Gods & Thieves ✔

55. Gods and Thieves

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"Take me hostage?"

Lo freezes. There's still no one in the hallway, so Tayen lets faerself forget about the surroundings for a moment, turns faer head, and looks at me. Fae does not hide faer bewilderment. Fae stares at me as if I'm a book in which all the pages have suddenly turned out to be empty.

But then Loretto grows serious. Gloomy. And finally faer narrows faer eyes, annoyed.

"Gen hit you hard on the head, didn't she?" concludes Lo. "Bastard."

"No, Lo! I mean...I don't know, maybe." My head is still aching a little. "But that's not the point."

When Loretto continues to remain silent in disbelief, I point to the stairs that lead down to the main corridor and toward the exit from the Great Temple.

"Cale and his gang are still wrecking everything on the streets," I say, "and right now there's no one to stop them but us. But they won't just listen to us. What if we scare them? They won't run away from me, but from a shaman? From the shaman who once came to their house and fooled everyone with faer plainblood appearance, and then came out covered in blood and rage with their younger brother hostage?"

"You want to go to Cale's," Lo says. I can't figure out if it's a question or a statement.

"Yes."

Shaking faer head, Loretto stares at me for a long moment and then...kisses me.

I forget my words. I can't refuse when Loretto's hands wrap my cheeks with warm desperation, and faer lips dig into mine. Our kiss tastes of ashes and sadness, dust and humility.

Loretto kisses me slowly, taking faer time, enjoying the moment, enjoying me, which makes me feel scared, although my heart is in love. It's scary because it's too good.

And even though there is no one around, this is still the first time when Lo kisses me--or touches me--in a public place, in the light of day and where we can be seen. At this thought, my pulse skips a beat, the muscles going limp, surrendering to Lo's will.

Does Lo think that this kiss will convince me to leave? Does fae agree to my plan, but bury me in the war beforehand? I don't like any of the options. But whatever it is, our kiss, as a seal, declares one thing to the whole world: we belong to each other.

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"I feel like a thief. Just like when I stole aura from the shamans," I grin, humorless, when Lo and I sneak out of the Great Temple and start toward the street leading to the main square where the battle and fire are raging.

Suddenly, a scream comes from around the corner.

"Eli!"

My own name scares me like a sudden punch. I clutch the dagger in my palm almost to the point of pain, ready to strike.

I look around, noticing that Lo, without answering me, slides behind a veil of smoke, hiding, and the next moment I see Kofi approaching me.

"There you are! Gods, Eli, we've been looking everywhere for you!" Before I can speak, Kofi hugs me with all the strength his bony body has. I feel nauseous. "Oh, I was afraid we wouldn't find it. Are you okay?"

"Yes, yes, I...let go of me." Not without effort, getting rid of Kofi's grip, I look at my stepbrother. He, too, is covered in soot and smells like a bonfire. "What have you done, Kofi? Where's Cale?"

Kofi gives me a crooked smile.

"Impressive, huh? We told you we'd get you out of this shamanic lair, Eli." His brown eyes flash with a dark amusement. "If only these aurabloods didn't hide in their temple like cockroaches. We caught some, but it's not enough. Do you know how to get into the temple?"