Page 28 of Reaper Unhinged
Uriel and I fell into step behind him.
“I can’t believe I’m here,” Uriel said. “I can’t believe how normal it feels.”
“Yeah, I was expecting fire and brimstone too the first time Conah brought me here. I was surprised by how normal it felt. It’s actually quite beautiful.”
We stepped onto a winding path bordered by trees and heavy with the fragrance of winter blooms I couldn’t identify and headed toward the lights up ahead. The village was on a rise, and the tavern was set apart from it—a travelers’ inn surrounded by land to park carriages on. There were several drakes and carriages already stationed here.
I scanned them, looking for a fancy royal one, but then kicked myself. Would Mal and Azazel come in a royal carriage? No.
“There’s the Academy carriage.” Keon pointed out a dark blue one with two crimson-eyed drakes attached. “Luena and the cadets are here. They may be under surveillance, which is why we’ll be meeting Malachi and Azazel in the Den.”
I jogged to catch up to him as we rounded the tavern and veered away from the cheery light, tinkling music, and delicious smells.
“I thought we were meeting at the tavern?”
“The Den is part of the tavern, the part where demons of lesser repute go to play games, eat, drink, and rest.”
We left the tavern behind and approached a low, squat building that had its doors open. Yellow light spilled out onto the gravel drive, and a couple of drakes were tied to posts outside. They pawed the ground as we approached. Wait. These weren’t drakes. They had no wings.
Keon gently gripped my arm and steered me away from the creatures. “Clipped drakes,” he said. “Some demons like their steeds grounded.”
“They cut off their wings?”
“They do it when the drakes are foals. These poor creatures have never known what it feels like to fly, and their aggression levels are much higher than regular drakes.”
“You think it’s because they can’t fly?”
He looked down at me, his cat eyes gleaming in the gloom, mouth tilting up slightly. “Their wings were taken before they knew they had them, but the need to soar never leaves. It’s in their blood, they just don’t understand it, and it breeds rage. It’s a missing piece. A hollowness they can’t understand.”
His lip curled slightly, showcasing a fang. Was he thinking about Lilith? About the holes she’d left in his memories all these years? About the emptiness he’d felt? The urge to hug him washed over me. I took a step toward him.
He tensed, his mouth parting as he looked down at me. He touched my chin lightly with his fingertips.
“Don’t pity me. I don’t like it.”
“I don’t pity you, Keon. I empathize because I care.”
His eyes flinched. “Then you’re a fool.” He touched my bottom lip, featherlight. “Because I won’t hesitate to kill you if my queen orders it.” He leaned in. “Never forget who and what I am, Fee.”
His mouth was so close I could smell his breath…cinnamon. He would kill me. Slit my throat, quick and clean. He’d end me for Lilith. I searched his cat eyes, noting the way his pupils darkened and flared, and then reached up on impulse to touch his cheek. He flinched but didn’t pull away.
His skin was cool and silken beneath my fingers, and although a part of me said I should not be touching him like this or at all, I couldn’t stop. A low purring sound rose between us as his chest vibrated. He was enjoying this. My pulse sped up at the knowledge. Fuck, what was I doing? I pulled my hand away quickly, but he grabbed my wrist, holding it inches from his face, eyes locked on mine in unrelenting contact.
I swallowed the fluttery feeling in my throat. “You do what you have to, Keon, and I’ll do what I feel is right.”
A strange pained sound shattered the moment.
Uriel stood staring at the drakes, face twisted in torment.
Oh, God.
His wings.
They’d taken his wings.
Keon exhaled. “I’ll be inside.” He strode off before I could stop him.
Shit.
