Page 27 of A City of Hearts and Feathers (The Order of Anubis #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

B y late afternoon, Zoe was sure that Kerem was going out of his way to not leave her alone with Kahil for a moment. When the time came for them to leave to see Lydia, she still hadn't kissed Kahil once and was starting to feel the after-hook-up awkwardness.

At least Zoe didn't have to worry about dressing in fancy club attire for this meeting. She wore a casual sundress and left her hair in a braid.

This time around, the Order was taking no chances. Arslan arrived driving a black Mercedes and insisted on being their driver for the evening.

"You guys are starting to make me more nervous," Zoe complained when he got out to open the door for her.

Arslan only smiled. "Lydia has been too forceful with you, little one. She won't be game enough to do anything too rash if I am there. She's not that stupid."

"No one is going to believe that you are a driver," Zoe said. He was wearing a neat black suit with a golden tie pin of Anubis's head.

"They don't have to. I'm driving because Kahil behind the wheel terrifies me," Arslan said and opened the back door for her. "My heart is too old to deal with the strain."

"My driving is excellent, thank you very much." Kahil climbed into the back beside Zoe, and her pulse went erratic. She had worried that he would sit in the front to talk to Arslan. He brushed his fingers along her forearm. "Are you okay?"

"No. I've been dying to kiss you all day, and they won't let me do it," she complained.

Kahil leaned back in his seat and laughed softly. "Save the kissing for later. If you kiss me now, I'll be inclined to tell everyone to go fuck themselves, and I'll end up starting a war."

Zoe fidgeted, zipping the pendant around her neck on its chain. " So you don't regret anything that happened last night?" It was awkward, but she had to ask. They hadn't had a chance to have the morning after conversation.

"The only thing I regret is having to deal with this bullshit with Lydia instead of making myself comfortable between your thighs right now," Kahil replied. His ringed fingers slid over hers, and she turned her palm so that she could hold his hand.

"Good to know that we're on the same page. Because I would really like to—" Zoe's words were cut off as Arslan got into the front seat and turned the car on.

Kahil leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Hold that thought. I want to hear all about it when we get home." He took the opportunity to press a small kiss behind her ear, and her fingers tightened around his.

"Cut it out, you two," Arslan said as they pulled into traffic.

"Keep your eyes on the road, old man," Kahil clapped back.

Zoe tried to focus on the city and the change in landscape as they drove. Lydia lived on a private estate just outside of Sariyer. It backed onto the Belgrade Forest, and it screamed wealth and privilege. There were security guards at the entrance, both armed and serious looking.

Kahil snorted when he saw them. "Look at these fucking amateurs."

"Play nice. We aren't here to start any fights with their inferior security guards," Arslan chided him softly. He lowered the car window and said, "Zoe Kartal, here to see Lydia at her request."

"Go on through to the temple entrance. They're waiting for you," the guard replied, pressing a button on the fence to open the gates for them.

Arslan put his window back up before looking at Kahil in the rear-view mirror.

"I wasn't going to come with you, merely be on the property as back-up, but if she wants to meet Zoe in the temple, I'm not going to risk leaving either of you alone."

"Why? What is wrong with the temple?" Zoe asked, looking at Kahil.

"Too few exits. You'll see what we mean," he replied. He ran his thumb over the back of the hand a few times, but Zoe wasn't sure if it was to reassure her or himself.

The driveway was a paved brick stone, and on either side were trees and verdant gardens. It was like they had driven into an old-growth forest, and Zoe found it a little disorientating after spending so much time in the city. They drove past another road that Kahil said went to the mansion, but they kept going further into the forest.

"Is it me or is there something weird about this place?" Zoe asked, staring at the looming trees.

"In what way?" Arslan replied.

"I don't know if I can explain it properly, but it's like it doesn't feel real."

Arslan winked at her in the rear-view mirror. "Not just a pretty face, are you? What you are feeling is Lydia's magic. These grounds were cultivated unnaturally fast using earth magic. Everything is real, but it doesn't feel aged like a real forest would."

"Lydia is all about her aesthetic," Kahil said with a roll of his eyes.

The trees thinned to reveal a parking lot, and they pulled up beside a shiny red Lamborghini. Zoe got out carefully, slightly paranoid that she would accidentally bump against the gorgeous car.

The sun was setting as they followed a torch lined path through the trees. Zoe was suddenly very glad to have Kahil on one side of her and Arslan on the other. The sense of magic that she had been feeling since they entered the estate now grew even stronger.

