Page 49 of Beasts of Briar
She stared at me for a moment before stretching her arms overhead and yawning.“Another time. I’m tired, and I think I’m ready to go back to the castle now.”
A thrill shot through me as I scooped her up into my arms and cradled her into my chest, my shadows enveloping both of us. She was so fragile. I tightened my hold on her as I lifted up into the air.
I’d learned a little about her tonight, but instead of satiating my curiosity, it had only stoked it. She was becoming a distraction. One I couldn’t afford.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
BELLAMY
“What do you mean he flew you in his arms?” Driscoll asked as he and Leoni walked beside me in the hallway.
“You both need to go distract the pixies,”I signed, ignoring his question as Leoni translated.
“I think we should go with you,” Driscoll said.
I whirled.“Then who is going to distract the pixies?”
He threw up his hands. “I can literally just ask this lady her name. I can ask her if she knows where Spirit Shadow is hiding these weapons.”
“He’s a god, not a spirit.”
Driscoll shot a confused look at Leoni. “Uh, what?”
I swallowed, not sure why I’d said that. It was something Kairoth had thought when I’d been in his dreams. I couldn’t read minds, per se. But sometimes thoughts came to me when I was in someone’s mind. That one had been loud and clear.
“Something Kairoth said,”I signed quickly, not meeting Driscoll’s eyes.
“Kairoth? You’re on a first-name basis with thegodof shadows?”
Leoni pursed her lips.
“So first you’re telling me that you had a chance to ask him five questions and literally not a single one included what he’s doing with the weapons.” Driscoll ticked off his fingers. “Why he’s letting you stay in his castle, why he killed everyone in the star and shadow court? And now you’re revealing that you call him by his first name?”
We approached the sweeping staircase that led down to the first floor and leaned against the banister, looking down over the sparkling black floor of the foyer.
I ignored the way his voice was going all screechy.“First of all, I did ask about why he killed everyone in the star court, and I already told you what he said. That he’d been out of his mind, didn’t have control over his powers.”
The craziest thing about all of that was that I actually believed him. His voice had carried such regret as he’d told me about it.
I glanced at Driscoll.“Second of all, do you really think he would’ve told me the truth? I figured it was better to just talk to him, have a real conversation, get to know him.”
Driscoll pressed his palms together while Leoni translated, then set them against his cheek. “And be whisked off by him, cradled in his arms.”
That part I hadn’t planned. In fact, I’d nearly screeched when he’d lifted me in the air. Instead, I curled into his strong, hard body and marveled at the world laid out below us. He hadn’t taken me directly to the castle. He’d flown us around the island. The entire time, he held me so carefully, so tenderly. I gritted my teeth at the memory.
“Okay, let’s just calm down,” Leoni said. She pointed at Driscoll. “You are not helping. Bellamy is just doing whatwe asked, charming Spirit Shadow, trying to establish a relationship. He has another weapon, and we’re running out of time. So Bellamy is trying her best to get information.” She shot me a concerned look. “Right?”
I nodded, swallowing. It had been stupid of me to not ask those important questions. But he’d taken me aback when he’d asked about my life in the Wilds. I hadn’t expected that. Hadn’t expected to open up so much. Then I found myself wanting to do the same to him. Catch him off-guard. Ask him something personal. Understand him.
“As for the prisoner,” Leoni continued. “Let’s give it a little more time before we intervene.”
I scowled at that, and Leoni placed a hand on my arm. “We’re on the same team, you know. We’re not your enemies. You’re not alone in this, Bellamy.”
I sniffed, not sure I believed her. The whole reason they were here was to keep me from using that bolt.
“I can’t believe he has another weapon,” Driscoll said. “Do you think there’s some way we can send a message to the other rulers? Let them know that they have to guard Spirit Frost’s axe? That we need to find Spirit Star’s scythe before he does?”
The question sat for a moment before they both slowly looked at me, and I realized what they were thinking.
