The Deathsinger: Book 2

Ch. 23: The Temple

Time dragged. Days and nights blended together, and the journey that was supposed to take three days spilled over into a fourth. Remiel insisted we sleep during the day and travel during the gloaming, which drastically shortened the amount of time we were moving, but I understood his logic. If I was caught again in the nightmare, it would be easier for him to fight against phantoms in the gray light of day.

My head bounced on something solid, and I jolted upright in alarm. Remiel let go of the horse's reins and braced it over my stomach. Its heavy weight was a comfort. The shadows he'd woven around me slid away, and I relaxed in his embrace.

Darkness descended through the trees and neared the ground, signaling an end to our travel for the day, but I had no memory of getting on the horse. The last thing I remembered was walking alongside Remiel in what had become a customary awkward silence and thinking about how my blistered feet ached. Then...nothing.

"What happened?"

His chin grazed the top of my head, and his voice rumbled through me when he answered. "You fainted."

I snorted. "I did not faint."

"You did." He didn't sound amused. "I turned to ask you if you were thirsty, and you pitched forward. It terrified me until you snored, and I realized you'd fallen asleep."

Mortification seared my cheeks, and I squirmed in discomfort, earning a grunt from Remiel. Then a warning squeeze from the arm around my waist. I wasn't sure what the issue was, but when I stopped moving, his grip relaxed.

"You told me you were sleeping fine."

"I–I have been."

It wasn't a complete lie. Falling asleep was not the issue. Staying asleep was. Every time I nearly slipped into the deepest part of sleep, I jerked awake with the echo of Remiel's words bouncing through my head. Was Mara truly evil? Had she almost killed me when I was a child? Unless the rest of my memories returned, we would likely never know, but for now, she had not returned to my dreams, but that was because I never fell asleep long enough to allow it.

The saddle creaked as Remiel shifted and lowered his mouth to my ear. "Liar, liar."

My skin pebbled, and my nipples hardened. The tips of my fingers glowed orange, forcing me to curl them against my palm to hide the light. It wasn't hot enough to burn my skin...yet. If I didn't get myself under control, there could be dire consequences. Like spooking the horse, or worse–burning my last set of clothes.

"Stop being so smug," I said, wishing I could get down from this beast and get far away from Remiel.

"Damn it, woman," he snapped suddenly, hauling me backward and pinning me against him. "Stop moving."

Beneath his fingers, my heart fluttered wildly. If he shifted that hand just a few inches upward, he could cover my breast with it, and I hated that I knew what that felt like now. How good it felt.

"I'd like to get down now. I can walk."

"Fine."

Remiel stopped the horse, slid off the side, and helped me down after him. A smoky breeze cooled my fiery cheeks, and I crossed my arms over my chest as I took off walking. It pained me to admit that I felt refreshed after getting some proper sleep, and it was on the tip of my tongue to tell him thank you.

But when I glanced over at him, the gratitude fell away. Stone was softer than his expression right now.

"Don't worry," I said, swallowing back a wince as my boot rubbed against a tender spot on my foot. "Your Deathsinger is still well enough to perform her duties, if that's what has you in such a foul temper."