Page 30 of In Death’s Hands (The Threads of Fate #1)

“Turtle!” I yell, the squeal I repressed earlier returning with a vengeance and getting free. I let go of my sweater, which I was removing, and can’t be bothered by anything other than, Turtle! There’s a turtle swimming right in front of me!

I feel an arm grabbing me by the middle, and only then do I glance back. Nathan looks heavenly in the paradise’s light. His features are undecided between amusement and annoyance; I can tell because although his eyes are still narrowed, the corners of his lips are fighting gravity.

I only understand why he grabbed me when I look back at the turtle, its head still floating slightly above the water. I almost stepped on a very jagged rock. Oh well… Turtle!

My head swipes back on its own at the sound of Nathan’s laugh.

I think I said “turtle” out loud again. I’m still flush against him, his grip like steel.

And though I usually hate feeling captive and stuck, I’m perfectly content to be held by him.

I find his eyes, already focused on me, and my breathing turns shallow.

Under the bright sky, there are specks of gold in his pupils. It’s gorgeous.

My gaze drops to his mouth and my thoughts turn to that dark corner where our desires came alive.

To the way he held on to me. But he hasn’t mentioned our wild kiss since it happened.

I can only assume he regrets it. That it was done in a moment of extreme vulnerability and he’d rather put it behind us.

Fine, I can understand that. After all, how many times have I sought comfort in the arms of strangers when loneliness was digging its sharp claws into me?

It hurts though, his rejection. Because I’ve felt more alive this past week with Death’s assistant at my side than I have in the last decade.

Nathan clears his throat, and I feel his body stiffen against me. He looks at the ground before gently putting me back down on the sand.

“So… you like turtles,” he says, blushing slightly.

“Sea turtles, yes. They just look so peaceful when they swim, but I’ve never seen one in person before.”

“Then I’m glad we came.”

My heart jumps in my chest at his earnest expression.

He clearly doesn’t want to be here. The careful looks he keeps throwing around and the scowl on his face every time he glares at the sun are clear enough.

But I can’t help but believe him when he looks at me like this.

Like he’d endure everything ten times over just to see me smile.

And when I say endure everything, I mean endure the terrible, menacing beauty that is Maui.

He’d said “hot island” when I questioned him right before Fading, which could describe a great many places on Earth.

But looking around at the clear blue ocean, the tall mountain peak and the many, many tourists sporting “I love Maui” beach towels and shorts is a big giveaway as to where, exactly, Death’s assistant has brought us.

I observe all the faces around us and wonder why no one is gawking at us.

I mean, it’s not every day people just appear out of thin air in front of you, right?

Nathan answers my unasked question. “When we Fade, your human consciousness fills in the blanks. It’s amazing what people’s minds can create simply to avoid any sort of confusion or questioning. ”

I don’t really like how he puts us all in this blessedly ignorant group, but even I can’t deny that a lot of people prefer ignorance over uncomfortable truths.

“So why Maui?” I ask, trying to get back on track.

“Because you said we need help.”

I nod. “And?”

“And this is where we can find Thalnus and his court.” He starts walking away from the shore, his long legs having no trouble on the ever-moving sand.

I look back at the water longingly before following him. “You think they’ll agree to help us?”

It’s been such a strange, long day. Or night, rather. I can’t believe just a few hours ago I was facing the leader of the gods, and now I’m in Hawaii. I honestly don’t know what’s more unbelievable.

I know they said they don’t really need to sleep or eat or…

Yeah, not going there. But don’t they need rest?

I know I’m the one who pushed to come right away, but as I’m panting and struggling to simply walk on the beach, I’m starting to regret it.

As if my body realises how tired I am at the same time I do, I lose my balance and find myself suddenly eating sand. Great.

Nathan is far ahead of me and doesn’t seem to notice I’ve fallen behind.

I don’t know if I’m relieved or offended.

I get up and keep going, and by the time I reach him, the whole beach is sticking to my sweaty skin.

I’m breathing hard and I want to smack the cool and collected look off his stupid face.

I am from London; I was not built to take so much heat!

His eyebrows shoot up in surprise when he sees me, but before he can say anything, I huff and puff and walk past him.

I don’t care if I don’t know where I’m going, I’m going! Almost on their own, my legs take me to a booth selling coconuts. I beg for one and the seller starts opening it up. As he hands it to me with a paper straw, I realise I don’t have any money.

Actually, I don’t have any ID, or a phone, or a clue where that leaves me.

What if I get arrested and they realise I’m here illegally?

Oh boy… A hand I recognise instantly appears in my peripheral vision and drops something into the vendor’s palm.

I don’t know how Nathan already has dollars, but he quickly pays for my drink—or is it food? —and gently guides me to one side.

I inhale the coconut water and passionately hack my way into the fruit’s flesh while he looks at me worriedly. I think I have my answer from before: I prefer when he doesn’t notice my weaknesses.

He’s so quiet it’s unnerving, but I’m too focused on eating. Our dinner seems like both minutes and days away. My biological clock feels like a time lord is playing with it, taking it everywhere, anywhere, all at once, just for fun.

Well, let me tell you, it’s far from fun.

In the distance, I focus on a group learning to surf.

I hear the waves coming and going, peaceful in their eternal dance.

I match my breathing to their elegant movements.

In. Out. I start to feel a little bit more like myself.

In. Out. I’m in Hawaii. That thought alone threatens the quiet tide. In. Out.

