Page 96 of A Veil of Gods and Kings

Hyacinth lifted his head. “You told me to be mindful of which god’s name I used for expressing pleasure.” He leaned in to me. “I could think of but one.” He grasped my jaw with his fingers. “And this night isn’t over with yet.” His mouth crushed mine, and that heat rose again, lighting the room on fire. And we tumbled towards the bed, a future king and a future god, all sharp edges and secrets and desires, burning together under a symphony of shadows.

33

Epiphany

Temi and I creeped through the gardens, our feet rustling over dry leaves and crackling through grass. An owl hooted mournfully, and I jumped. Temi nudged me with her elbow. “You okay?”

“Yeah, but was it necessary to get up so early?”

“For hunting? Yes.”

We reached the stables, and Valerian strode out, his bow looped around his shoulder. His eyes reflected the milk of the moon, and he bobbed his head. “Is there a plan for us to get out today? Are we charming the guards?”

Temi grinned. “No need for charm. I’ve made friends with the guards at the gates.”

Valerian huffed a laugh. “Of course you have.”

Temi smirked and jutted her jaw in the other direction. “Just act naturally.” We reached the gates where two guards in their navy vests stood, illuminated in torchlight.

“Hey, Temi,” the first said. “Heading out for your hunt?”

“Yeah. The deer wake early.”

“Good luck.” He nodded as he skimmed over our group but said nothing as the three of us strode past the gates and down the path. When we approached the woods, a breath whooshed out of me. “Oh my gods, we just walked right through the gate.”

Temi whipped her braids around her hand and tossed them over her shoulder. “Like I said, no need for charm.”

“Hyacinth would be horrified.”

Valerian’s eyebrows jumped up. “That he would. Though, let’s not pretend that the guards overlooking us would be the most upsetting aspect of our outing.”

I groaned. “True.”

Dara and Meea walked up, Meea bouncing on her toes, and Temi handed them each a bow. She crouched down and waved for us to do the same. “Our plan is to follow the river and stay down wind. Animals smell better than we do, so always keep that in mind when you hunt.”

She pulled a clay bowl out and passed it to me, dumping sweet-smelling herbs into it. She dipped back into her pouch and withdrew a tin box, flipping open the lid and emptying the contents. In one hand she held a rock and scrap of fabric. Pinched between her other fingers, she gripped a small piece of metal.

She struck them together, the sound click-click-clicking against the chirping, shrieking noises of the forest. “Shit,” she cursed. “I’m never good at this. If Apollo was here, he could light it for us.”

I tilted the bowl, letting the incense powder roll around the dish. “Can Apollo make fires?”

She scowled at the rocks as she struck them again. “If you can beat it out of him to use his powers, yes.” She snapped the implements together, and the fabric caught fire, a flame leaping up, glowing like a miniature sun in the dark. She dropped it into the bowl, and the powder alighted, honey-sweet smoke curling into the ebony sky.

Temi bowed her head, and the girls followed suit. Valerian cocked an eyebrow up before joining them. “It’s with gratitude,” Temi whispered, “that we accept your sacrifice. We thank you for providing food and clothing for us. Thank you for sharing your life energies with others.”

She lifted her face and blew on the bowl in my hands until the flame dimmed.

“Do you always pray before hunting?” Meea said.

Temi nodded as she stood. “Yes. It’s with reverence that I take any animal’s life.”

She gathered up the supplies and then started on the path, and we ambled behind her. I held my breath, not wishing to disturb the quiet of the night or alert the animals along the way.

Twenty minutes into our walk by the river that stretched like a rope of navy silk in the moonlight, Temi raised her hand, and the five of us stopped walking. She pointed across the water. A deer stood. It froze and then turned its face in our direction.

Temi lifted her bow.

The arrow whistled over the forest floor, blending in with the clattering of branches.