Page 16 of Damned and Broken Gods (Labyrinth of Gods #2)

The carriage jolted, and I gripped Araz’s hand harder. The world beyond my eyelids dimmed, and I cracked them open. We were on a path bordered by silver-barked trees now.

“The guest house is just ahead,” Erabi said.

“It’s one of the smaller ones, as the others have already been commandeered by the members of the Authority in preparation for the Sabha.

Chandra was not pleased about that, I can tell you.

But I’ve made sure it’s clean and comfortable for you both.

You’ll get a good night’s sleep, I’m sure.

It’s a busy day tomorrow. We’ll have to prepare you for the banquet, and then we have the Sabha the morning after?—”

“Wait, what? I thought the Sabha was tomorrow.”

“Oh, no, dear. It most definitely is the day after.”

“So why am I here now?”

She waved a hand, lightly dismissing my question. “Chandra will explain it all tomorrow morning, I’m sure.”

The carriage ground to a halt before I could press her further.

“Ah, here we go.” Erabi slid across her seat, pushed open the door, and hopped out. Her feet hit the ground, and her shawl came loose, floating out behind her and spreading out into beautiful emerald gossamer wings.

“Oh…” I climbed out after her, my breath catching. “I’ve never seen an Asura with wings like that.” She looked over her shoulder, her eyes twinkling, a mischievous smile on her lips.

“I’m not an Asura, silly.” Her wings fluttered like a hummingbird, lifting her off her feet and carrying her down the path toward the two-story building with a flat roof and wraparound porch.

I followed her inside, questions hovering on my lips then dying at the sight of the breathtaking interior to our temporary residence.

Cream marble floors laced with a gold pattern stretched out in an open-plan design, the kitchen counters were black stone, and the back wall was all window looking into the night.

A table for six made of the same black stone as the counter sat behind soft sofas that invited me to kick off my shoes and lie down. The house dripped with opulence.

“I’ll be back tomorrow with Chandra,” Erabi said. “The kitchen is stocked with food if you’re hungry. Sleep well.”

She fluttered out of the door, and Araz closed it behind her.

I waited for him to turn back to me before asking, “What is she?”

“She’s a pari,” he said.

“The almost extinct race?”

“Yes. You’ll find many of their kind here, in the Shahee Kshetra. Companions, servers, entertainers…They serve many roles.”

I wandered over to the floor-to-ceiling window, my breath catching again at the view. The city was laid out below us, peeking out from fingers of mist, a feast for my weary eyes. We must be sitting on a ledge, a cliff, or some kind of overhang to have this view.

“We should get some rest,” Araz said. “From what Erabi says, it’ll be a long day tomorrow.”

I nodded, following him up the stairs and onto a passage that had two rooms coming off it.

One was a washroom and the other a bedroom with a floor-to-ceiling window looking out at the stars and thick velvet drapes hanging open to let in the night.

There was a dark wood armoire, squat and fat, standing on ornate feet, a chaise longue, and…

One bed.

I choked back a laugh.

“I can sleep on the floor,” Araz said.

“No. We’ve shared a bed before. Let’s not make a big deal out of it tonight.” I kicked off my shoes, stifling a yawn. “Let’s just get ready for sleep.”

I grabbed my bag and headed to the bathroom. “I’ll change in the washroom.”

I used the facilities, brushed my teeth, and changed into my sleep shorts and undershirt before padding back to the bedroom, pack dangling from my fingers.

Araz stood at the windows, his back to me. He’d changed into the loose pants that were his equivalent of PJs, but his top half was bare, a tempting expanse of golden-brown skin waiting to be explored.

But not by me.

Na-huh.

I was not going there.

This heart would remain intact.

“There are so many of them,” he said softly. “I didn’t realize how many…Truly.”

I joined him by the glass, our hazy reflections looking back at us. “Asura?”

He sighed, a weary, aching sigh that made me want to wrap my arms around him and offer comfort.

“You came here before, though, right?”

His body tensed, muscles tightening beneath velvet skin. “It was a long time ago.”

He turned to the room and crossed to the bed, leaving me standing alone in the moonlight.

“I get it. You don’t want to talk about it. I’m not going to push.”

He climbed into bed and lay on his back, staring at the ceiling. “Come to bed, Leela.”

My stomach dipped, a delicious lurch of anticipation that I studiously ignored.

The bed was soft, making it impossible for our bodies not to connect as we rolled toward each other, cradled in whatever feathery down was stuffed into the mattress.

His skin touched mine, pressing against me, hot, taut, and fragrant with the bite of cranberries—tart, dark, and mouthwatering.

His chest vibrated on a sigh, and he shifted position, raising his arm to invite me to use it as a pillow, to tuck my body against his and curl into his heat.

It was natural.

It was home.

And I instantly relaxed, recognizing this as a haven.

How many more nights did we have left together?

I didn’t want to think about it. Not now. Not here.

Tonight, I’d allow myself to savor this closeness.

Tomorrow was an unknown that I’d face with the dawn.