Page 99 of Wings of Death

We walk down the stone pathway that leads out of the castle grounds and down to the beach. I slip my sandals off, and the warm sand feels so good beneath my feet. We run down to the water, and my gaze follows the small waves lapping at the beach.

I hold my dress up and step into the warm water. The wind blows my hair around my face, and I spin around, laughing a little, and find Kyle watching me with his hands in his pockets. His white shirt is unbuttoned revealing the top of his chest, and his hair is dishevelled.

“The seaside suits you,” he says, his eyes focused on mine, and it sends a wave of electricity through my body.

We walk along the beach collecting seashells and chatting together, and it’s perfect. Just the two of us. We soon reach a stone pathway and follow it up to the city, passing small shops and food stalls along the way. The angels here are happy, all smiles as they greet their customers, and they all recognise Kyle despite his absence for the last ten years.

We stop by a jewellery stall, and Kyle buys me a gorgeous quartz necklace with seashells. He fastens it around my neck, tracing his fingers along my skin before pressing a kiss to my neck. His touch ignites a fire within me that has me craving more.

I turn to face him and press my lips against his. My lips part as he slides his tongue into my mouth, deepening the kiss. His hand snakes around my waist and pulls me close.

I remember we’re not alone and pull back as heat rises in my cheeks. “I love it. Thank you.”

“So beautiful,” he says, his eyes on mine, but something tells me he isn’t referring to the necklace.

My lips curl at the sides, but my smile immediately disappears when I spot Em behind him walking toward us.

Kyle turns to see what has disappointed me. “Em, what are you doing here?”

She moves to his side and hugs him, then shoots me a fake smile. Jealousy rages inside me as she touches him, but sensing it, Kyle moves next to me, threading his fingers through mine in reassurance.

Her gaze drops to our hands, and disappointment settles in her features. “I heard the two of you were out and about, and I wanted to say hi.”

There’s something insincere about her words, and I know she’s lying. She has feelings for him. It’s fairly obvious, to me at least, and I wonder whether Kyle picks up on it too.

“I’m glad to see you’re okay, Zarla.”

Her words aren’t genuine, but I reply anyway. “Thanks.”

“Well, I’d better get going, then. See you tonight.” She gives Kyle one last smile, ignores me, and then walks away.

“Tonight?” I ask him with an arched brow.

“We’ve got a family feast this evening. I’ll tell you all about it later. But first, there’s somewhere I want to take you.”

His large black wings spring free, and he lifts off up into the air, hovering above me. I’m suddenly anxious at the thought of releasing my white wings in the middle of his Kingdom, but seeing Kyle above and knowing his place here, I decide I’m probably safe enough to reveal myself. I release my white wings and fly up to meet him.

A few surprised gasps come from below, but I focus on Kyle instead.

“Follow me,” he says, and with several large swoops of his black wings, he soars high into the sky above the city.

I follow, and when I reach him, the view takes my breath away. Seeing the ocean from his room was beautiful, but this issomething else. We fly toward a lush green area of the Kingdom in the distance, and as we get closer, a waterfall comes into view. It immediately reminds me of my mother and the beautiful waterfall in that place, wherever she is, but I bury the thought for now.

Kyle descends and lands on the grass near the waterfall, and I land next to him, taking in the beauty of it. There’s an enormous lake at the bottom surrounded by large stone boulders. My focus shifts to Kyle when he unbuttons his shirt, and my mouth goes dry. I can’t tear my eyes away.

He laughs. “Are you coming in, or are you just going to watch me?” He removes his shorts and runs into the water before diving under.

I realise there’s nothing under my dress, and I’m unsure what to do. Kyle resurfaces and watches me.

“I have nothing to wear,” I tell him.

He gives me a wide, cheeky grin. “That’s fine by me.” He turns around to give me some privacy.

I bite my bottom lip and slip my dress over my head, and then I toss it to the side as I hurry to the edge of the water. The water is pristine, and when I dip my toe in, I find it’s warm, too.

Kyle is still facing the other way when I walk into the water to join him. Once I’m in, I realise the water is so clear, he’ll see me anyway.

He keeps his focus at eye level, though, as we wade in small circles around one another.

---