Page 32 of Kiss of Death
Is that it?He turned his head as far as he could to look at me near his shoulder.
Yes. It’s heavy too.
Do you think this is the element we seek?
I sure fucking hope so. It matches everything Callum described.
Who’s Callum?
My fingers hesitated as I secured the pack, double-tying knots and locking the top of the sack in place.No one you would know.I hopped back down and turned to Viper, who was saying goodbye to his brother and sister-in-law, a young, petite dark-haired woman in an ethereal blue gown. She was extremely pretty.
I decided to drop my guard and show my manners. No one had threatened me or tried to restrain me, so my paranoia appeared to be unnecessary. I came to Viper’s side and gave a nod to each of them in place of a full curtsy. “Thank you for your generosity. I’ve been looking for my father’s cure for nearly two months. I hope this is it.”
“We hope so too,” Princess Harlow said with a smile. “If it were my father, I would have ripped the world in two until I found it.”
Her husband was far less pleasant and vocal, leaving the politics to his wife. His attention turned back to Viper. “You’re journeying south and then returning home afterward?”
“Yes.”
“Wish I could see Kingsnake’s face when you get there.”
Viper cracked a slight smile. “I wish I could see it too. Probably won’t get the chance after he gives me two black eyes.” He moved toward his brother and gave him a bear hug and a clap on the back before he gently cradled his sister-in-law to his chest. “Take care, both of you.” Then he stepped back and returned to my side.
“Thank you again,” I said. “I know our lands are worlds apart, but if you’re ever in need, consider the Southern Isles your allies.”
Aurelias gave a nod in appreciation. “Take care.”
We turned away and walked to where Zehemoth waited for us. With every step, my heart grew heavier, turning into a boulder inside my chest. This was the final stage of the journey,returning home and bringing my father back from the edge of death. “We have to make it back.” I didn’t have the command of the dead to rise to my aid if I needed them. It was just the three of us crossing the wild world without knowing the lands where we sought refuge.
He stopped before Zehemoth so I could climb up first. “I’ll make sure you get there, Lily.”
“I’ve never been so scared in my life.” I gripped the strap to climb up but stayed on the ground. “I’m so close to what I want most, and I’m terrified I’ll lose it. It’s like an egg in my hand, and I’m afraid to drop it and watch it shatter.”
His hand moved to my shoulder, where I couldn’t feel his touch through my armor. “We’ll make it, Lily. We’ll remain cautious and diligent. No campfires at night. One person always on guard. We’ll move like our enemies are just one step behind us.”
Zehemoth tried to push himself to get us home faster, but it wasn’t worth the chance of bodily harm to his wings or his heart, so we returned to our previous pace of traveling only in daylight.
The campsites were cold, and Viper and I took turns keeping watch throughout the night. We were careful not to disturb the land around us, and I always checked that the platinum was still in the pack secured to Zehemoth, even though I’d already checked a dozen times every day.
We slowly made our way closer to home, every single day feeling like a week on its own. When we finally made it to the last stopbefore the final stretch, I lay in my bedroll but couldn’t sleep. Despite my exhaustion, I was too anxious to relax.
It was the only time I didn’t think about Callum, and that was a reprieve.
When I got tired of tossing and turning, I crawled out of my tent and found Viper sitting on a log in the dark, his silhouette distinct even in the shadows. Zehemoth slept the entire night undisturbed since he was the one who had to do the most work on this journey, so Viper and I split the rotations.
He didn’t flinch when I quietly approached him in the dark, like he knew I was there the second I crawled out of the tent.
“I can’t sleep, so you should rest.”
“We’ll make it, Lily.”
There was only one man who could truly comfort me, and it was his absence that caused me distress. I wanted to heal my father, but now that it’d been over two weeks since I’d seen Callum, I truly began to fear for him. “If Zehemoth could fly, I’d say we should leave now.”
“But he can’t, so try to relax.”
I moved to the log beside him and stared at the sea of stars overhead. “Now I understand why you’re the general of your brother’s army. You’re so calm all the time.”
He continued to stare off in the distance. “I’m not easily affected by fear and emotion.”
