Page 49 of Dark Witch: Twin Destinies

Whatever.

She should be happy about feeling better and let the mystery remain unsolved.

"Ready to continue?" Aru asked, his expression smug.

Now, she was sure he had done something to her that he hadn't been supposed to do. "I am. Can I have one of those energy bars? I suddenly feel hungry."

"Of course. But first, let's put you back in the harness."

She was surprised that Negal still had it on. "Weren't you supposed to take turns carrying me?"

"Nah." Negal crouched low to assist Aru. "You weigh less than one packed backpack, and they are carrying two. I've gotten the better deal."

She sincerely doubted that one backpack weighed over a hundred pounds, let alone a hundred and thirty. But she wasn't going to argue the point.

Aru loaded her onto the harness on Negal's back, strapping her in with practiced efficiency as if he had been doing this for years, and then pulled out an energy bar and handed it to her.

"When I start shrouding us from view," he said, "you won't be able to see us or yourself. It can be disorienting, even a little frightening. I suggest you keep your eyes closed for as long as possible."

Jasmine nodded, but she didn't intend to do that.

She was curious to experience being invisible and moving through the world like a ghost.

Did she have the guts, though?

As they set out again, Jasmine closed her eyes as Aru had suggested, and a few moments later, she felt the first tingle of Aru's power washing over her. It was like a faint electrical charge that raised the hairs on her arms.

She kept her eyes closed for a few moments, but then curiosity got the better of her, and she cracked one eyelid open, peering out at the world around her.

What she saw took her breath away. Or rather, what she didn't see. Negal, whose broad back she could feel beneath her, was invisible, and so were the two other gods.

They too had vanished, leaving nothing but empty air and the faint shimmer of heat rising from the sunbaked ground.

Even her body was not visible to her, and when she lifted a hand to examine it, there was nothing to see. She felt like a disembodied presence, floating like a specter. It wasn't as fun as she had imagined. It was disorienting and slightly nauseating.

With a shudder, Jasmine closed her eyes again, surrendering herself to the familiar and comforting feel of Negal's solid body.

There was nothing sexual about it, and now that Jasmine knew that Negal belonged to Margo, she didn't feel any attraction toward him. So yeah, he was a god, incredibly handsome and strong, not to mention kind and intelligent, but he wasn't hers and he wasn't a prince.

The question was whether Margo would see it that way. Their friendship was important to Jasmine, and she didn't want to lose it over something as silly as the specter of impropriety.

Come to think of it, she should probably hide how much better she was feeling to avoid the gods' mates becoming suspicious.

38

NEGAL

As they climbed towards the Chinese military base, Negal focused on the steady rhythm of his footsteps. Jasmine's weight was hardly noticeable, her slender frame resting easily against his own as he navigated the terrain with ease.

Margo had seen him fashioning the harness the day before, and he'd felt like he had to explain that he felt nothing but camaraderie toward Jasmine, but she'd stopped him with a smile and a finger on his lips.

"I'm not jealous. I'm a hundred percent secure in your love," she'd said.

When he'd arched a brow, she'd laughed. "Okay, I admit it. I was jealous of Jasmine when she flirted with you, and then of Gertrude, who I thought you were dating, but that was before you pledged yourself to me. Since then, you've been proving how much you care every day, and I'm no longer jealous."

The memory made him smile. He liked that she trusted him so completely. After all, Margo had been human until recently, and human males didn't have a built-in loyalty mechanism. She hadn't grown up on romantic legends of fated mates.

Behind him, Negal could hear the soft rustling of the two backpacks that Dagor was carrying rubbing against each other, the faint clink of equipment mingling with his friend's steady breathing. Aru was ahead, leading the procession.

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