Page 14 of The Warlock's Kiss

She smiled. “But this isourfood, and that’shisfood—food he didn’t offer us. Do youreallythink it’s a good idea to press our luck?”

With a comically exaggerated sigh, Danny accepted the protein bar, tore the wrapper, and slowly—so slowly it almost seemed to pain him—peeled it down. He lifted the bar to his mouth and nibbled the corner, shuddering as he chewed.

Adalynn opened her protein bar and took a bite. It really did taste like cardboard and sand. She chewed anyway, forcing herself to swallow—it was better than nothing. Supplies were scarce, and their stores were limited; they couldn’t afford to be picky. Food was food. Survival trumped taste.

She’d only eaten half of the bar before she curled the wrapper around it and stuck it back in her pack. Danny finished his despite his complaints and followed it up with a big gulp of water.

He wiped his mouth with his arm and grinned. “We should check this place out.”

Adalynn shook her head. “We should stay here and wait for that man to come back.”

“Addy, it’s beenhours. He might not come back at all until morning. Why not explore the place?”

“Even if he doesn’t check on us until morning, this is his house, Danny. He’s being gracious enough to let us stay for now, despite everything.” She looked her brother over and frowned; his clothes were tattered and filthy, there was dirt smudged on his cheeks, and his hair was a tangled mess. She probably didn’t look any better, but at least she’d had a few hours of rest. “You need to get some sleep, anyway.”

“I can’t sleep. I’m bored, and restless, and I just need tomove.”

Adalynn, strangely, felt that same restlessness—as though she were brimming with energy. But that didn’t mean they should sneak around a house that didn’t belong to them, no matter how curious they were.

“Danny, we—”

“Please?” he begged, lacing his fingers together and staring up at her, pleading with his big, baby blue eyes. That look always swayed her. “I won’t touch anything. Promise.”

Adalynn flopped against the backrest, tilting her head back to stare up at the ceiling. “Ugh, why do I always give in to you?”

He smiled. “Because youloveme.”

She sat forward and jabbed a finger at him. “Don’t touch asinglething. Nothing. Got it? If he catches us, we’ll just say we’re looking for the bathroom.”

“I mean, I reallydohave to pee, so it’s not exactly a lie, right?” Danny’s smile shifted into a mischievous grin.

Adalynn chuckled. “Me too, so no, not really.”

There was running water here, so there had to be a working toilet, right? God, to be able to use atoiletagain! It was one of many conveniences she’d taken for granted before the Sundering. Her parents had taken her camping once a year when she was younger, but even then, digging a hole in the ground and squatting had never been her idea of a fun time.

Adalynn closed her bag and, as she stood up, swung it into place on her back. Danny followed suit. They’d learned early on that they could be forced to run at a moment’s notice in this new world; it was always best to keep their belongings with them no matter the situation.

They exited the sitting room together, pausing just beyond the entry; it wasdark. Every curtain in every room must’ve been closed.

This is silly, Adalynn thought as she reached back and pulled her little flashlight from the small pouch on the side of her bag. Batteries were a rare commodity, and using some of that juice just to explore this place seemed wasteful, but she couldn’t shake her curiosity. How many places like this still existed?

She clicked on the flashlight and swept its beam around the foyer, taking a few moments to admire the craftsmanship, before steering Danny into the left hall—awayfrom the kitchen. She knew he’d try to talk her into checking for food again if they passed that room, despite what they’d already been through, and that was an issue best avoided.

The hardwood-floored hallway had a patterned rug running its length. There were paintings on the walls—all of them depicting landscapes and inanimate objects, totally devoid of people—and sculptures in a few of the alcoves. The sculptures were primarily of animals, all of which were in that classical, realistic style.

All the rooms they peeked into were elegantly furnished—even the bathroom, which they both hurriedly used—and Adalynn couldn’t guess at what some of their purposes were. A living room? A family room? Aden? How many rooms did a person need for sitting?

But it was the room at the end of the hall that called to her the most. It was a large, open space with a polished wooden floor—a dancefloor—and a high ceiling with intricate patterns in its wood. The windows were at least ten feet tall, running along the walls to either side, and three large, tiered chandeliers hung in a row down the center of the ceiling.

When her flashlight’s beam fell on the far end of the room, Addy’s eyes widened, and she froze. The low stage situated there was empty save for a grand piano with a leather-upholstered bench. Its black exterior gleamed in the light.

“Wow,” Danny said.

“Yeah, wow,” Adalynn echoed, entering the room.

As she crossed the distance to the stage, the little hairs on the back of her neck stood up; she had the sudden, disorienting sense that there wassomethinghere, that she was being watched. She paused a few feet away from the piano and looked behind her, swinging the flashlight around to scan the room. No one was there but Danny, who’d walked to one of the tall windows and was peering through a tiny gap in the curtains.

“This place is huge,” Danny said. “And he has it all to himself.”

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