Page 134 of The Incendiary

I returned my attention to the stars. “You’re free to talk, but I’m going to lie here and try not to vomit.”

I felt a shift in the air. Like this back-and-forth was surrendering to the power imbalance between us. Tonight, it felt like we were on level ground, just as I’d been trying to earn. What he said next confirmed it.

“I think Simeon Whitlock is keeping things from me.”

A shiver ran down my spine, because I knew how right he was. But Elias questioning Simeon, the man who chose him and made him a god among his people?

“What kind of things?” Why he wanted to tell the Brinnean rogue, I didn’t know, but I wouldn’t hesitate to take advantage of whatever lapse in judgment he was having. I sat up, even though the forest spun around me, and pulled my knees into my chest.

“There are too many missing pieces,” he explained. “Simeon is over four hundred years old. He possesses powerful magic. He had to know the Butcher had the queen and was fooling the others. I don’t understand why he didn’t use magic to get her away and kill that monster when he had a chance.”

Because the Butcher threatened to go on a slaughtering spree if he wasn’t given time with me, I thought to myself.

As for why Simeon had never killed Gavin? I added it to the list of questions I’d likely never get answered.

“Simeon’s alive,” Elias continued. “He sent a brief message weeks ago, but something’s off.”

I stared straight into the fire, not trusting my expression in the slightest. Something was definitely off. When a gust of wind rustled the trees, I failed to hide my shiver.

“You know, Fera,” Elias began, “there are ways to keep each other warm.”

“Again with this,” I laughed humorlessly. “Gods, has no one truly ever said no to you before?”

He raised an eyebrow and shrugged. That was enough of an answer.

“I suppose it gets crowded in those caves.” I dragged my sleeping mat a bit closer to the fire. “Not much else to do, especially in the winter. Don’t give yourself too much credit.”

His soft laughter danced across the bonfire. I closed my eyes, rested my chin on my knees, and let the heat of the flames warm my cheeks.

“Have you ever fucked, Fera?”

My eyes flew open. Maybe I should have let the venom take him. “That is not an appropriate question,” I replied.

The firelight glowed on his skin, shadows in enough places that he looked like a beautiful menace. “Are you surprised? According to you, I don’t know the definition of appropriate.”

That earned him a chuckle, but the longer I stared up at the smoke dancing above the flames, the grimmer I felt. There were things that could have been, that I had hoped for months ago. A who. I assumed Gavin and I had slept together long, long ago. With no memory of it, the answer was as good as no. I shook my head.

“Never?” He looked bewildered.

“Not in this lifetime.”

“Are you serious?”

“Is it that hard to believe?”

“For a woman as beautiful as you, yes,” Elias chuckled. “And if I remember correctly, you insinuated some experience by saying my men wouldn’t know what to do with you.” Another laugh. “Something about spineless fish.”

I shrugged. “I keep my guard up around men I don’t trust.”

“Do you trust me?”

“In what sense?”

“If you have to ask, then trust me clearly depends on the context.” He fished around in his bag and withdrew a fancy metal flask wrapped in fine leather. “So, how about you tell me?” He unscrewed the flask and took a generous swig of whatever it held.

“I trust you aren’t going to kill me anymore,” I remarked coldly before adding, “You shouldn’t be drinking.”

“And?” he encouraged, eyes burning in a way I’d seen a few times before. Mainly before he forced me into a kiss.