A group of women waited at the front of an entrance into a cave. There was a torch on either side of it, and it was strewn with flowers. The pretty decorations did nothing to hide the ominous feeling Zoe got when she looked at the black gash in the rock.

"What kind of priestess did you say Lydia was?" she asked. She suddenly wanted to take Kahil's hand and get the fuck out of there.

"She serves Kybele, an ancient Anatolian goddess. Some have likened her to the Greek Rhea, and in Rome she was called the Magna Mata, the great mother," Arslan explained.

A priestess came forward. "She was ancient, child, before the Greeks and the Romans ever came to this place. The high priestess honors you tonight to let you even enter such a sacred place. She's waiting for you inside. The lions will guide you."

"Lions?" Zoe squeaked out. Golden eyes glowed in the dark entranceway, and a lioness appeared. Zoe had never seen one so close before, and she backed up into Kahil. He placed a warm hand on her back.

"Don't worry. They are well trained and won't hurt you," he said softly.

"I will go first," Arslan added quickly and stepped in front of Zoe. The priestesses had smiles on their faces that Zoe didn't like. She knew intimidation when she saw it, but she had seen Kahil fight, so she tried not to let it bother her. She had thought the idea of bodyguards extreme, but now she felt relieved to have people on her side.

"I'm right behind you, balim ," Kahil whispered in her ear, his breath warm on the back of her neck.

Zoe followed Arslan into the darkness of the cave. She thought it was going to smell damp and earthy. Instead, the air was warm and heavy with incense. Zoe hoped she wasn't breathing in anything that would make her hallucinate. With the way things had been going with enchanted songs and poisoned wine, it wouldn't be a shock to her that Lydia would try to get her high.

Zoe felt a large body bump against her leg, and as her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she saw they were surrounded by lionesses. She dared to let her hand brush against the silvery fur of the one beside her. It sent a thrill of danger and awe through her. Did her father ever make this strange journey through the darkness? She couldn't remember seeing Lydia's name in his organizer unlike his weekly catch-up with Akamos. She didn't know what that said about Oman. If he was dark, Arslan wouldn't have offered him a position in the Order. Zoe didn't want to think too hard about it.

It wasn't lost on her that Akamos had surrounded himself with as much light as possible while Lydia chose to have her temple deep in the dark earth. Zoe didn't know what to make of any of it. Kahil had told her that it was easier to go with the tide, and she was starting to understand why. She could go crazy asking questions and second-guessing everything.

The narrow pathway opened to a main cavern, and Zoe bit back a gasp. There were other cave passages leading into the unknown. Some of the doorways were filled with priestesses looking down at her; others were pitch black. They reminded Zoe of the photos she had seen about the underground cities in Cappadocia.

On the furthest wall was a colossal marble statue of a woman sitting on a throne. She had a thick body of a mature mother, with large breasts and hips. In her lap was an overflowing cornucopia of flowers, fruit, and grains. At her feet sat a lion and sphinx, as well as offerings of fruit, flowers, grains, and wine.

A woman stood in front of the statue, and the only word that sprang to Zoe's mind was voluptuous. It had to be Lydia. She was statuesque, heavily curved, with her long dark hair threaded with a crown of golden flowers.

"Zoe Kartal, it is an honor to finally meet you," Lydia said and stepped towards them. She could have been aged between thirty and fifty. Her face had a soft, ageless appearance that didn't match her dark eyes. "Arslan! I didn't expect to see you tonight. My sources claimed that only your favorite dog was watching Zoe."

Arslan stepped forward and kissed Lydia's hand. "High Priestess, it has been so long since I had the honor of standing in your presence. I didn't want to miss the opportunity."

Lydia chuckled softly. "You old charmer." The priestess didn't bother to say hello to Kahil which irked Zoe to no end. He didn't need her defending him. Kahil had made it clear enough that he didn't give two shits about what Lydia and her followers thought of him.

"Step forward, girl, and let me have a look at you," Lydia said and beckoned to her.

Zoe forced herself to smile and walked up to her. "Hello."

"You are quite pretty, aren't you?" Lydia said, studying Zoe's face intently.

"Ah, thanks? I don't see why that matters."

"Take the compliment, child. For some reason I imagined you would take more after Oman with his nose or brows. You look like your mother. Definitely got her hair and thick build," Lydia said, laughing prettily again.

Zoe started to realize exactly what Azize had meant by Lydia being the worst. She was the kind of person who was always so nice to everyone and was ready to give people advice on how they could better themselves. Whether they wanted it or not. It wasn't said maliciously. Never that. Her criticism would be for Zoe's own good.

