My back stiffened. What in the hell was that supposed to mean?
“And perhaps I do have one decent bone in my body,” he added with a shrug.
I stared at him, and it took a moment for me to refocus on what was important, which wasn’t the quantity of decent bones. “The god that walked past… He couldn’t sense you?”
He shook his head. “No.”
This god had to be very powerful. I’d read that only the strongest could hide their presence from others—very much like a Primal. I had a feeling that my early suspicions were correct. He hadn’t only been seeking to hide me but also himself.
He started to turn from me. “You should go home.”
“Are you?” I retorted, annoyed by how quickly and easily he dismissed me.
He shot me an incredulous look. Mortals didn’t ask questions of the gods—especially impolitely. Tension crept into my muscles as I braced myself for anger or condemnation.
Instead, a slow grin tugged at his lips. Standing under the fractured rays of moonlight, I saw that the curve of his lips softened his features, almost warmed them. “No.”
He didn’t elaborate, and that was fine. I didn’t need to know. It was far past time for me to remove myself from this god’s presence before I became even more annoyed.
Or worse yet, did something else impulsive.
Besides, I had plans—ones that had changed from earlier.
“Well, this was…interesting.” I stepped around him and started for the entryway. I could practically feel his stare boring into my back. “Have a good night.”
“Are you going home?”
“No.”
“Where are you going?”
I didn’t answer. God or not, it was none of his business, and I wouldn’t linger just for him to attempt to send me home again. Still, it felt…odd walking away from him. It was strange how wrong it felt, and that wrongness made no sense. He was a god. I was a failed Maiden. He’d stopped me from doing something rash. We’d kissed out of necessity, and it had been pleasant. Okay. It had been more than that, and I feared I’d inevitably spend my life comparing every future kiss to this one, but none of that explained the bizarre feeling I had that I shouldn’t be walking away from him.
But I did.
I walked away from the god, leaving him in the shadowy tunnel, and I didn’t look back. Not once.
Chapter 3
Once clear of the tunnel and bathed in the light of the streetlamp, I yanked up my hood and forced myself to keep walking, even though the strange sensation of wrongness lingered. I really didn’t have the mental space to even begin understanding why I felt this way. As I hung a right, I figured that was something I could dwell on later while trying to fall asleep.
I drew in a deep breath. Nearing the edge of the townhome, I realized I no longer smelled of the White Horse or blood but of sweet pea and the god’s fresh, citrusy scent.
Swallowing a groan as the courtyard of the townhome came into view, I prepared myself in case they hadn’t taken the bodies. I allowed that veil of emptiness to return, for me to go to a place where nothing could scare me, could hurt me.
But in the pale shine of the moon, I saw that the courtyard was empty.
Skin pimpling, I passed through the open gateway and headed down the stone walkway, a patch of ground snagging my gaze. I stopped. The area where the mortal man had knelt was scorched as if a fire had been lit there. No blood. No clothing. Nothing but burnt grass.
“You going in there?”
I spun at the sound of the god’s voice, hand halting above the hilt of my dagger. “Gods,” I spat, heart racing as he stood there, the hood of his black, sleeveless tunic up, creating a shadow over his face. I hadn’t even heard him follow me.
“I apologize,” he said, slightly bowing his head. I saw then that he wore a silver band around his right biceps. “For startling you.”
My eyes narrowed. He didn’t sound sorry at all. To be honest, he sounded amused. That annoyed me, but what irritated me more was the soft leap I felt in my chest, followed by the buzz of warmth and rightness.
Maybe it was my near-empty stomach causing the sensation. That made more sense.
He strode forward, and again, his height struck me. It made me feel dainty, and I didn’t like that. His hooded head turned toward the area I’d been staring at. “When Cressa used the eather and it touched the ground, this is what happened,” he said, bending down to run his palm over the grass. Sooty ash darkened his hand as he looked up at the open doorway of the townhouse. “You were going inside.”
“I was.”
“Why?”
I folded my arms. “I wanted to see if I could find any reason for why they did that.”