Garden of Serpents (The Demon Queen Trials #3)(42)

Gods, I loved the way he healed me. Might as well admit it. His mouth moved above the hollow on my hips, and desire hummed through me, a hot vibration that made me want to pull him up over me. Except at any minute now, we’d probably have a whole crowd of onlookers, and I didn’t want them to see their future queen in a compromising situation. I tried to keep my eyes on the sea as Orion worked his mouth over my skin, occasionally spitting venom onto the stones.

He really didn’t feel like a rival right now. But of course he didn’t—he was Orion, the last incubus. His sexual appeal burned with all the heat of a star.

My thighs clenched around him, and he looked up at me with a half-smile playing around his lips. “Seems like you’ll be fine now.”

I felt breathless as I released my grip from his hair, forcing my gaze from him to the dark sea. “You could have left the poison in me and won easily.”

He shifted away and sat next to me on the stairs. When he turned to face me, his eyes were burning bright blue. “And you could have killed me instead of binding me. But the thought of you in pain makes me want to die. Or massacre people. And I’m doing my best to avoid both at the moment.”

My chest flushed at that, but I tried not to dwell on it too long.

When I glanced at the seaside wall above us, I saw the first onlookers appear, bearing torches. “I’m afraid they might be in for a boring few hours.”

Orion didn’t answer. His shoulders looked rigid, his skin ghostly pale. His hands were tightened into fists.

“Did the serpent get you, too?” I asked. “You look a little ill.”

He stared straight ahead, and silence filled the air between us. “I don’t like snakes.”

“I used to, but that fucker may have changed my mind.”

He cast a quick glance up at the onlookers above us. “No, I mean I really don’t like snakes,” he whispered. “You asked what I was afraid of beside you. It’s snakes. And that one scared the shit out of me.” The moonlight sculpted the beautiful planes of his face.

“Why get a snake tattoo, then?”

“Just a reminder of things.” His fists flexed again. Clearly, he was done with this conversion.

“But…all snakes? Even little garter snakes?”

His slid me a cool look, and his gaze bored into me. “I really didn’t mean for this conversation to go on this long.”

“Okay.” I swallowed hard. “How long do you think we have until he changes back?”

“Could be hours. Maybe all night.”

I rose from the stone, crossing back to the shoreline. My bond with Alaric was gone for now.

“I missed you when you were in Osborne,” Orion said quietly.

My heart fluttered, and I turned back to look at him. “You knew where I was if you wanted to talk to me.”

“I needed time. For centuries, Rowan, I teetered on the edge of sanity. And the single constant thread that kept me from descending into madness was my oath to Ashur. It’s not something I could abandon overnight.”

Cautiously, I slid my gaze to him. “And it’s still the only thing keeping you from madness?”

From the steps, his eyes met mine. “You were the only person in centuries who cared for me. And when you were gone, I couldn’t sleep. I felt like I’d returned to the prison cell. I needed you near me, Rowan. I needed time to I realize that we were twin stars. And that I’d always dreamt of you.”

I stared at him, feeling like my heart was breaking and healing at the same time. But we were mid-trial right now. And how was I to know what was real? The entire kingdom was on the line. “Orion, we can’t do this right now. I’m not going to speak to you during the trial. I’m concentrating.”

I turned away from him, staring at the dark sea again. My gaze flicked up at the sky, my pulse racing as I caught sight of the spot where Gemini would rise.





23





ROWAN





By the time the first pale blush of dawn tinged the sky, Alaric still hadn’t returned. Even so, the crowd of eager onlookers had waited up all night, watching us from the streets and buildings above. For the most part, I managed to keep my eyes locked on the sea.

I’d spent the night right here, watching, waiting. Orion lounged on the stairs just behind me.

A slight tug in my ribs had my muscles tensing. Faintly, the bond with Alaric was moving again, rushing toward the shore.

My fingers twitched with anticipation.

Orion must have sensed me tensing because he moved closer along the shoreline, quietly whispering a spell to himself.

After a night of standing vigil here, my legs ached, and my stomach felt like it was eating itself alive.

I glanced at Orion. “Hello, my shadow. What was that spell you were just chanting?”

He leaned in and whispered, “I thought we weren’t speaking.”

“Just wondering what you’re up to.”

“Not a spell, love. I was merely reciting the names of the Lilu dead. That is how I pray.”

A ripple of cold magic spread over me from behind, like an arctic wind. A distraction, maybe. Orion playing a trick, getting me to take my eyes off the sea so he could steal the crown.

When a low growl rose from behind me, I glanced over my shoulder. A woman stood at the top of the stairs, her pale blonde curls radiating from her head. She wore a crown of spiked silver woven with ivy.