Page 43 of Kill the Queens

She was never meant to be alone. I agree,Sylik confirmed.A beautiful match, right Mina?

Mina didn't respond at first. There was a beat of silence before she chimed in.There was a time I thought they were perfect for each other.

Was. As if that was no longer the case. Ace was apt to agree. This man…Rehan had kidnapped her! Well…he'd also saved her. Perhaps it was both. Yes. It was both. Kidnapping and saving.

Rehan shifted on the horse behind her, carefully picking the reins back up and nudging the horse forward. He cleared his throat. "The gods can be, um, very vocal."

Her spine stiffened so fast that Ace almost jolted right off the damn horse; she would have too if it wasn't for Rehan's arms that caged her in. "Did you—can you—"

Were the damn gods in his head too? Even worse…could he hear exactly what the gods had said to her?

"Um, yes. I can hear them too. Pretty freaky at first but you get used to it, I suppose."

"And you heard what they said to me? Just now?"

"Oh, you mean the whole dialogue of how we were created to be together in life? How I’ve been born from death tohelp you and be your partner for as long as we both shall live. Again." His chuckle this time was more nervous. "Mina might have changed her mind about us then. I have a theory that has something to do with Mr. No-Last-Name."

"Shelby. His name is Shelby." Ace lowered her head into her palms, cupping her face. "You know the guy you left to be killed. We have to go back for him."

"We really, really can't. I'm sorry, Ace."

Her eyes burned. She pressed her fingertips into her eyes refusing to let herself cry. She'd hardly cried over anything since coming back to the land of the living and she had no intention of doing so in front of Rehan. Even if she wanted to. Even if every cell in her fucking being needed to be near Shelby. The part of her that was missing.

Literally.

The two of them ducked under the low branch of a tree. Red droplets threatened to catch on their clothes. Now that she was free, it took everything in her not to swing on the man and try to get back to the wall. Ace wasn't arrow proof like Rehan had been. She didn't know how he'd used his holy fire to do that. Maybe they each had their own gifts.

"I could teach you," Rehan said, startling her out of her thoughts.

"Teach me?" she sputtered.

"How to extend your holy fire like that."

She was really turning around in the saddle now. Twisting her body so intently that her spine popped.

"Why don't you just…" Rehan picked up Ace's leg gently guiding it over the horn and the horse’s neck as Ace grunted. Once she was side saddle, he picked up her other leg and forced it between them until she was fully facing him. He'd done it so quickly too.

"What in the names of the gods!" Ace said throughclenched teeth. Rehan was already grabbing her thighs and pulling her tightly against him. Their hips aligned and as the horse walked, they rocked against each other. Her cheeks flooded with heat.

"Isn't this better? Now we can see each other."

"I wouldn't say this is better," Ace whispered as she was finally able to really get a good look at his face.

He was young, that much was clear but there were clear wrinkles around his eyes and when he grinned at Ace, smile lines creased his cheeks all the way to his ears. She wasn't sure if someone could smile too much but she was certain that he probably did.

His eyes searched her face, the vibrant fire filled eyes that matched hers. His skin was a lighter shade of bronze as if time in the sun was the only reason he was as dark as he was. Dark brown hair blew back over his shoulders as he tipped his head, watching Ace with patience she'd never been able to master. All in all, he was handsome.

"I can read your thoughts." His lips twitched but he held that wide grin. "I thought I should probably share that with you."

"Then you'll already know that this position you've put us in is highly inappropriate."

"Only if you want it to be." His voice deepened.

Ace crossed her arms. Stubbornly, she leaned away from him, the horn of the saddle digging into her back. "How can you read my thoughts?"

"As you know we both contain some holy fire. Though I speculate you may have more than me." He was staring into her eyes, examining her soul. Ace hated how vulnerable it made her feel and scowled. "It connects us and the gods. You just have to figure out how to tap into it."

"How long have you been…alive?"

---