Page 198 of Venom Sweeter than Honey
“Not to take it so personally, I guess. Or so seriously. Even though we’re simulating something that could mean life or death for you and your whole team, and potentially countless others... You can’t allow yourself to become emotionally attached to it on that same level, if that makes sense? If so, I think everyone would be wheeled out of there on a gurney. You have to make light of it, no matter how much it sucks, how hungry you are, how badly it hurts, or how incredibly uncomfortable you are. Mental fortitude, in a nutshell.”
Azrael and I remain silent, giving him the time and space to continue. Levi eventually chuckles, and that chuckle turns into full-body laughter that has all three of us giggling.
“Oh my gods, say it!” I urge him. “What are we laughing at?”
Levi’s laughter only intensifies until he’s wiping rogue tears from his eyes. My heart feels like it could explode from the dose of joy that witnessing his unrestrained laughter gives me.
When his laughter finally wanes, he sighs a deep breath to gather himself. “So... the training grounds where they dumped us at—me and a handful of other guys, one of whom was Gideon?—”
My grin widens with excitement at this story. The fact that Azrael and I actually know Gideon makes it that much better.
“The climate is... well,hot.It’s hot, it’s humid, and there are so many fucking bugs—it’s maddening. Especially the ticks…”
I internally gag. “I wouldn’t last five minutes out there.”
Levi smirks. “I actually think you’d be a champ, princess.” Wearing a wistful expression, he rubs the top of my thigh as he continues.
“Every morning, we had to do a tick check where we’d have to strip down and check ourcrevices.”
Laughter bubbles out of me.“Ewwwww.”
“Let’s just say that I’ve seen Gideon’s asshole on more occasions than I care to admit. And vice versa.”
I muffle my gasp with my hand. “Oh my gods, nooooo. You would get ticks on your asshole?”
Levi’s head tips back with a deep bark of laughter. “Notonour assholes, but close enough. Ticks love to burrow and hide, and I’m pretty sure an asscrack is their favorite place in the whole world.”
My asshole clenches from just imagining it. “Akashalmighty.I’d be done after the first night.”
Levi chuckles. “It’s a miracle we didn’t get Lyme Disease.”
I have no idea what that is, but gather it’s for the better.
“Do they have ticks here in the Catskills?”
Levi gives me a sympathetic look. “Without a doubt.”
My mouth pops open. “Nope. Call it off. We’re not doing it. Azrael, I’m sorry I can’t. I know we said we’d completeeveryritual, but I think I’d rather die than have to let you two check my crevices and pick bugs from my asshole.”
Azrael chuckles, shaking his head. “Surely, there’s another, more merciful forest we cansurvive. We don’t haveto do it here.”
Selcarim.
The singular word is whispered within my mind.
My home.
If I ever want to confront my father and find a way into Sinsól, his city beneath the sea—just off the Selcarimi coast—I would have to start there. Mere seconds have passed, andalready a path is illuminating in my mind’s eye—complete the survival ritual in the Selcarimi Mountains where my mother’s people are from, and make our way down to the coast nearest my father’s city beneath the sea—Sinsól.
My plan dissolves from there, but some little flickering flame of promise has already been ignited—and refuses to be snuffed out by doubt.
Unless you’re from Selcarim, the entire province is warded against anyonefoldingor portaling to and from that slivered edge of the Atratusian continent guarded by mountains.
Well... everyone except Azrael, and what few other gods whose power supersedes that of the wards, it would seem.
Sinsól presents even more of a challenge. No one can enter without my father’s permission. Though if he can enter Selcarim, perhaps he would be able to similarly breach Sinsól’s wards.
It’s an impulsive and likely dangerous suggestion, and certainlylessmerciful than the wilderness here in Terrenea.
