Page 148 of House of Roots and Ruin
“You mentioned accidents,” Alex said, watching his middle brother with care. “With…his fires?”
Julien nodded. “He’s always had a terrible temper and the flames only exacerbate it. One little tiff can lead to a blazing inferno. You need to be careful with him.”
My cheeks reddened as I remembered the other type of fire Viktor was capable of igniting. When Julien’s eyes fell on me, I stilled, forcing the thoughts away.
“I think I’m going for a walk,” I volunteered, wanting to flee from Julien and his all-too-knowing gaze.
“You don’t have to,” Alex protested, but I’d already set off, fixing my direction on a statue at the other end of the pond.
It was smaller than the others, a culmination of stripes and claws, a feathered tail and leathery wings. I sat down—the creature’s catlike paws made a surprisingly comfortable seat—and watched the brothers. Alex and Julien had fallen into deep discussion while Viktor poked about for more rocks.
My eyes felt heavy and I blinked drowsily, breathing in the cool, green air. I leaned back against the beast’s leg, letting my shoulders relax. All of the secrets I’d kept clutched to my chest, a mass of tangled, twisted knots, were out in the open now.Alex knew everything and we had a plan, a course of action, a united front.
For the first time since I’d arrived at Chauntilalie, I felt at peace. As I drifted toward sleep, I dared to believe that good would triumph and that Alex and I could prove even the gods wrong.
My eyes snapped open as I heard a soft rustling approach me.
Viktor stood yards away, near the water’s edge. He swooped down to pluck a sprig of pretty little flowers from the tall grasses, then offered it to me.
Reluctantly, I slid from the statue and bridged the gap between us. “What is it?” I asked, spinning the stem between my thumb and fingers. The cluster of blooms looked like a lady’s skirt twirling about a ballroom.
“White dittany. Smell it.”
I brought the stem closer to me and caught a strong citrus aroma. “Oh.” My eyes watered at the unexpected surprise.
“Pleasant, isn’t it? They’re quite special, actually.”
“Are they?”
He nodded. “The oils on their leaves are uniquely flammable,” he mused, studying the dozens of tall plants dotting the shore. “You can set them on fire…set a whole field of them aglow, but they themselves will not burn.”
I had the sudden premonition he was about to ignite them, just to show me. “Don’t,” I said, reaching out to stop him.
Our hands brushed, just a whisper of skin against skin, and the air between us changed, charged with electric anticipation.
I glanced uneasily at Viktor as Kosamaras’s words echoed through me.
You and that boy will create things, terrible things. Things terrible enough to bring down even the gods.
There was a moment, one short breath, where I could have pulled away, hastily retreating as though nothing had happened.
The moment came.
The moment passed.
My fingers closed around his.
“What are you doing, Ver?”
His voice was warm with amusement, pleased, as if he knew exactly what I was doing, even though I did not myself.
Wordlessly, I reached up, cupping the back of his neck, running my fingers into the thick waves of his hair. He made a soft, surprised noise but I pressed my lips to his, silencing him.
Viktor responded in kind and I arched forward as his hands snaked up my spine, drawing me against his chest. I opened my mouth, running my tongue over his with a brazen audacity that could not be checked.
With a soft, appreciative growl, he stepped forward, causing me to step back, and my ankle caught on a rock. I fell backward, landing on a bed, high with silken pillows and velvet throws. It had not been there before, I was certain of it, but I stretched out anyway, savoring the wanton comfort.
Viktor followed after.
