I glance back at the chaos, seeing how the glowing liquid is flowing across the table, over the sides… and is caught up in a bucket, to be recycled for the next victim.
“It’s fine.” My voice comes out steadier than I feel. Not at all scared. I’m definitely not overheating because her body is wrapped around me. She’s trusting me completely to hold herup, to keep her safe. The weight of her feels good. Right. “I’ve got you.”
She slides down slowly, her body dragging against mine in a way that makes my pulse spike. But she doesn’t let go of my hand when her feet touch the floor.
“Okay. Onward.” She squares her shoulders with visible determination. “We’ve got this.”
We don’t got this. Not even a little bit.
The next room is worse. It’s set up to look like a forest at night, complete with artificial trees and a fog machine that’s working overtime. Strange lights flicker in the artificial branches. Something howls in the distance.
Selene presses against my side, and I put my arm around her shoulders without thinking. She fits there perfectly, her head tucked just under my chin. I can feel every rapid beat of her heart where our bodies connect.
Protect her, something primal whispers in my mind. Keep her safe.
For once in my life, I feel like I could. Like I’m capable of being what someone needs.
A branch snaps somewhere to our left. Selene’s fingers dig into my side, and I instinctively pull her closer, positioning myself slightly between her and the sound.
“It’s probably just a motion sensor,” she murmurs, but her voice wavers.
My tail uncurls slightly, ready to wrap around her if needed. Every sense I have is on high alert, scanning for threats, tracking movement in the shadows?—
Something pale lunges from between two trees with an inhuman screech.
I scream.
Not a shout. Not a yell. An actual, honest-to-gods scream—high-pitched and terrified and completely devoid of any dignity whatsoever.
The sound hangs in the air for a mortified second before I clamp my mouth shut, my entire body going rigid.
No.
No, no, no.
A Volscian warrior would never?—
My brother would have stood his ground, probably laughed, maybe even complimented the actor on their technique.
My father would have looked at me with that expression of profound disappointment I know so well.
I just proved, once again, that I’m exactly what they’ve always said: weak, unsuitable, not worthy of the family name. Not capable of doing anything right.
The actor has already retreated back into the shadows. The room has gone quiet except for the ambient sound effects.
And Selene is staring up at me.
Here it comes. The judgment. The realization that she’s been spending time with someone who can’t even handle a fake house haunting without losing his composure. What would she do if she knew I was trying to meet with Rist, trying to…
Her hand comes up to cup my cheek, gentle and warm.
“Hey,” she says softly. “You okay?”
I can’t speak. My throat has closed up with shame and embarrassment and the overwhelming certainty that I’ve just destroyed whatever fragile connection we had.
“Khatak.” Her thumb strokes across my cheekbone. “Talk to me.”
“I’m not...” The words stick. I force them out anyway. “I’m not a warrior.”
