Serpent's Touch (Serpent's Touch 1)

“I know, I know,” I stopped him, desperately trying to convince him. “We can get a house big enough for two. You’ll tell me goodnight stories. And I’ll cook for you the wettest, moistest meals possible. Soups! I’ll make the best soups ever for you.”

I’d refused Radax’s idea of protecting me outside of the menagerie because I knew that as a brack, he couldn’t defy Madame. She would’ve found and killed us both.

But with Kyllen… She had no control over him. Maybe we had a chance? Only we needed to stay together. I didn’t want to be alone, no matter how wonderful or safe a house we’d find. I didn’t wish to part from him.

He slid his hands up my arms. “This world is not for me, Amira. I’ll never feel happy here. I can’t even get comfortable enough in it.”

“Well, this is England. Some say it’s one of the gloomiest parts of our world. And it’s end of January, the coldest time of the year. But there are other places. Warmer, sunnier… We can live on the ocean somewhere, where it’s more humid, too.”

He shook his head, and I fisted my hands, fighting tears that threatened to overcome me. My head bowed, I stared at his chest, wishing I could look straight into his eyes. I would give anything just to be able to see his face.

“In this world,” he said somberly. “I would never be able to take this hood off without risking killing innocent people. Don’t you understand, Amira? I may no longer be locked in a crate, but I can never be truly free here.”

The desire to be free, I understood way too well. He was right. If he stayed here, he’d be forced to spend his days wearing the hood. Going through life by peeking at the world from under it, constantly afraid of inadvertently killing people, hiding from them as a result—I couldn’t force this life on him.

“Then take me with you,” I breathed out. “Like you said you would.”

His shoulders dropped.

“That was what I fully intended to do. But it’d be selfish of me. I can see it now. I don’t know where I’d be taking you, Amira. Depending on when I’ll end up landing, I may have no home, no place to stay, and no means to live.”

“How would you survive, then?”

“I’m a gorgonian. Lorsan is my home. I’m also young, strong, and have some useful skills. No matter what, I’ll find a way to make a living. I’m good with a sword and can become a mercenary. With the twenty-four self-centered High Lords in the Kingdom, there’s always a conflict going on somewhere. I can join an army and wrap my name in glory, like I dreamed when I was a little boy.”

Smile returned to his lips. His voice flowed, smooth and comforting, just as when he had been telling me one of his stories. Only this one could be real one day.

“I have skills too.” I lifted my chin. That was true. I didn’t spend my twenty-somewhat years for nothing. I’d learned quite a bit in my life. “I can cook, clean, take care of animals. I can drive… Well, you have no cars in Nerifir.”

He curled his lip, directing a wave of a hand at the window facing the street. “Those smelly things? No, thank all gods, we don’t have cars. Why would we turn our beautiful Wetlands into the hideous gray-stone nightmare that is this world?”

“Right. Well, but I also sew fairly well and can style hair beautifully. I’ve been serving a goddess all my life. I could certainly take care of a High Lady or a princess, or whoever else you happen to have in Lorsan. And…” I tilted my head for emphasis. “You know, I’ll be able to deal with the moodiest, most temperamental women your world may have.”

“I don’t doubt you would,” he said with a faint smile. There was pride in his voice, which made me feel warm all over. “You have enough grace and patience to rule a kingdom, my sweet pea. But what if I have to leave you for months, maybe even years, to go to whatever war the king decides to wage?”

“Then I’ll be waiting for you. And I’ll make sure I have the best soup ever ready for when you come back.”

He kept silent, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.

Plucking at the soft material of his tunic over his chest, I twisted it in my fingers, worrying I failed to convince him, that he might be searching in his mind for the best way to leave me behind after all.

I had to try harder.

“You may end up in a time when no one knows you yet, Kyllen, or when no one remembers you anymore. You may be left completely alone in your own world. But if you take me with you, you’ll always have a friend—someone who knows your story and shares some of your history. Because we have gone through things together, things that have brought us closer, haven’t they?”

“Oh, my sweet Amira.” He slid his hands up my arms again. “It’s the noble part of me that’s trying so hard to do the right thing and save you the uncertainty I’ll be facing in Nerifir. The selfish and admittedly much larger part of me has long since decided to keep you. I like having you around, and I’m not used to denying myself what I enjoy.”

I perked up with relief. “So, you want me to come along?”

“Is that what you want?” he asked slowly, adding weight to his question.

I might not always be sure about things in life, but I was certain about this one. “Yes.”

“Chances are you’d be the only human in the whole of Lorsan,” he warned.

That didn’t bother me. Even with other humans around, I’d always felt the odd one out. “Not much different from menagerie then, is it? I was the only human there, too.”

He remained serious. “Do you have any questions about the world of Lorsan? Is there anything you want to know?”

My mind was reeling from convincing him. I couldn’t gather my thoughts to come up with questions yet.

“You’ve told me so much about Lorsan. Sometimes I feel like I’ve been there already.”

“Well, it’s nice, warm, and humid, unlike this world.” He scoffed with a shudder.

Weather was the least of my concerns.