The curtains whipped in the cold wind coming off the water, concealing my bird friend. When they settled, it was gone.
40
SAMKIEL
Dianna’s foot rested on my knee as I laced up the thigh-high boot I had made for her. She sat on the edge of the bed with a pout on her face.
“That’s all he said.”
My brows rose and fell as I tightened the laces. “If there were other gods alive, I assure you, they would be right alongside me, not hiding away, especially from Nismera. While she is a formidable force, they were not afraid of her. A handful of us could deal with her swiftly.”
She blew out a breath and said on a sigh, “Yeah, maybe he was just confused about the timeline of events.”
“Perhaps.”
Dianna shrugged. “He also said you would destroy the world in his place because you love me, so there’s that.”
I met her gaze and placed a kiss on her knee. “Maybe he’s not as dumb as I assumed.”
“Samkiel.” She dragged my name out in reprimand.
“Dianna.” I copied her in response. “You are about …” I paused, counting how long it had been since she crashed into my life. “A year and six months too late for that. I decided a long time ago I would rip the world apart for you, alive or dead. You only need to be threatened for me to start feeling murderous. So, in short, you shouldn’t have made me love you.”
Her eyes narrowed in agitation, but I felt the warmth of our love slide along our bond. “Make? You make it sound like I forced you.”
“You did. I had no choice. You’re an evil, evil woman.” I shrugged. “I was merely a victim.”
She growled playfully and nudged my knee with her foot. I laughed and finished tying her boot before placing her foot back on the floor and tapping her other leg, asking for it. She gave it willingly, and I put on the other boot, giving it a slight wiggle as I pushed it up her calf.
“What else did he say before his timely demise?”
She turned her head toward me, the long, dark tresses of her hair shadowing her shoulder like a curtain as she watched me. “That he wants me to find that chalice. He says we’ll need the extra power, and I’ll be honest, a part of me is tempted. Especially if it can tell us about the past and give us more insight into whatever he was talking about.”
I grabbed a lace and threaded the boot. “Your blooddreams haven’t come back yet?”
She shook her head. “No, unfortunately, but maybe this may help?”
“I think,” I said as I tightened her boot, “we have enough on our plate right now besides an ancient chalice in some cavern.”
I stood and pulled her up with me. She looked up at me and nodded. “You’re right.”
“Can I get that in writing?”
“No.” She scowled playfully.
I tapped her ass as she passed me, heading toward the circular mirror on the wall. She ran her fingers through her long, dark hair, separating it into sections.
“What if I grow horns? Like the permanent kind?” She wrinkled her nose as if picturing how it would look as she braided her hair back off her face.
I tilted my head and studied her. “Depends,” I said.
“Depends on what?” Her eyes caught mine in the mirror.
I shrugged and stepped in close behind her. Losing her had been torture, and I couldn’t stand any distance between us right now. “How big are we talking? Can I hold on to them?”
It took her a second to catch on to what I was implying, and when she did, her hands stilled on the end of her braid. Her frown turned to a smirk, and she kicked back, aiming for my shin.
“I’m being serious, you perv.”
