Page 53 of Kiss of Death

“I was just blindsided when my father confronted me.”

I thought it brought you closer together.

“It did. But it wasn’t your place to decide to share it with him.”

When I shared that with my father, I didn’t expect him to tell Talon.

“But did you explicitly tell him not to?”

Zehemoth hesitated.No…

“Then it’s not a surprise he told my father.”

Zehemoth fell quiet, flying in silence for a long time.

Now I was angry…and guilty. And utterly broken by what I’d learned about Callum all at the same time.

I’m really sorry, Lily. I wish you’d told me this sooner.

I didn’t say anything, not ready to let go of my resentment.

I’ve learned from my mistakes. I want you to know you can always trust me with your secrets. I would never betray you,Sunieth. But I understand if you feel otherwise.

Now I just felt guilt. Nothing but guilt. “It’s okay, Zehemoth. I forgive you.”

You do?

“Of course.” I wished we could have this conversation face-to-face, not on his back while we soared over the sky.

I’ll never break your trust again, Lily.

“I know, Zehemoth.”

An hour of silence passed, both of us reflecting on the conversation that had just taken place. Dawn approached over the horizon, and light started to spread over the world.

Finish your tale, Lily. Why did we come to the island?

I told him Callum disappeared and hadn’t been seen since before the battle. That I’d worried about him every day until I couldn’t sit around any longer. Told him my father viciously confronted me. “When I reached the center of the island, I saw a skull rock…and the new god of the underworld. He told me that Callum had been stripped of his title for helping me so much…and said I could free him by giving my soul in exchange for his.”

Please tell me you didn’t, Lily.

“I didn’t. I have another idea.”

What is it?

I couldn’t get a message to Callum, not when Leviathan would twist my words into lies. I had to hope that Callum wouldn’t give up on me, wouldn’t eject himself into the void because he had no reason to exist. I had to hope he would give me a little time to figure this out. “I’m going to free him from the underworld.”

By the time I returned to the Southern Isles, it was dark again.

Zehemoth came in for a shaky landing because he was exhausted from the long flight, especially since he’d flown Viper and me halfway across the world just a week ago. I gave him an affectionate rub on the snout as I said goodbye. I didn’t return tomy villa but instead headed straight for the castle to speak to my father.

Good luck,Sunieth.

Thanks, Zehemoth.

I entered the castle then made my way toward the royal chambers. It was too early in the evening for my parents to be asleep, so I arrived at their door and knocked.

It took a moment for my mother to answer, fully dressed like they’d been seated at the dining table together. “Hey, honey.” Her eyes shone with sympathy, fully aware of the conflict between my father and me. She lowered her voice like my dad was somewhere nearby and might hear. “It might be best to give him a little more space.”