The Monster's Caress - S.E. Smith Page 0,13

what lives in caves like that? Goblins! Small, horrible, green, nasty, grouchy goblins,” the lion asserted.

Asahi looked down at the lion and frowned. “My presence has already helped save the beautiful Empress from a grievous attack. Perhaps you could explain how you know what lives in that cave?” he asked.

The winged lion gave him a pointed look. “Magic, obviously. How am I supposed to help my bearer if I can’t tell who is who and what they do? When LaDonna gave me to your grandfather, she knew that he understood nothing about the creatures who lived in the Seven Kingdoms, so she entrusted that knowledge to me,” the lion pointed out with a haughty growl.

Asahi looked down at the lion. “My grandfather—there are a lot of things that you will need to explain to me later. At the moment, I want you to be quiet,” he instructed.

“Here we go, just like your grandfather. It’s obvious that not listening runs in your family,” the lion complained.

Asahi gritted his teeth to keep from making a scathing retort. Instead, he slid the dagger back into its sheath. The lion on the top immediately froze in place, now as solid as the gold hilt—as if the last hour had never occurred.

It would appear that the magic only worked when the dagger was free of the leather sheath. Perhaps the strange markings on the sheath’s surface were another spell to keep the damn thing quiet.

He took a deep, calming breath and pushed away all the questions crowding his mind. Nali stood at the entrance of the cave. He watched with growing concern when she brushed aside a curtain of tangled roots partially covering the entrance and stepped inside, disappearing from his view.

With grim purpose, Asahi walked toward the entrance to the cave. He didn’t understand why the spell had deposited him on the Isle of the Monsters while it sent Ruth—and Tonya—elsewhere. For now, that was not important. Sometimes the reason for an event took time to reveal itself. Asahi smiled, grateful that his grandfather’s wisdom was still strong in his memories.

“I am here for a reason, Empress, and I think it has to do with you,” he murmured before he pushed aside the cloak of roots and stepped into the darkness.

Asahi stood just inside the cave’s entrance and waited for his eyes to adjust to the dim interior. Noticing a thin line of glowing green light running along the walls of the cave, he reached out and touched a ribbon of it. He grimaced in disgust when a gooey substance coated his fingers.

“Don’t wipe it on your clothing. You’ll never get it out,” Nali warned, amusement evident in her voice.

He stopped with his hand a fraction of an inch from his trousers. Nali stepped out of the darkness and grabbed his hand, guiding it back to the wall.

Before Asahi’s wide eyes, the green glob pulled away from his fingertips and was absorbed back into the ribbon. She released his hand and stepped back. He studied his fingers before looking at the wall. Up close, he could see the green line moving.

“What is it?” he asked, looking back at her.

“A luminescent bacterium that thrives in the cool, dry interior of most of the caves in these mountains,” she explained.

“Fascinating,” he murmured.

She shook her head. “You must have misunderstood. You were supposed to go in the opposite direction,” she stated, her tone disapproving.

“I didn’t misunderstand you. I chose to ignore your suggestion,” he replied.

She looked at him with an incredulous expression. He smiled. “You chose…? You are a human, correct?” she asked, waving a hand at him.

“Yes,” he replied.

She opened her mouth, her eyes glittering with indignation, then she closed it and shook her head in resignation.

“What were you going to say?” he curiously asked.

She shook her head again. “I was going to say you are a fragile species, but—” she laughed, “after dealing with the others of your kind, I know your appearance is deceiving,” she wryly replied.

Asahi met her rueful gaze with his own and smiled, his eyes crinkling with self-deprecating humor. As his focus shifted from her expression to her luminous skin, he slowly took a step toward her and lifted his hand to hover hesitantly just above her cheek.

“Do you mind?” he murmured, unable to contain his inquisitive nature now that he was close to her again. Even in the dim interior, he could see the unusual swirl of gold in her irises.

Interest faintly infused her demeanor, and she replied softly with