Page 19 of Kingdom of Chaos (Creatures of Chaos #2)

I’ve never heard of someone hiding their species that thoroughly. Sure, asking outright is considered rude, but to keep it a secret from your own family? That feels extreme.

Talon clears his throat and shifts in his seat, clearly uncomfortable. “It’s just . . . not something we talk about.”

“I have my theories,” Imogen says. “But he won’t even tell me.”

So, vampire isn’t off the table after all. Back to square one on that mystery. It’s starting to feel like it’s going to stay that way. I almost press Talon for more, but it’s obvious he’s done with the conversation, and I don’t see the point in nagging him.

We drive for a couple more hours in heavy silence. My thoughts spiral as they drift to Becks, conjuring up every worst-case scenario.

Did Kerrim leave him behind, wounded and alone? Or did he take him and lock him away somewhere we’ll never find? Has Becks even recovered from his injury? Is he safe? Alive?

He’s never been far from my thoughts since the night they vanished through the portal, but I’ve tried to keep myself from going to that darkest place.

The one where we’re already too late. Where Shadow Striker’s blow did more damage than I’ve let myself believe.

Where we get to the human world only to find there’s no one left to save.

The what-ifs keep stacking up, and with them comes a creeping dread I can’t shake. I knot my fingers in my lap and stare out the window without really seeing anything. The sky is still clear, but the road around the Valkyrie darkens, as if a shadow is creeping in despite the sun.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Talon shoot me a worried frown, but I ignore him.

“Yo, Talon. Lay off the shadows,” Titus says from the back seat. “One just crawled across my neck.”

I twist around to see shadows swirling on the roof of the Valkyrie. Titus looks annoyed as another one slides over his shoulder. Ensley looks a little freaked, and Imogen just looks confused.

I glance over at Talon and his brow is pinched, a frown pulling down the corners of his mouth.

“Sorry,” he mumbles as the shadows start to dissipate.

Talon must have a lot on his mind to lose control of his powers like that.

He is always controlled, especially when it comes to his magic.

Back when we competed in Chaos together, I never saw him falter.

Every move he made was measured and deliberate.

He wasn’t showy with his magic like some.

He kept a tight lid on his powers, only using them when they were absolutely needed.

Another few hours slip by, and the haunting images in my head only grow more disturbing. Becks isn’t just lying wounded in that clearing anymore. Now he’s broken and helpless, surrounded by scavengers, his body torn apart while he screams for me to save him.

And I’m nowhere to be found.

“How close are we?” I ask.

“Close,” Talon says, and then reaches over and places his hand on my knee to stop it from bobbing up and down.

My muscles lock up as the heat from Talon’s hand seeps through my clothes.

I wouldn’t call his touch comforting exactly, but it does the job of breaking the “Becks is dead” loop playing in my head.

As I stare down at my leg, all I can think about is how large his hand is.

His tanned fingers wrap around so much of my thigh he could almost circle it completely.

I know I need to tell him to move it, but my vocal cords feel frozen. All I manage is a weak throat-clear.

Talon takes the hint and silently removes his hand, but even after it’s gone I can still feel the ghost of it pressing into my leg.

I rub the spot, trying to erase the lingering sensation, just as Talon turns the Valkyrie into the parking lot of a rundown motel. A flickering neon sign reads “Vacancy.”

“What are we doing here?” I ask as he pulls into a parking spot.

After turning off the engine, he twists in his seat to see the others in the back. “Why don’t you three get us a couple rooms? Imogen and I have to pick up some stuff.”

“Rooms? What do we need rooms for?” Ensley asks.

“It’s getting late in the day, and Imogen and I need to collect some supplies, so it’s probably best if we crash for the night and hit up the gate in the morning.”

Ensley and I exchange a glance. It’s at least three hours until sunset. Her pinched features say she doesn’t want to wait any more than I do. Titus looks like he’s on the fence.

Talon and Imogen have clearly already made up their minds.

I shake my head. “No. We’re so close. Let’s just go now. If we wait longer, there’s a higher chance of your Society friends finding us.”

Talon runs a hand through his hair. “I know you’re anxious to get your princeling,” he says, using that irritating nickname for Becks again like it’s some kind of habit he can’t break. “But it would be foolish to rush into something like this.”

“I don’t care if?—”

“Listen,” Imogen cuts in, “if we don’t collect a piece of tamalite , then it’s only going to be a one-way ticket. Get it?”

I crane my neck to look at Imogen in the seat behind me, and she sneers back at me.

“No, I don’t get it ,” I say. “What even is tamalite?”

She sighs. “You know we need lunacite from the human world to travel through the gate. Well, to return, we need tamalite. Without it, we won’t be able to get back to our world after we find your friend.

So, if it’s okay with you, Your Highness , we’d like to make sure we don’t get stuck in a magicless world for the rest of our lives. ”

I press my lips together to keep from sniping back at her. Talon could have just said so.

“But it’s not just the tamalite,” Talon adds. “We have to be smart about this. We’re going to need weapons, appropriate clothing, food rations.”

“Food rations? Is this human world back in the Stone Age or something?” I ask, alarmed even though I know that can’t be true. I spotted modern skyscrapers over the tree line through the portal.

“We don’t know where we are going to appear in that world or how long it’s going to take us to find your princeling.”

“ Becks ,” I grate out, but Talon keeps going as if I haven’t spoken.

“And even when we find this Central Park, he may be long gone from the area. We won’t have the local currency or knowledge about the land at all.

The information Imogen and I have about the human world is over two thousand years old.

Think about how different our civilization is since that time.

It’s better to be over-prepared than under. ”

As much as I hate to admit it, Talon has a point. When I look back at Ensley and Titus, I can tell they agree. “Fine. We’ll leave tomorrow morning.”

Talon nods and Titus, Ensley, and I climb out. We head toward the front desk to ask about rooms, and I glance over my shoulder just as Talon and Imogen back out of the parking space and merge into traffic.

For a wild, irrational second, panic spikes in my chest. What if they don’t come back?

I know Imogen’s going to try to convince Talon to ditch us. It’s probably the only reason she tagged along in the first place. A knot of doubt twists deep in my gut.

But then, in my mind’s eye, I picture Talon’s face. The steadiness in his gaze. The warmth behind his teasing smile.

He’s coming back. I trust him.

I think .