Page 124 of Death of the Glass Angel
“And just as adorable apparently.” Talon chuckled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. His face fell abruptly, and he turned on his heel.
Des grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. “I. . .” She searched for something, anything to say. “It’s uncouth to bring a princess this far out. You’ll have to carry me back.”
“Do you delight in being an imp?”
“Charming.” Des corrected. “I think that’s the word you’re looking for.”
“No, I think imp fits,” Talon said. “Shall I throw you over my shoulder and ferry you to safety, my lady?”
“I wouldn’t say no to that.”
Eyes tracing up and down her body, Talon smirked, sliding her hand into his. Their noses were a breath apart. Heat rose in her cheeks, and her breath caught.
Smile slipping, Talon traced his finger across her jaw and leaned in, his breath hot against her lips.
Closing her eyes, Des waited. Talon’s hand traced up her face into her hair, knotting into her waves. He clutched her tightly, tilting her closer. But he did not kiss her.
Unable to hold back any longer, Des grabbed his collar and pressed her lips against his.
Talon turned his head, causing her mouth to graze his cheek. Releasing her hair, he stepped away.
“Why. . .?” Des questioned.
He refused to meet her eyes. “You deserve more. Step out from the shadows and let the world see you. Worthy men will flock to you in droves.”
The titillating heat quenched in utter coldness. “But, I can’t.”
Des was not her own person. She was a fragment of Janus.
Was Des even allowed to pursue a life Janus did not want?
No. Janus’s light shone in the starry sky, and Des but chased her, unseen.
She and Talon were illusions. Shadows, hidden within high walls.
Talon turned back to her, wearing a false smile. “You can. But you’re too stubborn to listen to me. Let’s get back.”
Biting her lip, Des watched him turn away. The wind rustled her cloak, but she no longer felt the cold. Pulling out her dagger, she twirled the hilt between her fingers, hoping to distract herself from the brewing tears.
All that surrounded Des was not hers—shackles bound her to a body that belongedto someone else.
31
Janus
Buildings crumble. People die. Landscapes change, and cities fade. Dynasties end. Empires collapse. Names fall out of use. But through memory, they remain. Preserved. Immortal. And from the ashes can something forgotten be revived—if only the flickering embers survive in one person’s heart.
-Excerpt from Lady Entia’s private journal
Janus stumbled from the carriage and tripped over a rock as she stared at the awe-inspiring edifice rising from the valley. Like a spear embedded in the earth, the Forebear’s Monolith reached for the sky, dark and glistening beneath the midday sun.
Talon caught Janus’s hand tenderly and helped her to her feet gently.
“Uh, thanks,” Janus said awkwardly, brushing off her tunic with her free hand.
Talon’s expression changed instantly, and he hastily released her hand. “Oh, Janus.” Clearing his throat, he tucked his hands into his pockets. “Excited to step inside?”
The surrounding world muted as Janus consumed the Monolith. Ancient carvings decorated the exterior, etchings of ghostly figures in flowing garb—a representation of the phantoms that appeared when the thick fog arrived.
