Page 85 of Resurrection
“Are you offering?” Cocking one eyebrow, I grin when he narrows his gaze on my face. “Don’t be an ass. I stopped trying to tear your throat out a while ago.”
“Right.”
A burst of laughter bubbles out of my mouth at the way he is squinting at me as if he doesn’t believe a word I say. I can’t blame him. I was his worst nightmare after they turned me. The two men walking behind us snicker too, probably remembering the same thing. It became an inside joke around the Guardians that after all the centuries Marcus has been alive, he finally found his bogeyman—aka me. He never appreciated the joke, and he is not doing so now when he turns his glare on them over his broad shoulders.
We take a corner, and the hall opens up into the cavernous space of what used to be the throne room. A handful of Guardians turn their heads at our arrival. The domed, high ceilings and walls are still covered with scorch marks, blackand smeared from whatever the mages used in that damn blast. The gleaming marble of the floor is smudged with soot and something resembling oil that can’t be removed. Day in and day out, everyone works on cleaning this place up, but it’s like death has sunk its claws in this space and its refusing to let go of it. No matter how much they scrub and wash, the stench and darkness penetrates the very mortar of the room, and they sit there mocking us for our arrogance and weaknesses with each breath we take.
As always, just stepping foot in this room makes my knees buckle, and bile burns the back of my throat. Marcus tightens his hold on me, offering support without being too obvious about it. After the attack, he developed trust issues worse than mine. He doesn’t trust anyone implicitly, apart from Sebastian and me.
Not even Eshe.
“You know what to do.” I don’t turn to look at the two following us, but they take the hint and slink off to do what they’re supposed to. It takes everything in me to stay standing and not curl up and bawl my eyes out.
“What are you up to?” Marcus gets straight to the point as always, but I have a suspicion it’s more to keep me talking so I don’t show anything I feel in front of the people mulling around.
“I know you and Sebastian think I’m going to run blindly into those tunnels, but I have no time to convince you when there is so much that needs to be done.” Breathing through my nose, I tilt my lips in the resemblance of a smile, just for sake of appearances, but I’m sure I look constipated. “They are the first I turned using my blood.” Referring to the two Guardians I sent away, I keep my tone low. “I’m taking them with me to a late lunch if you will.”
“Lunch?”
“Yeah.” Despite the knotting in my stomach, I snort humorlessly. “I had them snooping around the city the lastcouple of days, and they assured me the place where we reserved a table is a hot spot for those thinking they are sneaky and can hurt me and mine. I want to dine with them.”
“Are you insane?” Marcus stops in his tracks, yanking me back so I have to face him. “Per l’amor del cielo, donna. Sei davvero pazza.” He gapes at me incredulously, referring to the human God while repeating I’m insane, which I chose to take as a compliment.
“Which god, my friend? The one we worshipped as mortals has forsaken us the moment we became monsters.”
“April.” He is one of the only three people who can say my name as a warning and keep his head attached to his neck.
“Marcus.”
“Sebastian is going to lose his shit, and he will lock you up so that you can’t go anywhere for a decade when he finds out.”
“So, we will make sure he doesn’t find out.”
“How do you suppose you can accomplish that?” He cocks his head to the side, listening. “He is already on his way here searching for you.”
“I know.” My smile must give me away because he takes a step back, releasing my arm while shaking his head vehemently.
“No.” Another step back. “Oh, hell no.”
“I’m going to my room to change.” Fighting the laugh trying to escape me, I turn on my heel, sauntering away from him. “It’s your job to throw him off my trail, Marcus. Because if you don’t”—glancing over my shoulder, I widen my eyes dramatically just to frustrate him more—“I’ll make sure you have no idea when I’m coming or going from this tomb we call home. I’m pretty sure you won’t like that.”
“You’ll be the death of me,” Marcus growls through clenched teeth.
“And I’m not getting anywhere near your throat to do it, either.” With a giggle, I wiggle my fingers in farewell over my shoulder. “I’ll see you in a bit.”
Chapter Seventy-Nine
APRIL
It’s funny how things change in the blink of an eye.
As I stare at my reflection in the mirror, I can’t help but notice the woman looking back at me is nothing I would’ve imagined a month ago. I also used to think her a monster not that long ago. As a matter a fact, I hated seeing her with her perfect skin and glossy hair.
Now, though?
I begrudgingly have to admit that I admire her. Her dark locks fall around her shoulders, the golden glow in her level stare twinkling from the chandelier hanging from the ceiling above my head. The simple black cocktail dress hugs the curves I did not have when I was scuttering through sewers and underground tunnels to stay alive. Lifting my hand, I trail my fingers up to my shoulder, marveling at the silky skin under my fingertips.
The woman in the mirror looks confident.