"Is there a reason you wanted to see me?" Zoe asked, moving away from her and back to Kahil.

Lydia smiled, and it was warm as sunshine. "I wanted to ask you about the Sais Codex of course. The whole of Istanbul is still in such a flutter over it. I don't want there to be any conflict over a trinket like that. I would pay you whatever you wished for it."

"It's not about money," Zoe said, crossing her arms. She didn't want this woman looking at her anymore. She creeped her out on a deeply visceral level. It was like she looked inside someone and started to calculate all the ways to make them better . Or her version of it anyway. "What would you do with it if you had it?"

"Why, keep it out of the hands of the evil ones of course! Those that would use the magic in it to create armies."

"And you wouldn't?"

Lydia shook her head. "I would never . This country had so much bloodshed and violence over the centuries. If I had the codex, I would only use it to do good, like heal people who deserve it. To make them better people in every way."

People who deserve it . Zoe forced her jaw to unlock. "And you would be the one to make that decision, would you?"

"Of course. I'm the leader of the light, Zoe. Who would be better qualified than me?" Lydia said, reaching for her again. Kahil was suddenly beside Zoe, knocking Lydia's hand away.

"No touching what doesn't belong to you," he said sternly.

"Get out of my way, dog. This conversation doesn't concern you," Lydia replied, her tone turning imperious.

Arslan cleared his throat. "Actually, Lydia, I apologize, but Kahil is right. It is stipulated in the contract that no one is allowed to physically or magically touch our client. Rules are rules, you understand."

The venom in Lydia's eyes vanished instantly. "Of course, Arslan. I didn't realize."

Zoe had read her contract, and there was no such rule. Arslan was being more diplomatic than Kahil, but neither wanted this woman anywhere near her. She was going to hug the crap out of both of them when they got out of there.

"I'm sorry, Lydia, but the codex will be sold at an auction, as per my father's wishes. I look forward to seeing you there," Zoe said, wanting very much to leave the creepy, dark caves.

Lydia raised a perfect brow. "You're dismissing me, child? Bold of you. We are not done yet."

"What else could you possibly want from me?" Zoe asked.

"The sphinx wants to see you."

Zoe frowned. "An actual sphinx?"

"Of course. Your family are soothsayers, are they not? All of the oracles in Istanbul must present themselves to the sphinx."

Zoe looked to Arslan and Kahil for help. "But I don't have soothsayer abilities like my other family members. I restore books."

"It won't take long then," Lydia said, smiling with too many teeth. "This way."

Arslan gave Zoe a slight nod, and they followed Lydia through a tunnel to the right of the statue of Kybele. They went down even further into the cave city, and Zoe's skin started to crawl. She hadn't thought she had a problem with caves or tight spaces until then.

Zoe focused on her breathing, which meant smelling Lydia's cloyingly sweet violet perfume. She should have stayed in bed with Kahil. She reached a hand behind her, and his fingers brushed against hers. The touch calmed her racing heartbeat. Kahil and Arslan wouldn't let her be stuck down there with the horrible woman.

"This is where I leave you. I look forward to receiving your invitation for the auction shortly," Lydia said, stopping in front of a wooden door.

Zoe hoped her smile didn't look as forced as it felt. "I'll get it in the mail straight away."

"Pleasure to see you again, Arslan," Lydia purred in his direction. Once again, she ignored Kahil completely and walked back into the darkness.

Zoe opened her mouth, but Kahil rested his hand over it. He shook his head and gestured to his ear and the walls.

Walls have ears , Zoe figured out.

"Do we just go in?" she asked instead.

"I believe so," Arslan replied and opened the door for her. "It's not locked."

Inside was a chamber filled with colored glass lanterns to guide their way. Zoe followed Arslan until they came to a large fire burning in a black brazier. There was movement in a wide, dark hallway, and Zoe bit back a gasp at the beautiful face that appeared. It looked like it was carved from pale ivory, its eyes and lips painted gold. The creature stepped into the light on golden cat's paws, its ivory wings tucked tightly behind its back.

"A Kartal," the sphinx said, its voice feminine but deep.

Zoe didn't know what to do, so she bowed. It felt right. Lydia might have been the leader of the light in the city, but the sphinx radiated power. It was a true queen.

"Come to me, daughter of Oman," it said, and Zoe stepped closer. The inhumanely beautiful face leaned down to investigate her face. "You have your grandmother's eyes. Do you have her power?"

