Page 30 of Kiss of Death
Viper considered the request before he looked at me, silently asking if I would be alright on my own for an hour or so.
I was unnerved being in a kingdom I didn’t know, housed in the castle where Zehemoth couldn’t get to me. But Viper always had my best interests at heart, and I should trust him. “I’ll see you in a bit.”
The guard came to my side then escorted me to the bedchambers. They had already started a fire for me, had a tray prepared of tea and scones, and the room had a large sitting room as well as a four-poster king-size bed against the wall.
I took a seat in the armchair and placed my sword across my lap as I waited for Viper to return. I stared at the door, the only way into that room, as if someone might come for me any moment.
Did I actually think someone would try to kill me tonight? No.
But I couldn’t come this close to saving my father’s life and risk failure. The stakes were so much higher now. If Zehemoth could fly straight back to the Southern Isles without stopping to rest, I would tell him not to stop, not to risk an attack at the campsite in the middle of the night.
If only Callum were here, he could grab my arm and take me across the world in an instant. Could bring me straight to my father’s bed with the platinum in my grasp.
I sat there in front of the fire, and even though my eyes were tired and my body was weary, I stayed awake.
Are you alright,Sunieth?
Yes.
Now that we’re fused together, I feel your emotions so much more intensely.
I wish I didn’t have to make Zehemoth suffer through my erratic cycles of hope, joy, and then all-consuming despair. The idea of saving my father brought me the greatest lift in happiness, but then I thought about Callum and felt so broken that I wasn’t sure if I could stand. And Zehemoth had to feel all of that.
Do you feel safe?
Yes. Viper is having a drink with his brother, and I’m waiting for him in the chambers.
Do you trust these humans?
Right now, I don’t trust anybody. I just want to get home as quickly as possible.
I will fly as hard as my body will allow.
It’s okay, Zehemoth. We both need to get there in one piece.
Viper returned to the room nearly two hours later, and his eyes immediately settled on me when he entered. “I said you have nothing to fear.”
“I know. I’m just paranoid and stressed.” I left the couch where I’d been seated and walked past him to the large dresser that had a flower vase and an enormous mirror on top. I normally wouldn’t have been able to move it, but I slid it across the wood floor with ease and blocked the door.
Viper watched me but didn’t belittle my fear. “I’ll take the couch.”
“It’s okay. I was the one who wanted us to stay in the same room.”
“I insist.” He pulled his sword out of the scabbard and rested it against the mantel where the fire burned. Then he removed each piece of armor and placed them in a pile on the armchair, leaving his Kingsnake uniform on underneath. He immediately sank into the couch and stared at the fire, a glaze over his eyes like he was either physically exhausted…or emotionally exhausted.
Now that he was there, I could finally sleep—and in a real bed. But all I could do was stare at the side of his face as he got lost in the fire. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah.”
“I thought you said all your brothers were vampires?”
“They were.”
“They were?” I came around the back of the couch then sat in the other armchair, watching the other side of his face now.
“Aurelias fell in love with a human and chose to live a mortal life with her.”
“I—I didn’t know you had a choice.”