My eyes take in the bluest of blue skies, the white sand, the colourful spots made up of tourists and wildflowers. Then they settle on Nathan, and there they rest.

“Are you all right?” he asks, his own gaze taking in all of me. I can see him wonder if I’m having a breakdown, and honestly, if I wasn’t wondering the same thing, I’d snap at him.

But as it seems I can’t speak, I merely nod and keep breathing, only taking breaks to suck in the delicious coconut.

He doesn’t seem convinced, and I can’t blame him.

But we have more important things to focus on, so I gather everything inside me—picture myself holding my inner walls up with weakening arms—and nod a second time to convince myself.

“Do you know where to find them?” I ask, relieved to feel my voice strengthening with each new word.

“Unfortunately, yes.”

He proceeds to lead me down the street. We cross the small city centre and keep walking towards houses that become bigger and fancier the farther we go.

My feet are pulsing from exhaustion, and I’m pretty sure the sand lodged there is rubbing them raw, but I focus on the view.

I don’t know how long we’ll stay here, and I do not want to miss a single bird song, a single flower petal flying through the gentle air, nor a single laugh coming from the beach that we keep seeing between each perfectly mowed lawn.

When Nathan turns to walk down a beautiful stone path leading to what can only be described as a mansion, I nearly sag in relief.

If I ask nicely, maybe the Novensiles will let me swim and sleep on the beach for a few hours without trying to kill me?

Now that I think about it, they probably don’t even know where we are, so I might be perfectly safe.

I dismiss the thoughts wanting to remind me that I’ve never been truly safe in my life.

They bring me down, and I don’t have time for that kind of negative thinking.

In fact, I don’t have time for any sort of thinking whatsoever when, seconds after my companion knocks on the door like hellhounds are after him, Atys opens it. Completely. Naked.

My eyes widen. “Holy shit.”

“Put some trousers on!” barks Nathan, but Atys appears unfazed. If anything, his lips stretch in a shit-eating grin as he eyes us up and down.

“Well, well. Look what the devil dragged in!”

“Is the devil real?” The question flies out of my mouth.

“No,” grinds Nathan. His whole body is tense, vibrating with unspent energy. I could almost imagine him throwing a punch to Atys’ face and then blowing out a breath in relief.

By Atys’ knowing smile, I’m not the only one clocking what Nathan yearns to do, although I’m still unsure of where their animosity comes from.

To keep messing with him, I’m sure, Atys steps forward to grab my hand.

His sea-foam eyes bore into mine as he slowly bows to leave a kiss on top of it.

Huh, I didn’t think anyone did that in real life.

It’s not as unpleasant as one might think, but that could simply be because the man—god?

—who has taken that liberty is gorgeous and naked.

My eyes turn curious, all on their own of course, and take in the large expanse of his tattooed torso.

They keep going down and down the smooth skin, noticing the happy trail that leads to—

“Enough.”

I jump slightly at Nathan’s voice. My cheeks redden as I notice both men staring at me.

One with utter delight, the other with barely restrained rage.

Clearing my throat, I look behind Atys to take in the luscious entrance.

It has a very tall foyer with large stairs directly in my line of sight and a beautifully vintage round table that has no other purpose than to hold a huge vase of flowers and fill the space between the various doors.

I can hear many voices coming from inside the house, but before I can discern anything specific, Atys moves directly in front of me.

“Careful, precious, I don’t think that’s your scene,” he says with a mysterious smile but a strangely serious look in his eyes.

“Why not?”

“Because you are a…” He pauses as if searching for his words. “In a very serious situation. One that many in there might find a little too interesting,” he adds, looking directly at Nathan this time.

I’m not an idiot, I know there is some sort of code or underlying message in his words, but I simply don’t care. Nor, if I’m honest, do I understand it completely. So maybe I am an idiot after all.

I’m about to push my way into the house, determined to get straight answers for once, when Nathan catches my arms and stops me in my tracks.

“He’s right.” The way he says it, you’d think he was asking someone to pull his teeth out.

He manhandles me until I’m suddenly facing them both, their hulking bodies guarding the door at their backs.

Simmering with anger, I point a finger at Nathan. “Who the fuck do you think you are to move me like that? I am not a doll for you to play with!”

Nathan looks stricken, but Atys opens his mouth for what I’m sure will be a wildly inappropriate comment, so I turn my finger to him, shutting him up effectively. “And you, if you won’t let me in, go get Thalnus!”

Chuckling, Atys leans against the door frame, his arms crossing over his torso.

The movement is so distracting I lose my focus for a second, but I quickly catch myself and get my eyebrows back to the appropriate frowning position.

“You look like a lamb, you smell like a lamb, you think like a lamb… and yet, when poked, you bite like a wolf.”

My frown deepens without my prompting this time. “What the hell does that mean?”

“Liv,” starts Nathan, but as I look to the foyer behind him with horror, taking a stumbling step backwards, he forgets his own words and whirls around. Atys quickly follows suit.

I don’t give either of them time to grasp the situation and slip between their bodies to shout, “THALNUS!” My voice echoes through the space.

Satisfied, I cross my arms across my chest and turn to the two men now gaping at me.

Nathan opens and closes his mouth a few times as Atys’ shoulders shake with laughter.

Seeming unable to contain himself any longer, the man guffaws, and I swear I see a tear run down his cheek. But I can’t be sure because—

“Who the fuck dares to summon me that way?” Thalnus’ voice thunders through the foyer as he enters through a sliding glass door.