We couldn't leave Axel's home until several hours into the night.
So we spent most of the day practicing defensive maneuvers in Axel's sparring room.
Which was uncomfortable, to say the least, given what happened the night prior when we were that close again.
But it was as if it had never happened.
Julian was professional.
He respected my wishes.
And secretly I wondered if his skin was burning as much as mine was every time a movement brought us too close.
If it did, he didn't show it.
And to my credit, I tried as well.
My thoughts went back to the night before. The last time his hand was there, my thoughts would taunt, he was kissing me. The last time he held me this close there was tenderness in his eyes.
At least the punching bags gave me some sort of outlet to what I was feeling.
Eventually, after a long day of sparring we had dinner then spent the rest of the night in a room with a warm fire. Julian and Axel were in the corner of the room having a quiet conversation while I stayed in one of the chairs with my new book propped open on my lap.
I read it greedily, drinking in as much as I could.
At first, the pages were blank then the more I looked at them, words would appear in gold, fanciful script. It had spells within it, spoke of the primordial entities, how the kingdoms came to be, how the powers were formed and how the gods had blessed only a select few to have their gifts.
Winter to oversee the human winter season.
Autumn to oversee the fall season.
Summer for the summer season.
Spring for the spring season.
Then the Dark and Light kingdoms.
The Dark to contain the dark and manipulative nature of all living beings.
The Light to give life and take it away, to oversee the balance of it all. The complement to the dark.
I shuddered, shutting the book quickly.
To give life and take it away.
It was at that precise moment that Julian stood. "It's time to go."
I nodded quickly, tucking the book into my travel bag.
Axel stood as well, walking towards Julian and me. "May the gods bless the road you travel." He gave a small smile. "Let's hope you don't run into Charon."
The name sounded vaguely familiar.
Julian smiled as he clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Grave robbing should be fun."
I felt my stomach drop. "Wait, what are we doing?"
He didn't answer as he took my hand and spectered us out of the room. As soon as we stopped, Julian gently tugged my hand downwards. "You're sticking out like a sore thumb, Emylin," he whispered.
I crouched down next to him as my eyes adjusted to the blinding darkness. "Where are we?" I whispered as I shut my eyes forcefully trying again to adjust to the darkness.
"We're currently in Styx. I've spectered us as close to the cemetery as possible."
"Why can't I see anything?" I asked in frustration.
He chuckled. "Your eyes won't adjust as easily as ours do in the darkness. Faster and keener than humans but not as fast as those from the Underworld."
It still took my eyes several seconds longer to adjust to the darkness and once I did, I held back a gasp.
