Page 80 of City of Snakes
It solidified my belief that Krait had no interest in my crown. He had his own people to serve; he had his own problems to solve. Yet the look of fear that crossed Bringham’s face, and the way Queen Nadiar straightened made me feel as though I’d chosen my ally wisely. Insufferable as he may have been—they all feared him.
I took his hand and then gasped as he pulled me to his chest and wrapped his other arm around me. We descended into Shadows. It was disorienting and dark. The thrill of making such a dramatic exit went straight to my head.
When we surfaced from the Shadows, we were back in the halls of Umber House.
The man didn’t even need an Egress. We’d just traveled across a whole realm.
“You could have given me some warning.” I tilted my chin up to meet his gaze. He still held me drawn to his chest with one hand while the other held my side. He huffed and slumped into me, appearing dead on his feet. For a moment I thought he might fall into me, and I braced us both with my free hand on his chest.
He shrugged and said through labored breath, “I like seeing you surprised.”
“You’re a sadistic prick. Does traveling like that drain you? You look dreadful.”
“Immensely. Especially that far. But I wanted you out of that room, that realm…The risk was too high.”
“What risk?”
His grip on my fingers tightened. “Mattock had a hand on his blade the whole time. I will not let a lover’s quarrel be your end, Sybilla.”
I shook my head. “Why? Because of some old prophecy inTheBook of Isolde?What does that make me to you? Are we Source Matched?”
Krait stared at me as the silence dragged on between us. I wanted to scream—answer me, you stubborn ass.
A lump grew in my throat because standing there so close, leaning together, reminded me of how good he’d felt beneath me. My gaze slipped down to his lips, and my mouth went dry.
“That would be impossible. You don’t have Source power, and I’ve already found my Source Match,” he finally said, only answering my last question.
His words should have sounded like a clear rejection, yet he licked his lower lip when he looked down at mine, and my body felt molten.
The fall of hurried footsteps sounded down the hall. I sprang away from Krait as Elsedora rounded the corner. She cast us a mischievous smile that told me I must have been as flushed as Krait.
I’d just been sizing the King of the Sahlms up like a delicacy on a dessert table. My decision-making skills were in ruins.
“What did I miss?” Elsie cooed.
“Nothing,” Krait grunted before running his hand through his hair. “Search the King of the North for anything with a deathmark.”
Elsedora’s amusement faded. “We were right?”
“We don’t know,” he answered. “But she’s not allowed within a foot of him until we figure it out.” He pointed to me in a way that made all the heat leave my body.
“You cannot order me around.”
He ground out, “I just did.”
“If he is in trouble, I can’t sit back and donothing,” I huffed.
He turned his back on me, ready to walk away. That prick.
“Would you have just left Freya to fend for herself against Death?” I spat at him.
Elsie’s eyes widened as though I’d just stepped off a cliff, and her hand hovered over her mouth.
Krait’s whole body stiffened, but he still faced away from me. “Don’t speak of her.” His low snarl raised the hairs on my arms.
It was clear I’d rubbed salt into his deepest wound.
I’d never been particularly great at stopping while I was ahead.
