Page 51 of Widow

"Can I come in?" There was a moment of silence before he opened the door and let me inside.

He started pacing, running his hand over his head repeatedly. I leaned against the closed door and watched him.

"I'm sorry." I didn't know why I was apologizing. I'd done nothing wrong, but I felt responsible for whatever was causing him anxiety.

He stopped and looked at me, his green eyes darkening and his nostrils flaring. "I can still smell them on you."

I raised my eyebrows at that and looked at the distance between us. There were a solid three feet.

"I want..." I bit my lip and met his eyes. "I want all three of you."

He grunted and started to pace again. "I'm bound by an oath." When I didn't respond, he continued. "You're so much more than just sex. I can't take a mate."

I was confused. "I thought there wasn't a crown anymore."

"There will always be a crown as long as Reve is alive." He stopped wearing a hole in the floor and stood in front of me. He took my face in his hands. "If I could... Lucifer was supposed to help me find a way to break the oath."

I frowned. "We will find a way."

He shook his head, looking resigned. "You're a priority."

"What happens if you break the oath?" I whispered.

His eyes flashed darker, and he stepped back. "I'll be stuck as a wolf."

* * *

After breakfast,we went out to the stables, except the building looked more like an airplane hangar. Ric was leading the way and was trying to avoid making eye contact with me.

I could see where he was coming from. He had been the one to express the most interest in me, but we could do nothing about our feelings. He had to sit by and watch me with Lucifer and Kai. Then there was the whole issue of him being cursed if he mated with me.

I wasn't sure what mating entailed, but it was enough to create a distance between us.

I looked over at Lucifer and took in the suit he chose to wear. "Tell me again, why are you wearing a suit?"

The rest of us were in clothing Sammy had provided. Tactical pants, shirts, and jackets. He had shoved his in his backpack, opting for a two-piece gray suit.

We were about to go into the land of the unknown, and he looked like he was headed to an important business meeting. Maybe, in a way, where we were headed was business, but a suit didn't seem reasonable.

The shaman we were after was somewhere in the vast outer regions of Inferna. Inferna's boundaries expanded in all directions, growing larger and larger, which meant we might be hunting for a while. An expanding world seemed like it was a good way to get lost.

Sammy had shared with us that the shaman was last seen heading west. In that direction, there were a few villages, but it was mostly vast forests and rugged terrain with creatures unknown and dangerous weather.

"Are you sure it's safe to take one of these things?" Kai asked as we got to the doors of the stables. "It seems like it would be unsafe. Can't we just fly?"

"I can't carry three of you. I'm strong, but I'm not that strong. It's perfectly safe to travel on a hell serpent. This hell serpent is one of the best."

My eyes widened as a giant walked out of the large stable doors. His eyes scanned the group of us and landed on Lucifer. A big grin spread across his face, and he walked briskly towards us.

I scrambled backward and nearly fell on my ass. He let out a booming laugh that shook the ground and reached out his hand, which was the size of Lucifer's head. All he had to do was close his fist and he could squash him like a bug.

"I think I've seen it all now. Now I'm pretty sure that mermaids do exist." Kai was mumbling under his breath and moved back towards me to wrap his arm around my shoulders in comfort.

Lucifer couldn't exactly shake the giant's hand. So instead, he just smacked him a high five of sorts.

"Master Lucifer. I'm glad to see you back. It's been a long time. Miles is anxious to serve you again. You were always our favorite customer."

"I thought I was your favorite customer, Tony," Sammy said from next to the stable doors. The giant chuckled, causing the ground to shake again.

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