Page 51 of A Crown of Tears and Treason
“I wish I could reveal all of them. Everything,” Kaya said as Goose brought us the tea, the dainty cups shivering on the tray in his hands. “But I don’t know what’s appropriate or not.”
“Appropriate or allowed?”
“Aren’t they the same thing?” She gave me a long, thoughtful look. “Icanreveal some things about the wedding ceremony. How squeamish are you with blood? Actually, no. That’s best left between you and Zandyr. But let me tell you, the things you have to recite…”
By the time Kaya finished telling me tales about the Blood Brotherhood wedding ceremony, our tea cups were empty and cold. The event had so many steps, so much pomp. My skin pricked just thinking about it as I waved Kaya and Vexa goodbye.
Kaya looked over her shoulder and gave me a small wave, before she disappeared in the throng of guards surrounding her.
“It’s good to be seen in her company,” Goose said as he hurried to clear the table. “People like her.”
Gods help me, I was starting to like Kaya, too. She had that soft, gentle air about her that didn’t press or demand. She simply was and you wanted to bask in her existence for however long you could. Talking with her was so very different than with my parents and cousins, whose demeanors were always big and spiky, challenging and commanding. Kaya let you breathe around her, not setting you on edge with every word.
When we’d met, she’d said we’d be friends, and I was starting to believe her. I didn’t enjoy her trying to praise Zandyr every chance she got, though. She didn’t have to sell the idea of him to me, we were already stuck together.
I stared at the box, sniffing the air.Fertilityfruits. My heart thudded. The Clan needed heirs eventually. How could–
The hair on my arms stood up.
My instincts, finely tuned in the mountains, screamed at me. The air was filled with warning.
In a blink, I clutched the switchblade tightly and my knees locked in an attack position.
My insides coiled as my hearing heightened, listening for any hint of an attack. The hiss of the wind flowing between the wooden beams in my fence, the water splashing in the basement kitchen, the floor creaking underneath my feet.
I turned around slowly. Cautiously.
Nothing.
No hidden presence, no blade glistening in the shadows, ready to–
There. Something was crawling.
No.Slithering.
My stomach dropped as I saw the end of a snake’s tail.
Ayellowsnake’s tail.
As if sensing the detection, the creature slid its head from underneath the table, body undulating menacingly. My blood froze as its razor sharp scales shined dangerously. Its angled eyes ended in horns, ready to slice.
I took a step back.
The beast hissed, revealing its cavernous mouth and monstrous fangs. They were long enough to pierce through my arm and have the tips come out the other side.
It prowled forward, its slitted pupils trained on me.
He stood between me and the door. But if I jumped on the table–
A slithery sensation pooled at the base of my neck. Before I took another breath, my body snapped upright, pulled taut, out of my control. My chin tilted toward the ceiling, so hard and fast, I saw dark spots.
My mouth hung open, but I couldn’t scream.
I was a husk, controlled by an unforeseen force.
I couldn’t move.
I couldn’t run.
