I still can’t believe he came for me.
Chapter thirty-one
Ashwiyaa
“I will always be a little too much for this world.” -Anjum Chouldhary
“Shit, this place is an endless nightmare,” Kai grumbles, swiping the sweat from his brow.
“It really is,” I agree.
“The weather is shit. And apart from you, there’s nothing good to look at,” he adds, his tone a mix of irritation and playful affection.
I snicker, glancing around us, my senses on high alert. I can feel eyes on us, shadowy presences lurking just out of sight, but they seem content to watch for now. It’s likely they are biding their time, none of them game enough to venture from their shadowy hiding spots duringthe day.
“Well, we’ve reached the Valley of the Dead,” I say, taking in the harsh, rocky landscape stretching out before us. “Now we just need to find this cave.”
Kai stops next to me and stretches his arms above his head, wincing slightly as he does. The motion is fluid, but there’s a hint of stiffness in the way he moves.
“Are you okay?” I ask with concern.
“Fine, baby. It’s just my back aching. Probably from sleeping on the ground,” he replies, his casual tone doing little to ease my worry.
Or the poison, I think to myself, biting my bottom lip as the anxiety gnaws at me. Before I can dwell on it, Kai stalks over, his movements purposeful as he wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me flush against his chest. His thumb reaches up, tugging my lip free from my teeth, and he runs it gently over my bottom lip, his touch sending a shiver through me.
“Don’t be biting your lip and looking all sexy and pouty, especially dressed in this,” he says, his voice low and rough, eyes blazing with heat as his other hand slips down, giving my ass a firm squeeze.
I can’t help but grin, warmth flooding my cheeks as I push up on my toes to kiss him. The moment our lips meet, butterflies erupt in my stomach, the sensation curling low in my belly, sending a wave of desire through me. When we pull apart, I rest my hand on his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat under my palm.
“Great, now I’m completely turned on,” Kai grumbles, his voice tinged with frustration, though there’s a playful glint in his eyes.
I nip at his throat, making him tense.
“Not helping, Ash,” he chides.
I tip my head back and laugh, stepping away from him.
“Sorry.”
“No, you’re not.”
Wecontinue walking through the stark, empty landscape, the bleak vista occasionally punctuated by the skeleton of a tree or the bleached bones of some long-dead creature. The ground is a patchwork of browns and grays, with areas of scorched earth. Rocks and jagged ridges litter the valley.
I let my senses sweep out, stretching them as far as they can reach. The view before us is a vast gorge of emptiness, a barren expanse that seems to stretch on forever, but I know better than to trust appearances. The air here is thick with something unseen, something ancient and powerful lurking.
My pulse quickens, a flutter of anticipation blooming in my chest as the sensation grows stronger. There’s a tension in the air, a sense that we’re being observed, studied, even if I can’t see what or who is watching.
“Something is watching us,” I murmur, my voice barely above a whisper, but I know Kai hears me.
As the last word leaves my lips, a bolt of magic streaks through the air, crackling with raw energy. The hairs on the back of my neck rise in warning, and I react on instinct, throwing up my arm in a desperate attempt to create a protective barrier. The shield materializes in a flash of light, but it’s not enough. The magic is too strong, and the force of it slams into us like a tidal wave, knocking us backward across the dry dirt.
The impact rattles through my bones as I skid to a stop, the earth rough beneath my palms. I push myself up quickly, scanning the area, but there’s nothing—no movement, no sound, just the lingering hum of the dissipating magic in the air. My gaze darts from shadow to shadow, searching for the source of the attack, but I see nothing.
Frustration and a creeping sense of unease bubble up inside me. This isn’t just some random assault; it’s calculated, precise. I close my eyes for a moment, focusing on the energy still tingling in the air around us. There’s something familiar about it, something I should recognize.
Lifting my nose in the air, I inhale deeply, letting the scents and sensations wash over me. That’s when I detect it—the unmistakable energy of a witch, sharp and distinct, cutting through the lingering traces of magic. It’s strong, deliberate, and it’s close.
My heart pounds as I open my eyes, every instinct on high alert.
