Total pages in book: 401
Estimated words: 390373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1952(@200wpm)___ 1561(@250wpm)___ 1301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 390373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1952(@200wpm)___ 1561(@250wpm)___ 1301(@300wpm)
Her head tilted. “You think I can’t do that?”
“I think you can try,” he replied with a curl of his lips, causing just a hint of his right dimple to appear. “Keyword being try.”
Eather flared in her eyes, momentarily turning them pure silver.
“Okay.” I stepped in before it went further. “What did you want to talk about?”
I would’ve had better luck talking to the wall. Neither looked away from the other. Casteel still had that smirk on his face, and the curl of her lips matched his. The air charged, and a sharp gust of wind whipped through the hall, tossing strands of hair across my face. I had no idea which of them was responsible for that.
“You know,” I said, stepping between them, catching the strands of wind-tossed hair, and tucking them back. “It’s almost like you two are related.”
“Thank you,” Casteel murmured.
“That wasn’t a compliment.”
“Sounded like it to me,” she replied.
“For fuck’s sake.” I threw up my hands. “You know what? I’m going back to Wayfair. You two can stay here and try to out peacock each other.”
Both heads turned to me.
“Out peacock each other?” Seraphena asked, her brow furrowed.
“You know how peacocks are,” I said.
“I don’t think we do.” The wind settled as Casteel arched a brow. “Please, tell me how peacocks are.”
“They’re always fluffing their feathers at one another,” I told them. “And puffing out their chests.”
“I don’t know if that’s true,” Seraphena murmured.
I stared at her. “Whether it’s true or not isn’t the point.”
“Then that wouldn’t make sense,” Casteel stated.
Seraphena nodded at him. “Exactly. What would be the point?”
I gaped at them.
“Right,” Casteel said.
“Oh, my gods,” I screeched like a large bird of prey, throwing up my hands. “Now, you two are getting along?”
Laughing, Casteel kissed me. He stepped back before I could push him away, so I settled on glaring at him.
“You’re lucky,” Seraphena said, drawing Casteel’s gaze. “You clearly love my granddaughter.” When she stepped back, the air lightened. “And you amuse me. But I would suggest you be careful with your words when around Nyktos.” Her smile was scorching. “He won’t find you as amusing.”
The look I sent Cas warned that he needed to think about what came out of his mouth next.
He inclined his head. “Duly noted.”
She eyed him for a moment longer, then stepped back. “Let’s go somewhere a little more private, just in case anyone wanders in.”
I seriously doubted anyone would happen upon us, but we followed her past the hall with the liminite statues. I eyed them warily. They appeared as they had when we entered.
Seraphena stopped in front of a door. Based on how she turned the handle, I had a feeling it hadn’t been unlocked. She pushed it open.
The air within the chamber was stagnant. A large, cherry-colored oak table was situated on a section of raised floor in the middle of the space, surrounded by chairs and framed by two iron pillars. Items were scattered across the surface. Some of the seats were positioned near the edge of the platform as if the last person to make use of their red cushions had stood in a hurry. There were far more comfortable-looking chairs with thicker padding and gilded wood finishes to the right of the table. They, too, were draped in crimson velvet. This place must’ve been used for meetings only attended by mortals. The curtain-less windows along the back wall were evidence of that.
“Thank the gods,” Seraphena muttered, drawing our attention.
She bypassed the platform, her quick steps taking her to a tall, wide armoire against the wall. The intricately carved doors had been left open, revealing rows of glass bottles and decanters.
Casteel snorted. “Thirsty?”
“I need a drink for this conversation,” she replied.
Well, that was reassuring.
As Seraphena inspected the contents of the armoire, I drifted toward the platform. A piece of parchment had been rolled out and held in place on the table with a crystal weight on one corner and a steel dagger stabbed through the other. It was a map of Solis.
I glanced at Seraphena. She trailed her fingers over the various bottles’ necks, pausing before moving on and finally settling on a squat, crown-shaped decanter. Pulling the cork, she gave the brown liquid a dainty sniff. “Sherry. Would either of you like some? Or…?” She peered at the other bottles, stretching to see the ones lined up on the higher shelves. “Or pretty much any other liquor you could desire?”
“No, thank you,” I said. It felt kind of wrong for the Queen of the Gods to serve us.
“I’m good.” Casteel turned, taking in the chamber.
“Contrary to what you two may be thinking, I don’t drink that much.” Seraphena poured some sherry. “I know that’s likely hard to believe when you’ve seen me make a run for liquor twice in only the span of a few hours.”