Page 58 of A City of Hearts and Feathers

"Follow this passage. It will lead you into the forest. Be careful, dearest daughter. Keep your beloved warriors close to you," the sphinx instructed.

Zoe bowed low again. "I will and thank you again."

Arslan went into the tunnel first, and Zoe followed him. She clung onto the feather, not knowing what power it had. She held Kahil's other hand, no longer caring about appearances.

"I can smell the green of the forest," Kahil said, lifting his nose. "We are almost there."

The tunnel opened out into the night, and Zoe had never been so happy to see the moon above her. She gulped in the clear air, trying to get the smell of incense and violets out of her nose.

"Stay still," Arslan said, and a lion slunk onto their path. It closed in on Zoe, but she held the sphinx feather out to it. It shied away like she had smacked it on the muzzle before it let out a whimpering mew.

"That's the protection," Kahil chuckled.

Zoe gripped onto the feather tight, and they trekked through the trees. She couldn't see much by moonlight, but it didn't seem to bother Arslan or Kahil.

They reached the parking lot, and Zoe all but leaped into the back seat and locked the door. Kahil's smile was vicious in the darkness as he ran his rings over the Lamborghini's perfect paint job, leaving long white scratches.

"Put your seat belts on. I might have to run some people over to get out of here," Arslan said and turned the car on.

No headlights followed them through the forest, but when they reached the gates, a line of guards waited for them. Their eyes sheened unnaturally in the light.

"Lion shifters," Arslan warned them before he fixed a smile on his face and cracked his window. "Good evening. We would like to leave now."

"We have been instructed otherwise."

Zoe dropped her own window and showed them the feather. "We have?—"

"Open the gates," the shifter ordered, and the blockade of guards moved like magic.

"It would seem that the lions aren't as loyal to the High Priestess as she might believe," Kahil said with a soft laugh.

"And thank Anubis for that," Arslan replied. He waited until they hit the main road before he floored it.

Kahil put an arm around Zoe, pulling her close. She pressed her nose to his neck and breathed him in. The last of the cloying scent of the caves disappeared, replaced by his warmth.

"Let's never go there again," she said, slipping a hand under his shirt to rest against his soft skin. She wanted to go home, get into his clothes, and forget all about the codex for the night.

Kahil pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I promise."

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

"Ithink we need to consider moving Zoe to the Order," Arslan said as they pulled up outside of the bookstore. "This hunt for the Sais Codex is only going to get more dangerous. I don't like that Lydia's followers were going to try and kidnap us like that. They might attack the bookstore. Assaulting the Order would be harder for them."

"Can we worry about it tomorrow?" Zoe asked. She was done with conspiracies and magic for the night.

Arslan turned in the driver's seat. "Of course. I can send Kerem around tomorrow to help you collect your things if you wish."

"We'll text you. Thanks for coming tonight, Arslan," Zoe said, giving his shoulder a squeeze before getting out of the car.

"Kahil, stay close to her."

"As close as I can possibly be," he replied. Zoe didn't hear what Arslan said back but it was full of teasing humor.

Zoe waved him goodbye before opening the door to the bookstore. She placed the sphinx feather down on her father's desk and dropped her bag on the floor. Kahil was locking the shop's door when she closed in on him.

"Fucking finally," he said, colliding with her, pressing her up against the shop's wall and kissing her hard. "I almost killed that fucking bitch in the caves when she talked down to you. And to try and imprison us? She needs to be taken down a peg for that audacity. How dare she try and touch what belongs to me?"

Zoe's hand bunched into his shirt. "You're sounding very territorial there, sweetheart."

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