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Iwilledthe tendrils to pull back, which only made them tighten their hold on him. Malekai chuckled, his white grin bright in the dark. His words were a pleasantly surprised statement rather than a question.
“This is new…”
“Yes… It started after I got this,” I clarify, lifting my arm to reveal Mors’ mark.
Malekai caressed one of the dark tendrils with a single finger, and it responded by slithering over his hand and coiling around it, drawing a deep, pleased hum from his chest.
“And… Have they done this before?” He asks, quirking a brow.
The subtext of his question is clear:Do they do this with Nakoa?
“No, never…”
His expression is unreadable as he nods.
“Have you tried… wielding them yet?”
“No… Haven’t really had the time or energy, but I probably should. I’m not used to wielding magic like this…”
Malekai grunted softly in affirmation. “Perhaps you should speak with Rayne… These look similar to his… And clearly have a will of their own,” he adds with a devilish grin as the tendrils reach further and slide under the V of his top.
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Oh, my… They’re… Tenacious.”
His laughter escalated into a galloping boom as he shuddered.“Too ticklish! Too ticklish!”
The tendrils drew back abruptly, hovering just beyond one of my hands. Our laughter gradually faded as our eyes lingered on one another. I wanted to reach out and pull him against me, tell him to stay, but even if Nakoa wasn’t just outside the cabin… I know it wouldn’t be right. And from the look on Malekai’s face, he knew it too.
He picked up one of my hands and pressed a firm kiss to the inside of my palm, magic still swirling around it. My breath caught, and I watched a little wide-eyed as my magic slipped over his shoulders and around the back of his neck as if trying to clutch him against us. His knowing grin peeked out from above where he held my hand to his mouth.
“Sleep deeply and peacefully,tessari mú.”
Chapter
Fifty-Two
MAREINA
When we’d woken the next morning, Malekai’s horse, Ceres, as big and beautiful as ever with her golden coat and black mane, was grazing in front of Val’s cabin. Miroslav must have brought her here this morning. Shame he couldn’t have spared us all the journey to Bastrina, but… Perhaps there was something that would occur along the way that was necessary to ensure our success.
Val had already been packed and ready to go despite Nakoa telling him he didn’t want to risk dwindling any of The Uprising’s numbers. “Learn when to pick and choose your battles, brother. Ya cannae stop me from comin’,” Val said before mounting his grey, dappled horse with a graceful sweep of his leg.
I stood on Val’s porch, dreading the idea of spending the next couple of days I’d have to spend in Nakoa’s arms atop Pumpkin. Since the moment I’d stepped out of Val’s, Nakoa had seemed resolute to pretend I’d ceased to exist. Part of me was relieved, while the other part, the tether, burned furiously because of it.
He was the one that found me so fucking disposable. How dare he give me the cold shoulder just because I hadn’t appreciated being used as his pawn.
As ifAkashherself had heard my prayers, Vesper ascended the porch steps. The look on her face was almost pitying. “You want Chihiro back?”
“You sure?” I asked, purely out of politeness, praying to the gods she would insist.
Her brows lifted. “Unless you prefer to spend the next 2 days looking just as miserable as you do now…”
I heaved a sigh that I felt like I’d been holding since the day I’d met Nakoa. “Gods… Is it that obvious?”
“Based on your expression alone, I’d hazard a guess that you’d rather sit ass-first on a pike than ride with Nakoa right now.”
I scrubbed a hand down my face. “Thank you… I do really appreciate it… It won’t be too much for you to ride with Rayne?”
A coy grin curled one corner of her lips. “Oh, yes… A terrible burden, but… I’m sure I’ll get through itsomehow.”
