Page 16 of A Kiss From Death (Oath of Vengeance #1)

T hree knocks echo from the other side of my door, and my heart sinks to my ass.

I’m not ready to face the brute involved in last night’s encounter.

I have no choice in the matter, though, so I straighten my spine, quickly puff my breath into my hand to make sure it smells okay, and throw on a face of indifference I’m far from feeling.

Storming over to my door, I fling it open.

“How was letting off steam last night? Any complaints?” I drag my eyes up a fluffier body than I expected.

My eyes land on a man with short gray hair, brown eyes, and light skin, his face covered in overgrown facial hair, sporting an infectious, warm smile.

Jeez, Nyxi. Can you embarrass yourself any more?

An aged chuckle draws me out of my thoughts, and I know I’m sporting blooming red cheeks…again. “So sorry…sir,” I tack on, trying to sound polite. “I thought you were someone else. My apologies.” I am seriously flustered right now .

“Now I must know what kind of steam you are referring to? Sounds intriguing,” he exclaims.

Empress save me .

“Oh, it’s nothing. Just a meaningless saying.” I shrug nonchalantly, hoping he gets bored and drops the subject. He winks at me but doesn’t push the subject any further. I internally thank him.

“And who might you be?” I ask with more accusation than I intended, already wound up so early in the day.

He shakes my hand. “Name’s Winston. I’m your new guard.” He splays his hand in the air, swiping it across his body, as if the words are right in front of him. “Protector of ‘just Nyxi’.”

“New guard?” My mind sputters, but then I remember the ‘mighty Cardinal’ was just a fill in and has better things to do with his time than, and I quote, ‘babysit’ me. Why does it still sting, though?

“Vanquisher Winston, at your service, ma’am.

” He salutes me with a smile, and his round belly jiggles a little from the movement.

He is every opposite to Hade. Where Hade is hard and uninviting, Winston is soft and welcoming.

Winston is the warmth to drown out Hade’s raging storm. He is also much, much older.

“I just didn’t know I was getting a new one so soon, is all. Sorry for the confusion.”

He smiles down at me. “Little lady, you better stop that nasty habit of apologizing about everything. There’s no need.”

“Sorry—Empress, sorry—uhhh. My lips are sealed from here on out, promise.” This introduction so far is going swimmingly…not.

“Ready to get going? You have a big day ahead of you, little lady. Oh, and I almost forgot. Do you have any idea why this was sitting on the ground outside your door?” He lifts his hand, and clutched inside his palm is none other than a fucking orange .

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” I slap my forehead and let out a long sigh. “Let me have it.” I snatch it from Winston .

“Oh, do you love oranges too? I’m a bit of an orange enthusiast myself. We should make a club and name it…” He pauses, scratching his head before his eyes light up. “Citrus Circus?—”

“No,” I cut him off. “This is just someone playing a cruel joke on me. Actually, here.” I shove the orange back in his hand. “You can have it, since you love them so much. It’s better off in your stomach than in my waste bin.”

When did the little shit even drop that off?

Did he spend the night out there, watching over me?

Wake up early to drop it off before his shift started?

No, that would require him thinking about me and having the time to spare for his schemes.

He probably sent someone to drop it off this morning as an afterthought to rile me up… right?

“Thanks, little lady.” Winston beams at me. “You’re a real peach, you know that?” He starts digging the nail of his thumb into the peel, stripping it of its outer layer. I’m exhausted just watching him do it.

“Well, shall we get going? I’m ready to draw some blood.” Winston and Des shoot concerned looks at my morbid statement. “Only kidding. Relax.”

I’m not kidding, not in the slightest. I have so much pent-up rage, I wouldn’t be surprised if instead of blood running through my veins supporting my life, it solely pumped rage and revenge. They have taken permanent residence in the core of my heart, and unfortunately, they are here to stay.

Winston links his arm in mine, pulling me into the hallway with him. Des yells good luck to me from my doorway as we strut down the corridor.

“Just so you know, I’m a Fib. Keep that in mind next time you try to lie to my face.” He winks at me with a devious smile.

