I turn so I can steal his lips in a kiss. Both of our bodies go lax, content to hold each other and trade gentle, unhurried kisses.
Chapter Six
Miles
“Hey,” Christian murmurs, stepping up to my side and nudging me with his elbow. I try not to jump at his presence. My eyes finally flit away from Timalah who’s currently standing near the front of the square with some of his other comrades.
“What’s up?”
Christian gives me a long look. “Are you okay?”
“Oh yeah. Totally fine. Why?”
“I don’t know,” Christian says slowly, turning to face forward. “You just look weird. And you’re staring at Timalah more than usual.”
“I am not,” I say right away, wishing my cheeks wouldn’t turn bright red. If it was anyone but Christian there’s a chance I could pretend it was just the sun, but my best friend isn’t letting me get out of this so easily. I roll my eyes and huff. “Fine. Whatever. What do you want me to say? Do you want me to admit that I told Timalah I have feelings for him? That I made him a traditional human date meal that ended with us kissingand going back to my bedroom? Is that what you really want, Christian?” My mouth snaps closed with an audible click as I take a deep breath and try to calm myself down.
Christian grunts, his nose wrinkling. “Gods, no. I wantnodetails. Eww.”
“That’s just rude, man.”
“I wanted to know if you were okay,” he hisses under his breath. “Not know about the gooey feelings or the kissing.”
I shrug, trying to play at being at ease even though my stomach is tying itself into knots. Today is the day of Saphorica’smaturous trial. This is the first I’ve ever chosen to attend. The town square is filled with people, all packed together to witness the start of the trial. I bite at the side of my thumb as nerves threaten to make me sick.
Up on the raised platform is Saphorica, beside him stands Ghenie. Ghenie places his hand on Saphorica’s shoulder, giving him a wide, joyous smile, one that Saphorica gives right back. Ghenie turns to the crowd, raising his free hand and the crowd all goes quiet. I can’t help but shiver at the power Ghenie holds. So much power in such an innocent looking package.
“Welcome to Saphorica’smaturous trial. Before his brothers and our ancestors, we will witness two souls finding each other. Who presents themselves?” Ghenie belts out, his voice carrying. I know that he’s speaking out loud only for the benefit of the humans present since Gheniecould use theLayperryway of transferring information if he really wished to. I look around at the crowd, not a single person moving. Tension rises before snapping as suddenly, one steps forward. People part, letting him pass.
I step up on my tip toes in order to see what happens next. The crowd is surrounding the raised platform in a semi-circle. There’s a large opening where no one is standing in the middle and as I get up high enough to see, I notice a large hole there.
“I, Quill, present myself for Saphorica’smaturous trial,” Quill calls up towards Saphorica. Saphorica smiles as they stare at each other, sharing a moment before he’s giving a nod. With that, Quill is leaping, jumping down into the hole.
All at once, the crowd breaks out into cheers, all stomping their feet and raising their voices. I jolt in surprise, the tiniest squeak leaving my throat. When I look over at Christian, he has his arms crossed over his chest, his brows wrinkled. “I just don’t get it,” he whispers to me. “You jump in a hole and for what? So you can get maimed by whatever hides under the city?”
I roll my eyes. “You’re such a romantic, you know that?”
Christian snorts as we both turn back up to the stage as things get quiet again. Ghenie steps down, striding towards the hole. He picks up what I can only describe as a manhole cover and places it over the hole. He lifts his hands. “May the ancestors bring two souls together!” he calls out, turning towards Saphorica and nodding.
Saphorica jumps from the stage and takes off running. My eyebrows wrinkle. “What’s he doing?”
TheLayperrybeside me looks down. “Quill is below the city, running through a twist of mazes that are constantly moving. Eventually he’ll find the end and be spit out in one of eight locations. It’s Saphorica’s job to listen to the pull of the ancestors and find the right opening. Since it’s just the two of them, Saphorica can move from opening to opening until he finds Quill. But if there’s more than one person, you never know who’ll be running out of which opening.”
“What happens if two people come out at the same time?”
TheLayperryshrugs. “Then they fight and see who comes out on top. The victor then runs and claims his prize.”
I nod my head in thanks ignoring the way my heart is racing. My eyes are drawn to Timalah, just as they always are, finding him looking right back. I want him. And not just for the night,not just for one lay. I want him foralways. But could I really go through amaturous trial? Would the ancestors look down on our partnership and guide us together? Or would I get lost in the moving maze under the city?
Christian shakes his head. “Thank every god out there that I’m a human. I can’t imagine dealing with this shit.”
“Right,” I say under my breath. “Totally crazy.” I look over at him. “And yet?”
His eyes narrow. “No. Just crazy. Full stop.”
I stick out my bottom lip. “But, but, but.”
“I swear togod, Miles.”
