Things That Should Stay Buried - Casey L. Bond Page 0,32

and muscled enough to hold her upright. She slithered closer.

I couldn’t understand what she said to him or what he said in return, but I felt his reaction to her. Disgust and rage warred within him.

The woman was either oblivious or didn’t care that she repulsed him.

He cringed as she raised her hand and brushed her fingertips down the length of his horn. He tore away from her and walked away, anger fueling his steps.

The scene was suddenly gone, taking the warmth of his hands and breath with it.

“What happened?” I croaked.

Aries stood on the other side of the balcony, composing himself, almost panting. He didn’t react like that after Kes gave him all his lifetimes’ memories. What was wrong?

“Who was that woman?” I asked, although I assumed the serpent woman was a Zodia. My balance suddenly felt off and I staggered toward him.

He flicked his pink eyes toward me, a warning in their depths. “She is Libra.”

I froze. “That was Libra? Not a woman holding scales… but a scaled woman,” I breathed. My stomach plummeted with the realization. “Oh my God, my mom is in her territory! Kes could be there, too. What if she caught him snooping around? I need to get Mom away from her and get Kes back. Is there anything you can do?”

Aries shook his head, running a hand down his dark tunic. “I cannot make demands of her. She is my equal. And even if there was something she would ask for in exchange, it’s too great a price to pay.”

“What would she ask for?” I didn’t know if the Zodia valued money or land or people.

His pale pink eyes fastened on mine. “She would want you, Larken. Now that I am pledged to you, you are everything.”

I shook my head disbelievingly. “That’s crazy! You don’t even know me. It was a silly promise you made my brother, to protect me from having to go with Taurus. It doesn’t mean I’m important to you or to this world.”

He inched closer. “Only one other Zodia has pledged themselves to another. It almost killed her.”

I shifted uncomfortably. “Who?”

“Virgo,” he croaked, suddenly in front of me. He brushed a knuckle down a strand of my hair, staring at it instead of me. “She fell in love with a mortal and pledged her life to him. The bond somehow strengthened her, and she became more powerful for it. The Zodia learned of her advantage and tore her mortal lover to pieces. Virgo was never the same, and never as strong.”

His words sank in, causing my stomach to drop. I’m going to be torn to pieces, aren’t I? What had Kes done? I grasped at straws. “But you don’t love me! We aren’t in love, so it’s different. It’s different, right? Love strengthened them; not the pledge alone.”

“I will protect you,” he vowed, lifting my chin so I faced him. Oh no. It was the pledge.

“The way Virgo protected the one she loved?” I challenged. He pressed his lips into a tight, thin line. “Did Kes know?”

“Yes,” he answered.

“Did you help kill her lover?” I asked, fearing the answer he might give.

“No,” he whispered, his dark brows knitting.

“Why not?”

“Because I didn’t care how much power she had as long as she didn’t use it against me or my people. And she hadn’t taken action against me or them yet.”

I swallowed, unable to look at him anymore. I kept picturing Virgo’s lover drawn and quartered, the parts scattered among the territories. I could almost see blood spilling from Libra’s mouth, crimson on snow-white scales.

Aries’s attention melted away and he stared off into the distance, his body going deceptively still. I was about to reach out and shake him when he finally moved and fastened his pink eyes on mine. Was he about to decapitate someone else?

“Larken, your mother is safe. Libra likely doesn’t know about her existence at all. I believe that she will be safe in Libra’s territory. She’ll live among the people and begin anew, like everyone else. But that isn’t true for Kes, and right now, he is in distress. He is not dying, but he is frightened. I can bring him back here, but I want your permission to do so.”

My brows shot up. “My permission? Bring him home! If he’s scared, there’s a reason. I don’t want to lose him.”

Aries gave a single nod and closed his eyes, muttering something under his breath.

A moment later, Kes appeared on the balcony, panting and clutching his side.