Page 137 of Between Soul and Vessel
For what, I didn’t know.
I shook my head and moved on to the next section. Bending over, I reached for a box lower down.
“Priestess,” a voice spokefrom behind me—one that made my blood turn to ice.
I jerked upright and spun around. “Victor,” I said.
He offered me a smarmy smile. “It’s good to see you.”
“You as well,” I lied.
“Are you looking forward to our little getaway together?” he asked in a way that made my skin crawl. “I think it will be quite enjoyable for you to get out of the palace and see another side of life, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Yes, I’m looking forward to it.” Lie. Lie. Lie.
“Wonderful. Say, why are so many people here and at such a late hour?”
“Two souls have gone missing, so the empress is having us look for them,” I answered, picking up the drawing of the souls from the shelf I had rested it on. My body screamedno!as I forced myself to step closer to him, handing over the paper.
Victor took it, studying it for a second. A strange look flickered over his face. It almost looked . . . calculated, but it was gone swiftly. “I know where they are.”
“You do?” I asked, surprised at this development.
“Indeed.” He handed the paper back to me. “I took them a week ago and have been working on bodies for them.”
“And you didn’t think to tell me?” the empress roared, her voice murderous as she stomped up beside us. Startled, I jerked my face toward her. Her hair whipped violently around her, caught on the current of her anger.
“I didn’t think I needed to,” Victor retorted, completely unfazed by her fearsome state. “DoIneed to, Avena?”
She was silent. The storm passed in her eyes, and her hair floated back down. “No, you don’t,” she answered, forcing a breath of air into her lungs. “You said you are working on vessels for them?”
“I am, I am, and I’m glad to report they are close to being done. I had planned to surprise you with them before Priestess Avriel and I left. I figured they might be helpful to you in your search for Sagentia.”
“I had the same idea, which is why I was looking for them, but it would seem you are steps ahead of me,” the empress said, her tone much more friendly. “However, I have one more request.”
“What might that be?” he inquired curiously.
Her lips twisted into a cruel smile. “I want you to make another set of vessels for them. If they succeed at their task, we’ll give them their original vessel as a reward.” Her eyes swung to mine, just noticing that I, too, stood there. “Go tell everyone else the souls have been found and they are to leave the tower immediately.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” I said, bowing before I swiftly scampered away. I was more than happy to put some distance between me and them.
Come tomorrow, hopefully, it would be even more.
Von
Three days had passed since we’d separated from the others. By now, they should have reached Viscourt. We, however, were only halfway to the Naftiah Desert, which Artemesia said would take us about six days to reach by flight. So, under the concealment of my shadows, Folkoln and I carried the girls as we flew toward our destination while Kaleb kept up in his raven form.
Every once in a while, we would stop so the girls could eat and Kaleb could rest his wings, which was exactly what we were doing now, although the girls had already finished eating and Artemesia was leading us to Creator knew where.
My boots struck the brick-paved streets as we strolled through the city of Westridge. From what I could see, the city was small enough that everyone probably knew their neighbors, but big enough that it hadplentyof amenities. The center of the city was full of various shops, packed fromwall to wall. Females, of many different races and species, flocked down the streets, moving like pack animals as they chattered.
Artemesia and Sage walked ahead of Folkoln and me, while Kaleb perched on Sage’s shoulder. My hands were bound by Artemesia’s sad, frayed rope, the bottom half of my face covered with a purple scarf embroidered with delicate flowers and finished with a frilly, white lace.
Did I look ridiculous? Definitely.
Did I care? Not really.
I was too invested in watching the sexy sway of Sage’s hips as she strolled ahead of me. The little flick of her hips each time she took another step was doing wicked things to my thoughts, filling me with sinister intentions. I sank my teeth into my bottom lip, wishing it was her plump peach I was biting instead.
