Page 184 of Spring Guardians & Songbirds

“Either will do, I never fail to distinguish a true lie from your mouth. Actually,” he purred, “lie to me. I like it when you put in a little effort in our marriage.”

“You have to go,” I said, clearing my throat and ignoring how shivers had spread all over my flesh. “I’m not finished with Isjord.”

“Call it finished right now because I have found them.”

My feet stopped and I looked up at him. He was not lying to me. “Are you certain?”

A nod. “We need to get out of here, now. Visha is waiting by the north wall to tear Melanthe’s veil so I can fade the two of us out. He is still watching. Pretend to agree with something I said and take my arm.”

I did as told without turning to look at father as Kilian led us out toward the corridors he probably knew by heart. Once we bypassed the main corridors and reached the far north corner that led to the back gardens near the wall, Kilian pulled me to his arms, backing me towards a wall till he was pressed tight against me.

“What are you doing?”

“Waiting for Visha to signal us.” He lifted my mask off and smoothed a thumb over my lips. “And enjoying the sight of my wife. Who knew I was insatiable?”

I reached for his mask, pulling it away so I could see him, too. My mouth went dry when his full rosy mouth curled into a smirk. Unlike him, I’d always been insatiable for him. “My father could have recognised you, you idiot.”

Taking his mask, he placed it over my face. “He couldn't.”

My words came out muffled. “I did.” By touch alone.

I swear he could hear my thoughts because he flashed me a grin so unlike him. “I’d recognise you, too, my love.” He rested his forehead on mine, the thin mask separating us. This layer, sometimes invisible and sometimes not, was always there. We wore it each time we were with one another. A truce to hide the truth. We were pretending—that is all it was. Another lie.

“What are you thinking?” Kilian said, dragging me out of my thoughts. His hand had spanned over my neck, his thumb smoothing over my pulse. “It’s too loud for how quiet you are.”

“You wouldn't enjoy hearing these thoughts.”

“Don’t say regret because I will believe just anything, Snow, but not that.”

“I wish it was regret that I felt. Perhaps I wouldn't want to hate what we did this much.”

“Why don’t you hate it?”

“Because I am twisted like that. And because I know once this is over, I will enjoy the look of hurt on you more than your death.”

His grip around me tightened and I ground on him, feeling every inch of his body touch mine. “Gods, I love it when you speak murder to me.”

A scream tore through the air, both of our attention snapping toward the end of the corridor.

“That is the signal.”

“Oh.”

I must be wearing how I felt because once again he read me all clear and gloated with a grin. He lowered to kiss a trail from my jaw to my ear where he whispered, “I would rather fuck you against the wall of our bedroom, love. Nice and slow, you know I like to take my time with you.”

One moment we were in the castle corridors and the next out in the blistering cold night and surrounded by towering frost-gilded pines. I never remembered winter as harsh as it had been this year. Though the season was year-long and unending, it did soften during the warmer months. By this time of the year the ground would have seen at least an hour of sun a day—it is how I always remembered it to be. Yet Hemera had not kissed the land not once since my return.

Even in the dark, I could make out Visha's luminescent green eyes as she approached us, a hood casting shadow over her grim face. “That veil was crafted almost too perfectly.” Today was a day of many firsts. First time I’d seen Visha look concerned. “I don’t understand. Her skills have always been subpar to mine. Melanthe has gotten stronger.”

“Or your skills are ageing rather less perfect than hers,” I said, my teeth clattering.

Kilian shed his jacket, throwing it over my shoulders. “Remember, she is taking that beast's blood.”

“The beast,” I said, pushing my hands through his jacket. “I know who it is. Demir, the young general.”

“Fuck, Snow,” Kilian hissed, running a hand over his eyes. “You’ve been near that thing all this time?”

“Let us hurry,” Visha urged. “There is something in the air tonight. And I don’t like it.”