Page 17 of Kingdom of Chaos
Talon’s gaze bounces over my face. His eyes look haunted as he reaches up, his thumb brushing gently over the curve of my cheek to wipe away a tear that escaped. I quietly catch my breath at the riot of sensations his delicate touch sets off inside me.
“Please don’t cry,” he whispers, a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth.
More tears gather in my eyes, and a pained look flashes across his face. I shove down the feelings his touch stirred and refocus on Becks.
My best friend who I love. Who I have to save.
“It’s my fault this happened to him,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. “I can’t live with myself if I don’t do everything I can to find him.”
Talon starts to speak, but his gaze drops to the hollow of my throat. His expression shifts, pain and sadness replaced by confusion. He lifts the thin gold chain around my neck, eyes fixed on the purple stone pendant my parents gave me the day before.
“Where did you?—?”
The exterior door slams open, cutting him off. We jump apart like we’ve been caught doing something we shouldn’t. Heat rushes to my cheeks as I glance over and see Ensley and Titus walking toward us, led by a girl I don’t recognize.
She’s petite, like me, and wearing only an oversized black graphic T-shirt that hits mid-thigh. Her long black hair is slightly tousled from sleep, and she rubs her eyes like she’s still trying to wake up.
“You didn’t tell me we were going to have guests,” she says grumpily to Talon.
An uncomfortable sensation unfurls in my gut. I want to tell myself this beautiful creature is Talon’s sister, but the angle of her eyes and the warm brown hue of her skin make it clear she’s of a completely different descent.
She gives him a slow once-over, taking in his sweat and the fact that he’s still only wearing joggers. I shift slightly to the side, trying to block part of her view. Her mouth tightens as her gaze cuts right through me.
“You didn’t make it back to bed last night,” she says—not as a question, but as a statement.
How would she know that unless she’d been waiting for him to return to bed with her?
A flash of jealousy blazes through me, so hot I half expect to look down and see my skin on fire.
Where did that come from?
Curling my shoulders, I step to the side, embarrassed by my reaction and hoping no one noticed. I catch Titus’ nose twitchingas he sniffs the air, and if I didn’t know any better, I’d swear I could smell cinders and taste ash on my tongue.
Talon runs a tired hand through his hair and my traitorous eyes follow the motion, catching the way the lean muscles in his bicep flex.
“I got a little sleep,” he says to the girl, but now that I’m looking more closely, I can see the exhaustion written all over his face that I missed before.
Dark smudges curve beneath his eyes; his usually golden skin looks pale and drawn tight over sharp cheekbones. The gauntness should take away from his appeal, but somehow it doesn’t. If anything, it only sharpens his already razor-edged features, giving him an almost otherworldly kind of beauty.
I don’t know how I missed the subtle changes when I first saw him. Maybe I was too focused on getting him to help me find Becks. Or maybe it was the dagger he threw at my head that threw me off.
I’ve barely eaten and only gotten broken sleep since Becks and Kerrim disappeared. I haven’t spared a single thought for my appearance, so I can’t help but wonder if the strain shows on me too.
The black-haired girl crosses her arms over her chest and cocks her head, her body language clear she doesn’t believe him.
“Tell that to the bags under your eyes,” she challenges.
The stern look he gives her is clearly a warning, but she just rolls her eyes. “Reshelve that glower, cos. Your scary faces don’t work on me.”
I perk up a little.
Cos? Like in Cousin?
He shakes his head lightly, then shifts his gaze over her shoulder, ignoring her completely. “Ensley, Titus. I see you’ve met Imogen.”
They nod, and Titus and Talon tap fists in greeting.
“Your cousin,” Titus says, sliding his gaze briefly to me before looking back at Talon, “has been very hospitable.”
