I glare up at Orion as we materialize outside of Laila’s door. Anton presses himself close to my side, the tingle of him against my hip letting me know that he’s there and that he’s returned to a relatively normal size.“You know,” I say, raising an eyebrow at Orion. “It’s really rude to show up to
“That was not for your ears, eavesdropping Prince,” I say, giving him a glare to boot as he arrives to join our little group with Laila on his arm. He grins at me, clearly delighted to have caught me off guard as our circle widens, making space for them.“Well then how lucky for me, to be let into t
Orion leads me out on to the terrace and Laila’s bright lights – which she hung to simulate the sunshine of her home world – instantly dim. I look up at them and then turn my head to narrow my eyes at Orion, wondering if he did that.He just smirks at me, confirmation enough, and leads me to the bal
“It is a secret,” he murmurs, his face moving close to mine, his lips just…three terrible inches away. “If no one else knows.”“Then why?” I ask, leaning into him more, my body taking what it wants as my mind goes fuzzy. “Why wasn’t I first, Orion? Why did you make me wait, make me suffer like that?
“You have courage, Princess,” the God of Death says, taking a moment to look me over.As he does a streak of blue flies past him into the darkness of the terrace and I take a deep breath, reaching for Anton’s fur as he dashes to my side, twining my fingers in his blue light even as I don’t look down
A horrible, strangled cry breaks from me as I hurl myself after him, my nails extended to claws – ready to tear –But he just laughs at me, barely visible as he fades from view. “Careful, little wolf,” he says, the God’s words echoing in the air even as he disappears. “Play the Game. You are replace
A few hours later, Anton and I are fairly sprawled over the bed, pillows knocked everywhere. And, obviously, that’s all my fault, because I’m the only one who can touch the pillows. But considering the expanse of his long boy limbs spread everywhere, I feel that it’s fair to make him share the blame
“Anton, what are we going to do?” I sigh, covering my eyes with my hand, willing the lights in the room to go dimmer, wanting nothing more but to be lost to the dark. “I can’t be bad anymore or else the God of Death will toss me out and bring Seraphina in. And, I mean, obviously she’ll win because s