Page 5 of Demanding Discord
His eyes smoldered with an intensity I could barely stand, and that beast I’d supposedly awakened…? He was ready to devour me.
2
DISCORD
Had we not been exposed in the open air, I could have taken her right there on the ground. I should have taken her inside the cave when I’d had the chance…kissed her then, at the very least.
I could smell her desire when I’d suggested we fornicate, and I had let a little magic slip, seeping discord into her psyche, attempting to loosen her rational thoughts and allow her emotions to guide her to me. Strangely, my attempt had brought clarity to her mind, and she’d handed me a firm no.
I could have pressed her, but trying to force Cinder to do anything she didn’t want to would be an exercise in futility, which I had no desire to attempt. She would claim my attraction to her—my desire to protect and take care of her in every way—was due to the union placed on us against our will. That this longing I felt deep within my soul meant nothing…would be nothing when our marks were removed.
At first, I’d thought so as well. Now, I wasn’t so sure.
“Why did you summon me?” I asked.
She furrowed her brows over her deep honey eyes. “You’re kidding, right?”
“I am not.”
She laughed dryly. “To find my parents…? Are you okay?”
I shook my head. “I know that.”
Confusion contorted her features as she tilted her head. “Then why are you asking?”
“I mean why me? Why not Chaos or Mayhem? Why did you choose me?”
She frowned and shrugged. “I just picked a name from the list. Can we get moving? I’m feeling anxious out here in the open.”
“The temple you described is on the outskirts of the barren land stretching out before us. This way.” I rested my hand on the small of her back to indicate she should walk beside me. She matched my pace, her legs moving unhindered in her modern pants and boots.
“Was my mark at the top of the list? Is that why you chose me?” I asked, though I knew better. None of this was a coincidence.
“It was at the bottom, if you must know.” Her face pinched as if she already sensed my assumptions.
“What made you skip to the bottom? You could have summoned either of my brothers just as easily.”
She caught the corner of her bottom lip between her teeth and blinked five times before she answered, “I don’t know. I guess the design of your sigil called to me. It felt like you were the one… The one who could help me, I mean.”
I nodded. “It’s kismet.”
She cut a sideways glance. “It’s a curse. A literal curse. If not for that, I wouldn’t be here.”
“Fair point,” I said, and we continued our trek in silence.
Black rock stretched out before us in every direction, and humid heat clung to my skin. The scents of pungent sulfur and smoky, acrid tar hung in the damp air, growing stronger the farther we ventured into the abandoned wasteland.
“I don’t believe the blood magic that joined us was accidental,” I said.
She scoffed. “I definitely didn’t do it on purpose.”
“Perhaps not consciously,” I said, “but the seer finishing the bond, your sisters summoning my brothers, you choosing my sigil out of the three… This is happening for a reason.”
“And the reason is that you decided to curse my bloodline.” She crossed her arms, continuing to match my pace.
“It’s more than that.”
She shook her head adamantly. “It’s not. Believe me.”
