“Great,” Kahlya says animatedly. “Can’t wait to hear more about it, though. I am a sucker for a good love story.”
Love? Killian wouldn’t know what thatreallyis even if it hit him in his stupidly handsome face.
I can’t help the snort that escapes me, masking it with a cough. She doesn’t seem to notice, but Celine’s eyes are trained on us with calculated inquisitiveness. It seems she’s not one for many words, but I’m afraid she sees past the feeble picture of unity we’re trying to project.
“Enough chatter. I believe it’s time you met K’haram. He’s a wise judge of character, and he’ll determine if this alliance is worth our trouble.”
Celine’s words have a certain finality in them. I gulp nervously.
Time to face the dragon.
Killian
I can’t shake the feeling of foreboding as we descend the steep, narrow stairs leading deep into the belly of Sol’Kantarra. Something monumental is about to happen. I can feel it deep within the darkest confines of my soul, and I can’t decide if the warning bells going off in my head are warranted or not.
The humans trust this dragon, and having such a magical beast on our side in the brewing war would, without a shadow of a doubt, be pivotal for us. But something unnamed makes me weary.
Aimee’s chocolate mane sways gently as she walks in front of me, her hands touching the polished sunstone walls twinkling in the low light. The elevated platform on which the palace is built is not just a decorativechoice; it hides the Temple of the Desert God. An intricate underground cave system where the last dragon in existence dwells.
“Umbra,” I whisper, trying to catch Aimee’s attention without alerting the human leaders in front of our little group.
She barely looks back at me over her shoulder, hissing a hushed “What?”
I let my shadows loose, eating up the space between us and curling around her arms and torso, dragging her back into my chest. Her body is stiff, coiled like an arc that’s about to snap at any moment, but her shadows welcome mine.
“Umbra,” I repeat against the shell of her ear, tracing the soft curve with my lips.
She shudders before huffing between clenched teeth.
“What do you want, Killian? Now is not the time for your games.”
I resent the implication of her words. I am not playing games. Not when it comes to us. But from her point of view, it might look like that, I realize with a start.
“Something feels off. I want you to stay alert. If I’m right and we get fucked over, I need you to follow my lead.”
She turns her head slightly, boring her golden eyes straight into my soul.
“You’re being paranoid, Killian. Nothing will go wrong.”
“Just be careful, Aimee. Please.”
“Fine,” she says, before detangling herself from my grip and putting distance between us just as we arrive at the end of the stairwell.
The antechamber we enter is wide and high-vaulted, empty besides the various torchlights castings a yellow glow on the polished walls. At the far end of the space, gleaming bronze gates guard the secrets on the other side. The intricate glyphs carved along the length of the doors are unfamiliar to me, and it puzzles me to see an ancient language I’ve never encountered before in my long existence.
“Beyond these doors is the Temple of the Desert God,” Kahlya announces, turning to face us. “Once inside, we will all consume the blend ofCistanchea and mahia, and the trance ritual will commence.” She retrieves several vials from her pouch and hands one to each of us. “It’s a very potent concoction, so I don’t recommend taking it before we enter the temple and get, well… comfortable.”
I spin the vial between my fingers, checking the golden liquid inside with distrust. I don’t like this idea at all, being left vulnerable in front of a creature that could chew our bones in the blink of an eye.
“Do we all need to drink this?” I ask, although I already know what her answer will be.
“Yes,” Celine answers instead. “K’haram will take offense if only one of you goes through with the ritual.”
“Of course he will,” I mutter to myself, but Aimee picks up on my mumbling. She casts me a disapproving side-eye glance before reassuring the humans that we’ll both take part in the ritual as intended.
She grabs my hand and drags me along the chamber until we’re crossing the threshold of the now-open gates. My protest dies in my throat at the feel of her delicate fingers wrapped around my wrist, her warmth seeping into me and spreading like wildfire. Even now, after all the heartache and betrayal, I would still go to the ends of the world for this female. All she needs to do is say the word, and my stupid heart would follow her to the pits of hell.
Kahlya and Celine are already inside, bowing deeply to the shadows of the cavernous space. I squint my eyes, but with all my vampiric heightened senses, I can’t pierce the veil of darkness in front of us. It’s like I’m staring straight into a bottomless void.
