Page 25 of A Kiss From Death
Tugging my head straight so she can continue braiding she teases, “Sparkles is it.”
“What am I going to do with you?” Des giggles behind me as we fall into comfortable chatting while she braids my hair.
Three knocks echo from the other side of my door, and my heart sinks to my ass. I’m not ready to face the brute involved in last night’s encounter. I have no choice in the matter, though, so I straighten my spine, quickly puff my breath into my hand to make sure it smells okay, and throw on a face of indifference I’m far from feeling.
Storming over to my door, I fling it open. “How was letting off steam last night? Any complaints?” I drag my eyes up a fluffier body than I expected. My eyes land on a man with short gray hair, brown eyes, and light skin, his face covered in overgrown facial hair, sporting an infectious, warm smile.
Jeez, Nyxi. Can you embarrass yourself any more?
An aged chuckle draws me out of my thoughts, and I know I’m sporting blooming red cheeks…again. “So sorry…sir,” I tack on, trying to sound polite. “I thought you were someone else. My apologies.” I am seriously flustered right now.
“Now I must know what kind of steam you are referring to? Sounds intriguing,” he exclaims.
Empress save me.
“Oh, it’s nothing. Just a meaningless saying.” I shrug nonchalantly, hoping he gets bored and drops the subject. He winks at me but doesn’t push the subject any further. I internally thank him.
“And who might you be?” I ask with more accusation than I intended, already wound up so early in the day.
He shakes my hand. “Name’s Winston. I’m your new guard.” He splays his hand in the air, swiping it across his body, as if the words are right in front of him. “Protector of ‘just Nyxi’.”
“New guard?” My mind sputters, but then I remember the ‘mighty Cardinal’ was just a fill in and has better things to do with his time than, and I quote, ‘babysit’ me. Why does it still sting, though?
“Vanquisher Winston, at your service, ma’am.” He salutes me with a smile, and his round belly jiggles a little from the movement. He is every opposite to Hade. Where Hade is hard and uninviting, Winston is soft and welcoming. Winston is the warmth to drown out Hade’s raging storm. He is also much, much older.
“I just didn’t know I was getting a new one so soon, is all. Sorry for the confusion.”
He smiles down at me. “Little lady, you better stop that nasty habit of apologizing about everything. There’s no need.”
“Sorry—Empress, sorry—uhhh. My lips are sealed from here on out, promise.” This introduction so far is going swimmingly…not.
“Ready to get going? You have a big day ahead of you, little lady. Oh, and I almost forgot. Do you have any idea why this was sitting on the ground outside your door?” He lifts his hand, and clutched inside his palm is none other than afuckingorange.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” I slap my forehead and let out a long sigh. “Let me have it.” I snatch it from Winston.
“Oh, do you love oranges too? I’m a bit of an orange enthusiast myself. We should make a club and name it…” He pauses, scratching his head before his eyes light up. “Citrus Circus?—”
“No,” I cut him off. “This is just someone playing a cruel joke on me. Actually, here.” I shove the orange back in his hand. “You can have it, since you love them so much. It’s better off in your stomach than in my waste bin.”
When did the little shit even drop that off? Did he spend the night out there, watching over me? Wake up early to drop it off before his shift started? No, that would require him thinking about me and having the time to spare for his schemes. He probably sent someone to drop it off this morning as an afterthought to rile me up…right?
“Thanks, little lady.” Winston beams at me. “You’re a real peach, you know that?” He starts digging the nail of his thumb into the peel, stripping it of its outer layer. I’m exhausted just watching him do it.
“Well, shall we get going? I’m ready to draw some blood.” Winston and Des shoot concerned looks at my morbid statement. “Only kidding. Relax.”
I’m not kidding, not in the slightest. I have so much pent-up rage, I wouldn’t be surprised if instead of blood running through my veins supporting my life, it solely pumped rage and revenge. They have taken permanent residence in the core of my heart, and unfortunately, they are here to stay.
Winston links his arm in mine, pulling me into the hallway with him. Des yellsgood luckto me from my doorway as we strut down the corridor.
“Just so you know, I’m a Fib. Keep that in mind next time you try to lie to my face.” He winks at me with a devious smile.
My pulse kicks up a notch. “So you knew I was lying about the whole steam comment too?” He nods, and I feel mycheeks heat. “You Vanquishers and your nosy little magic.” I shove playfully into his side, and our laughs mingle off the walls of the corridor.
The rumors don’t even come closeto painting an accurate depiction of Lunaria. The air feels fresher up here compared to the rotting, stuffy scum we breathed down in Vagrant. Everything, and I mean everything, is bright and bold, from the buildings, clothing, food, landscapes, and even people’s hair. It looks like a rainbow threw up all over the place, but it also looks oddly cohesive.
Where buildings in Fallout were crumbling with sharp edges, in Lunaria, everything is sophisticated and round, a mixture of big, colorful domed roofs and pointed buildings littered throughout town. Mixed in with houses are shops selling everything from extravagant clothing to mouthwatering treats while street performers showcase their magic for coin. It’s magnificent, and I know Theo would be in a chokehold over it.
It’s chaotic and full of laughter and smiles. There are people floating through the air in all directions. A gust of wind blows my hair as a dash runs past me so fast, I can’t even track them. To my left, a woman uses her magic to revive a dead flower until it grows taller than her. There’s magic infused into every square inch of Lunaria, and I love it.