My pulse kicks up a notch. “So you knew I was lying about the whole steam comment too?” He nods, and I feel my cheeks heat. “You Vanquishers and your nosy little magic.” I shove playfully into his side, and our laughs mingle off the walls of the corridor.

The rumors don’t even come close to painting an accurate depiction of Lunaria.

The air feels fresher up here compared to the rotting, stuffy scum we breathed down in Vagrant.

Everything, and I mean everything, is bright and bold, from the buildings, clothing, food, landscapes, and even people’s hair.

It looks like a rainbow threw up all over the place, but it also looks oddly cohesive.

Where buildings in Fallout were crumbling with sharp edges, in Lunaria, everything is sophisticated and round, a mixture of big, colorful domed roofs and pointed buildings littered throughout town.

Mixed in with houses are shops selling everything from extravagant clothing to mouthwatering treats while street performers showcase their magic for coin.

It’s magnificent, and I know Theo would be in a chokehold over it.

It’s chaotic and full of laughter and smiles.

There are people floating through the air in all directions.

A gust of wind blows my hair as a dash runs past me so fast, I can’t even track them.

To my left, a woman uses her magic to revive a dead flower until it grows taller than her.

There’s magic infused into every square inch of Lunaria, and I love it.

Sitting in the center of Lunaria is where the real show stopper sits: The Bubble . That is exactly where we’re headed, where my fate will play out.

It’s impossible to miss, since it soars into the sky, creating exactly what it’s called: a giant bubble. I guess the correct word for it would be magical force field .

A translucent dome hovering off the ground emits a blue light, trapping the arena inside. Right now, it sits empty inside, but with the help of magic, it transforms into any nightmare the Empress can conjure in that nasty head of hers.

Residents of Lunaria are able to watch from the outside during the Crucible if they please, or they can watch the giant projection an Illuminist casts in the sky after each round of the game.

The Empress also stations an Illuminist in each sector after each round to cast a replay of the games and gore.

Families would gather in the heart of Misery’s Crossing with snacks from vendors to feast their eyes on the mayhem projected for their entertainment.

I never had the urge to watch people toyed with by the devil, so on those nights, Theo and I would slip away to Luna Lake and enjoy its vacancy together.

Harsh sunlight streams down, reflecting off the Bubble, making it glow. I have to shield my eyes to take in the entirety of the monstrosity in front of me.

Not only does the Crucible take place in the Bubble, but we will also train and have our evaluation there too.

Not that training for a single week will do much for our game play, but the Empress likes to consider it a generous offer.

I think she just likes to turn up the tension until we are ready to slit each other’s throats with just a look.

The Bubble grows as we approach it until I have to crane my neck to take it all in.

“You have any strategies brewing in that pretty head of yours yet, little lady?”

“You think I would spill all my secrets to an orange enthusiast? You’re sorely mistaken, Vanquisher.”

He winks at me, and it melts my heart a little. “Right answer. Don’t trust any of those fools in there, Nyxi. My bet’s on you.”

“You’re just saying that because you’re tasked to watch over me.”

He smirks at me. “Good thing I’m the Fib and you aren’t, so you’ ll never know.”

I know what Winstons’ doing. His attempt to get my mind off my looming future helps a bit as I banter playfully with him. I don’t miss the way he zones in on my slightly shaking hands clasped behind my back, or the way my steps have slowed a fraction as we approach the Bubble.

He turns to face me and grabs both my shoulders.

“I know we just met, kid, but being a Fib means I can read people, and what I see radiating off you is pain.

Even more than that, though, is strength .

Give ‘em hell out there and stay true to yourself. You remind me of my late daughter, and I would like to think she sent you to me as a gift to watch over, as a reminder of her.”

Yet another person with a void where their heart should sit. It’s comforting to know others understand the waring feelings raging inside me.

I nod once. “I won’t let you down.”

I see the way he’s looking at me, like he knows this promise is not only just for him, but for another, someone who is more important to me than everything .

Tucking another promise in my back pocket, I flash Winston a feline smile as rage slowly takes over my body again.

I’m ready to show the world exactly who Nyxi is.

That is the sole thought running through my head as Winston presses his hand to the Bubble, the space in front of us opening, an invitation to the start of my revenge.