Chapter 13 Chapter thirteen
CRYSTAL
“Shit. Way to go, Crystal.”
I cursed myself for not only knocking down two ornamental pieces, but also two. Not to mention, they looked expensive.
Definitely not something you could just replace.
“Just great.”
I dragged a hand down my face, already feeling the headache forming. Maybe I should have just stayed in bed.
But what was I supposed to do, that demon, Aquila or whatever, he said if I needed him, I should ring the bell, which I did, but he never came as he promised. Which led me to go search for him and I promptly knocked over things all because I couldn’t walk in a straight line.
What was I even doing moving around in this strange place? For all I knew, this place wasn’t any safer than that place.
A cold shiver ran down my spine as memories from that dank prison cell rushed back to me in waves that made me nauseous. But still, my wounds were tender. My stomach was full and I had my own room in this place. A part of me wanted to relax, because I was out of danger at least, but the other part, the more logical voice in my head said otherwise.
I looked down at the ivory wolf head that lay shattered at my feet. With a groan, I bent down carefully to pick up some of the larger pieces. Trying my best to fix them, but it was impossible like this.
Maybe I could…I don’t know. Glue it back together? Or maybe just hide the evidence? Pretend I wasn’t here. But that crash was loud, I’m almost certain that he must have heard it.
I was just about to reach for a sharper shard when the sounds of footsteps hurrying my way filled the hall.
“Oh no.”
The footsteps rounded the corner and suddenly there he was--Aquila--he burst into the hallway first, his green eyes scanning the place before they fell on me and I looked up from my crouch on the floor, till holding the evidence.
For a moment, we just stared at each other.
Then I smiled. Sheepishly. Like a child who’d been caught with her hand far down in the cookie jar.
“Uh--I can explain this.” I started. But then I saw him.
That same mask from that night and my heart shuddered. My breath caught in my throat. The smile on my lips faded.
I was almost certain I’d dreamt him up. But he was real.
“It’s you.” I gasped.
Even though I couldn’t see his expression behind that mask, I felt the weight of his attention shift entirely onto me and my throat went dry. He was at the auction, but before I could even take a second glance at him, he was gone. Then that night when I escaped Barron and now here he was.
In a haze of my own thoughts, my finger caught on the shard of ivory and I winced.
“Ouch.”
“Hey, be careful.” Aquila was at my side instantly and he pulled me to my feet. But I barely registered him, because I was still staring at the masked man.
He was covered in dirt and blood. His dark hair was disheveled, mud caked into it as he’d been in a fight.
“I…” my words stumbled over themselves. “I, uhm rang the bell but--”
My words died in my throat when Aquila put my bleeding finger into his mouth and licked it. I jerked my hand back and turned my attention back to him with wide eyes.
“What the hell was that?” I demanded. Buperson t this mad person dared to look at me as though I was the crazy one.
“Tending your wound?”
“By licking it?"
“It wouldn’t be healthy to just wipe it off with a cloth, now would it?” he shook his head.
“Besides, Saliva has quick healing properties.”
I snapped my gaze back to the masked man who cocked his head in almost a curious gesture and I realized the ridiculousness of everything.
“You’re crazy.” I let out an airy chuckle. I didn’t know who was crazy. Him for putting my hand in his mouth, or me for not leaving this place the second I woke up.
“Crazy?” Aquila muttered and I took a step back when he tried to reach for me again, but this time, before I could even register what he was planning, he scooped me right off my feet and into his arms.
“What are you doing?” I struggled against him. Panic rising up in me.
“The only one who’s acting crazy right now, is you.” he gave me a pointed look. “I mean, who walks out of their room without shoes. You could cut yourself.” he scolded me and I stopped resisting him for a moment, then looked down.
He was right. I could have easily stepped on one of those and cut myself.
“Humans.” He huffed. “Asher, this--”
“Deal with it.” The masked man grunted, then turned away. His voice was much deeper than I expected. Rougher. It sent a cold shiver skittering down my spine. And before I could catch myself, I yelled..
“Wait--”
But he was already turning the corner he and Aquila had burst from. Like nothing had happened.
Aquila let out a breath that might have been a laugh. Or a sigh. I couldn’t tell.
“That,” he said, adjusting his grip on me, “was Asher. Your host. And technically, your savior.”
“My savior?” I repeated with almost a laugh.
“He just walked away. I thought you said he’d give me answers?”
“You will.” he eyed the broken pieces on the ground and I suddenly felt bad again. “Why did you leave your room?”
“I rang the bell,” I said again. “You didn’t come. What was I supposed to do?”
“Wait patiently like a good guest?” his tone was teasing but his eyes were sharp as he assessed me closely for any more injuries.
“You said something about clothes.” My cheeks turned rosy. I cleaned myself with the water. Careful not to wet the bandages, but when I came out, there were no new clothes for me, so I had to rewear what I woke up in.
“Miridath should be back from the market soon enough.” the corner of his lips curved into a smile that made me want to curl into myself and hide away. “I’ll take you back to bed.”
I wanted to argue. Wanted to demand answers to my burning question and I still had no idea if I was safe here or just in a different kind of danger, but my head was spinning.
So I just let Aquila carry me back to the room with my questions.