Page 177 of Winter Gods & Serpents

“It was a good research, Youi Terra is one of the most renewed toxicologists in Dardanes,” the stunned friend countered, almost offended.

“I believe Youi was great once in his time, his new research just as folly as his knowledge on how to live a life. The man rarely saw sunshine let alone an ybris,” I spoke. No one had been able to study a hybrid Aura. Not many would have dared either.

Nia smiled wide. “You know him?”

“Doesn’t everyone?” The man was a legend.

Mal cleared his throat and murmured, “Show-offs.”

“So you are saying Snow survived only because she is deriving from two primes?” Nia asked again.

I nodded. “Though her humanity is still something none, alive or dead can explain.”

Her grip loosened from mine and I rubbed my thumb over her knuckles in apology. I hadn’t meant it like that.

Mal must have noted the shift in my shadows as he changed topic. “You sure the girl won’t run to your father? Worse, your grandmother could notify him that you not only went to Venzor, but asked for the crafters sister, he will connect the dots.”

I feared the same, though this time I would not stand for her to fall under her Silas’s punishment again, because he might as well be king of the realm and still I will rip his heart out before he even laid an angry eye on her.

“She won’t,” Snow said. “Twelve years ago I made her a promise, one of death. She should be happy I haven’t gone today to collect it.”

“Was that why she was drowning in fear enough I couldn’t make out her shadows?” Mal asked.

Snow's smile rose wickedly. “I am a scary person,” she teased, flicking a bunch of hair behind her back.

All four of us scoffed in an unplanned unison that made her straighten her features in surprise before a sneer rose in her pretty lips. Her favourite reaction, a vixen—no, a hellcat, the feral stare of a hellcat. If I was not aware she was terrifying, I would think her adorable. Utterly adorable.

I ran my thumb in circled over her thigh and she flinched, buckling her legs together before giving me look of frustration.

“Now what? We have the vandals, the Adriatians, two fallen kingdoms and now a crafter all round your father. Who do we chase first?” Caiden asked after gulping down on his ale. “No plan?”

She shifted in her seat as my touched moved higher up. “There is a plan,” she replied quietly, not in her usual confidence. Her fingers curled around my wrist but I didn’t know whether it was prompt to stop or continue.

“Ah, there is a plan,” Caiden retorted in a yawn. “Like there was a plan when we went to retrieve your sword out of that lake with that funny name, and when we got chased by the merfolk, you said swim. Or like there was a plan when you dragged us to that firebird layer for a gilded feather to gift Alaric and you said run. Yes, grand excellent plans.”

She frowned while the rest of us laughed. “We are alive aren’t we, because of those plans too. Now unless you have one, I suggest you appreciate mine.”

“I might have one.”

Nia giggled a little. “Heavens we are all doomed, Cai has a plan. Flirt and charm?”

“Better than yours, compassion and salads.”

She scowled. “For the millionth time, they are herbs you fool, not lettuce.”

He bowed all tease. “Apologies, compassion and grass.”

I leaned in over Snow. “Are you always this partial to their bickering?”

“Wait a tinny while longer, this will get very entertaining.”

“Flirt, charm, compassion and grass, in that order, or it doesn’t matter?” Mal chimed in and both the bickering two turned to him almost murderous.

I leaned over to Snow again. “Yes, this is about to get very entertaining. Do join in, I’d kill to see who would win.”

“Who has your vote?”

I slipped my hand out of hers and rested it between her thighs, palming her flesh, marking it with my touch “You of course, I don’t think I’ve met anyone with a sharper tongue than yours, dahaara.”