be deterred. If she had to, she could freeze it over. Plus, the compass is already pointing east toward the trees, so it makes sense.” He realized Silas was staring at him from the floor. “Do you have a better idea?”

“No. That’s just rather brilliant for a man who just regained consciousness.”

Lex cleared his throat, ignoring the surge of butterflies in his chest. “Do you know why The Ravenous One attacked us? If this compass has been floating around for centuries, why would she show up now to chase us specifically? I’ve never heard of her leaving Tartarus. No one seems to think it’s possible.”

“I have to imagine she found out I planned to kill her somehow, or she was already chasing Arden since he had the potential to be successful.”

Silas spoke with confidence, but Lex sensed a low hum of doubt and anxiety under his words. “You’re lying. You know something else.”

“I could be wrong, but that’s not the same as lying.”

“Whatever.” Silas was lying to his face just like he had the last night they saw each other. It made his skin prickle, and a bitterness settled in his chest. “As long as it doesn’t get me killed faster, I don’t care. Keep your secrets. You always do.”

“Can we not do this right now? What happened between us—”

“Isn’t important. I know.” Lex instantly regretted revealing a glimpse of his hurt and tried to move on. “Forget I said anything.”

“That’s not what I was going to say.” Silas sighed and held his eyes. “I was saying, despite what happened between us, I’m here. I’m here, and I’m going to do everything in my power to keep you alive, even if you hate me. When we get the compass off, you don’t have to see me ever again if that’s what you want. Until then, can we be civil?”

“Fine.” Lex swallowed the hurt as best he could. Silas was the only reason he was alive, so he supposed he could play nice for now. “I should be more grateful. Thank you for trying to save me.”

“You never have to thank me for that.”

Uncomfortable with the warmth of Silas's smile, Lex changed the subject. “So, what do we do next? I don’t know how to hunt for souls.”

“The biggest threat right now is Arden. The Ravenous One can only leave Tartarus for short bursts before needing a long period of rest. To give us the best chance of slipping past Arden’s royal spies, we’ll head out at nightfall in a few hours. So, let’s get moving. Take your shirt off for me.”

“Excuse me?” Lex blinked a few times, sure he misheard.

“Your wounds need cleaning and it’s in the way.” Silas nodded to Lex’s bloody sleeve as he measured out a bandage. “I already took the vest off for you, but I figured you wanted to deal with the shirt yourself.”

His cheeks heated at the thought of Silas carefully unlacing the ribbon on his back as he slept. “Why did you do that?”

“You shouldn’t sleep in corsets. It’s bad for you.”

Lex clutched his limp right arm. “Since when do you know anything about corsets?”

“Since you taught me about them. I remember most of the fashion things you told me. It’s rather useful, even if I wear togas.”

“Whatever. I want to leave my shirt on. You can bandage over it. It’s made of a blend of silk so I’m sure it’s thin enough.”

“I appreciate that your shirt was lovely.” His eyes glinted with amusement as he set the bandages down. “But it’s a mess now. It has to go. I’m surprised you haven’t ripped it off already. Dirty clothes usually bother you. Now, come on. Off.”

“But, but...” He searched for an excuse that would leave him dressed, but his mind drew a blank.

“Do you want an infection instead?” Silas's voice dripped with a paternal tone that made Lex squirm on the couch.

“No. I don’t want that, but—”

“But nothing, darling,” Silas said as he placed a hand on Lex’s leg. His thumb stroked the inside of his knee. “You’re back to getting hurt like a human. So, we need to do things in a more human way. Now, behave yourself, take the shirt off, and let me help you.”

The pet name and the demand to behave himself made his mouth go dry. All the nights he spent bent over Silas's lap or tied to his bed waiting for playful punishments rushed to the forefront of his mind. “But nothing, darling” was a phrase he’d heard before Silas switched to calling him Little One for the next several hours of play. He hated and adored hearing it again.

What is wrong with me? I’m not his anymore.

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