Page 102 of Obsidian Dream

“The hunters have located wayfarers,” Khalida continued without missing a beat.“Eastern side.Two of them.Their scent is tinged with the sickly scent that is reminiscent of Idris, and their eyes have a black sheen to them.”

Talik clenched his fists, his short nails digging into his palms as he stared at Khalida, taking in everything he could—memorizing every single strand of hair, every curve, until it was imprinted on his mind and in his blood.

There was only one solution, and he hoped Khalida was going to forgive him.The only way to get close enough to Ninhursag was to convince the god he was on her side and would help her find the artifact.He could give the others the opening they needed and keep the god distracted.Then Kade and Khalida could trap her.Ninhursag knew what they were planning, was letting it unfold because it suited her—for now.

Lucien was right—he wasn’t a hero.Had never been one and wasn’t going to start now.Talik didn’t care that the world was going to be damned, he just wanted to make sure Khalida survived.She was his world and had always been.And in the quiet moment, he could finally be honest with himself.He’d lied about not wanting to be her ruin, it was all he’d ever wanted—for her to be marked the way he had been by her.

He took one last look at Khalida.His plan was only going to work if he acted quickly, or he would risk Ninhursag finding out that he was going to double-cross her.There was a small part of his mind that she hadn’t accessed yet, but it wouldn’t be long before she dismantled the careful walls he had built.

Opening his mind as he leaned against the building, he searched for the tendrils that belonged to Ninhursag.And he tugged.The laughter surrounded him.It grew louder until he couldn’t distinguish what was in his mind and what was reality.

I have a bargain for you.

Chapter Forty-Five

KHALIDA

Khalida was unableto find Talik.The consort mark continued to throb, but it wasn’t as strong as it had been a couple of minutes ago.

No matter how many times she reminded herself that she wouldn’t be able to see him hidden behind the Roman building, it didn’t stop her from trying.The earpiece was silent, and she tapped it.

“Talik,” Khalida repeated.She hadn’t believed him when he said he had connection issues earlier.

They were supposed to be on radio silence, but she couldn’t ignore the growing uneasiness that was spreading through her.A sixth sense that demanded she drop everything and find Talik.In her periphery, one of the hunters adjusts their position, moving to stay out of sight of the tourists.Anyone could be a potential spy.

The air in front of her flickered.She stilled and watched it happen again, and again.Looking up, she noticed the sun had moved, despite there only being seconds between the flickering.

“Ninhursag?”Khalida looked over to Talik and noticed the patch of dead grass that hadn’t been there a few minutes before.She tapped her watch.Her heart beating loudly as she stared at the time.It was forty-five minutes later than it should have been.

Fuck.

Rolling her shoulders, she turned around, looking for any hint of Lucien, hoping it was him.He had manipulated time in Egypt, had frozen her and Talik, and when they had awoken, they had lost an hour in the blink of an eye.Ninhursag had enough power over them without adding that skill set to the list.“Status update.”

“Time lapse?”Kade’s voice came through the earpiece.

Around them, the handful of tourists who had descended over the ruins looked around as if they had just been woken up from some sort of daydream.“It appears we weren’t the only ones affected.”