Before Lore can notice my distress, I seize my cage and toss it onto the next ledge. When it lands, I follow it down. I wince again, this time because of the thickening heat.
Lore’s shadows harden and back me up against the trench wall, swathing me in their coolness. Gods, he feels divine.This is as far as I’ll let you go, Little Bird.
Is it far enough, though?
Yes.
Because you won’t let me go farther?
Because my crow is right there.
I glance over his hazy shoulder, and though the water shimmers with heat, it also shimmers with the silvery glint of a crow wedged between rock and coral.
My heart thunders.
My breathing shallows.
My fingers tighten around the chain that feels hot against my skin, like those earthen pots Defne would slide out from the hearth back atBottom. I glance at the chain, then at the blisters bubbling on my palms. Oddly enough, they don’t hurt. I squint to make sure they’re really there, but get sidetracked by a strand of faceted emeralds.
So beautiful.Like Phoebus’s eyes. Phoebus would love these.
I finger the stones, then carry them up to my face before getting sidetracked by more pretties. So many pretties. And all strung together like a jump rope. Gods, Sybille would’ve adored to own one like this when she was younger. She’d probably still love it.
Fallon?Lore’s voice sounds as though it’s coming from inside the bubbling crater.
I loop it around my neck for safekeeping but then become transfixed by how gorgeously it twinkles against my skin.I need to make Phoebus a jump rope or he’ll be jealous.
Fuck.
Don’t tell me you want one, too?I slide my finger down his ice-cold chest that feels a lot like . . . pudding.
Pudding?
A smile quirks up my mouth.I love pudding.
Up we go.
What? No. I need to . . .I frown, trying to remember why I’m standing in a ravine in the middle of the night.
A vision of a crow on a ledge slams into my mind.
Of a flimsy rod made of grass.
Of two birds becoming one.
The depth is messing with your mind, Fallon.
Depth?
This is no ravine; this is Filiaserpens.
My eyes grow wide with wonder.I’m in Filiaserpens?I shake my head.Apparently, it glows in the winter. La-zahhhhhh . . .
Lazarus?
Yes. Him. He said jellies come and—or was it jewels? Wait. Did I steal all the jewels?
No. You left plenty.
