Page 86 of Of Sins and Sacrifice

He chuckles.

“You can have the entire box.

My eyes widen. “I can?”

He nods.

I munch on a couple more chocolaty balls as I regard him. His lips are curled up in a smile as he gazes at me, almost as if he can derive the same pleasure just from watching me eat.

And this is certainly even better than donuts. So much sweeter and flavorful. Where did he even get them? Everything is so restricted with the war and the rations… And the fact that he gave themallto me.

I gulp down, warmth spreading inside of me. And it’s not from the chocolates, though they make me giddy in a different way. No, it’s a different type of warmth, one that starts from the depths of my stomach and travels up, enveloping me entirely. It only gets more potent as I stare into his green eyes. Why, I have no idea. But I’ve always had good instincts. And this time…my instincts are telling me to trust him.

I’ll probably regret my decision in the future. But how can someone so nice be dangerous? How can someone who constantly gives me sweets be a bad person/ Besides, with his ability to see the spiritual world, he can help me vanquish that greed demon. I cannot do it alone.

Yes, I nod, satisfied. Perhaps these are all excuses I create for myself. But at the moment, these excuses are my reality. And perhaps I don’t want to look further than that.

“I’m not human,” I tell him as I swallow the last bit of chocolate.

His brows rise in question.

“Not…human?”

“I’m an ice deity who hunts demons,” I explain, and once I start talking, everything comes out rather easily. I tell him all about who I am and where I come from, as well as what mymission is in Anthropa at this time. He listens intently, never once interrupting me. Of course I have to mention his role in what led to me losing my powers, and I make sure to berate him for that. After I tell him everything—perhaps more than I should have—I press my lips together and stare at him, waiting for his reaction.

For moments on end, he just stares at me.

His eyes bore a hole into me as the silence between us stretches into an uncomfortable eternity.

His lips tremble. I prepare myself for his reply.

But just as he opens his mouth to speak, the only sound that comes out is a dark, rich laughter.

“A goddess.” He chuckles. “Sure, tiny darling.”

He…doesn’t believe me?

TWELVE

I may have expectedthat Mine wouldn’t believe me, but I never realized how annoyed I would be by it. Without my powers, there isn’t much I can do to prove it.

Nothing except what I’m about to do now.

It’s past one at night. Although the base is fairly quiet, there are still some parties going on in a few tents.

Mine follows by my side as we head to the secluded field a distance away from the military base where I last summoned my brother.

Another summon willnotmake me his favorite person, that is for sure.

“Why are there parties at this time of the night? Shouldn’t the soldiers rest?” I ask as we pass by a lit tent teeming with rowdy people.

“Wouldn’t you want to have a good time if tomorrow might be your last day alive?” Mine counters.

“I suppose so,” I answer tentatively. I’ve never given that any thought, seeing as how my kind doesn’t really die. Given the low chances of that happening, especially in battle with much weaker demons, I’ve never had to worry about my last moments alive.

Yet now that I think about it… What would I do? If I were to die tomorrow, what would I do on my last day alive?

“What about you, then? Why are you not at those parties?”

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