"No? I'm like my father. I run the bookstore. I will be running it, I mean," Zoe babbled.

The sphinx cooed, almost like a bird. "Give me a drop of your blood, and I will tell you everything that's in it."

"Ah, I'm not sure—" She looked to Arslan for help, but the sphinx's wings snapped in irritation.

"Don't look to others to make your decisions, daughter. You will never learn to trust yourself otherwise," it said with a hiss.

Zoe took a deep breath and undid the band-aid on her finger where her cut was still fresh. She squeezed it until it re-opened, and a drop of blood welled. She offered it to the sphinx, hoping she wasn't about to make a terrible mistake. The sphinx's rough, cat tongue lapped against the cut.

"Hmmm, bibliomancy perhaps," it said thoughtfully. "With some training you might cultivate some abilities if you desire it." Zoe let out a breath, and the sphinx laughed. "You don't want magic, daughter?"

"To be honest, I'm having enough trouble dealing with one codex, let alone finding out I can do magic," she replied honestly.

"Wise too. I can see why Aurelio likes you so much. You will be a good consort for him." The sphinx leveled its silver eyes on her. "Let me leave you with a warning, daughter. There are those around you that are not what they seem, and you must follow your own instincts when it comes to the codex. Trust yourself over others always. The wisdom you seek lies within you already. You have everything you need to make this right."

Zoe swallowed hard. " Gnothi Seauton? "

"Indeed," the sphinx said. She plucked a feather from her wing and offered it to Zoe. "Take this. It will give you safe passage out of the tunnels. Do not go back to the main temple. The priestess is waiting to imprison you and hold you to ransom until you give her what she wants."

"What? I thought Lydia was meant to be the leader of the light," Zoe said, accepting the feather. It was heavier than it looked, as long as her forearm and edged in gold.

"Lydia remains a light soul because others will dirty their own for her. She doesn't have to think the order before her followers are enacting it. They are angry that you have refused to give them the codex and want to make you suffer for it," the sphinx said.

"Why are you helping me?" Zoe asked.

"Lydia might have made herself at home in these caves, but they have been mine for much longer. You are one of my daughters, not hers. That is why I protect you," the sphinx replied.

"Thank you," Zoe said, tears in her throat for reasons she couldn't understand. The sphinx shifted, its lion tail gesturing to the tunnel behind it.

"Follow this passage. It will lead you into the forest. Be careful, dearest daughter. Keep your beloved warriors close to you," the sphinx instructed.

Zoe bowed low again. "I will and thank you again."

Arslan went into the tunnel first, and Zoe followed him. She clung onto the feather, not knowing what power it had. She held Kahil's other hand, no longer caring about appearances.

"I can smell the green of the forest," Kahil said, lifting his nose. "We are almost there."

The tunnel opened out into the night, and Zoe had never been so happy to see the moon above her. She gulped in the clear air, trying to get the smell of incense and violets out of her nose.

"Stay still," Arslan said, and a lion slunk onto their path. It closed in on Zoe, but she held the sphinx feather out to it. It shied away like she had smacked it on the muzzle before it let out a whimpering mew.

"That's the protection," Kahil chuckled.

Zoe gripped onto the feather tight, and they trekked through the trees. She couldn't see much by moonlight, but it didn't seem to bother Arslan or Kahil.

They reached the parking lot, and Zoe all but leaped into the back seat and locked the door. Kahil's smile was vicious in the darkness as he ran his rings over the Lamborghini's perfect paint job, leaving long white scratches.

"Put your seat belts on. I might have to run some people over to get out of here," Arslan said and turned the car on.

No headlights followed them through the forest, but when they reached the gates, a line of guards waited for them. Their eyes sheened unnaturally in the light.

"Lion shifters," Arslan warned them before he fixed a smile on his face and cracked his window. "Good evening. We would like to leave now."

"We have been instructed otherwise."

Zoe dropped her own window and showed them the feather. "We have?—"

"Open the gates," the shifter ordered, and the blockade of guards moved like magic.

"It would seem that the lions aren't as loyal to the High Priestess as she might believe," Kahil said with a soft laugh.

"And thank Anubis for that," Arslan replied. He waited until they hit the main road before he floored it.

Kahil put an arm around Zoe, pulling her close. She pressed her nose to his neck and breathed him in. The last of the cloying scent of the caves disappeared, replaced by his warmth.

"Let's never go there again," she said, slipping a hand under his shirt to rest against his soft skin. She wanted to go home, get into his clothes, and forget all about the codex for the night.

Kahil pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I promise."