Page 179 of Serpent In White

He pulls away, releasing a tender breath as he pulls me into his chest, hand on the back of my head, cradling me to him. “I’m so glad you’re alright. And that you’rehere, Rhiannon.”

I nod, locking my arms around his waist and taking in his perfect smell. The smell of someone so inherently selfless, and beautiful down to the core of his person.

Abdiel Harmony is one-of-a-kind perfect.

“I’m here,” I whisper, warmth overcoming me.

Right now, I’m standing in the bedroom of someone I considered an enemy only days ago, who is now something of a guardian. It happened so fast, which is how I know it’s the real deal.

Darian is my leader. And I want to stay.

Regardless of what this all means, my attraction to Abdiel, my odd obsession with Drake, the chemistry between them all, and then me… I really have no idea how it will shake out.

But either way…I’m here.

“Let’s go,” Abdiel says.

He pulls on a shirt and his standard black boots, grabs the backpack for me, and we’re off. Fingers remaining threaded, we leave the Den, passing the patrol on the way out. I can’t help but smirk.

I don’t know what’s about to happen, and theoretically, I could be treading into certain danger.

But sometimes it’s fun to take a walk on the wild side.

darian

The woods guide me. They always have.

This forest is a part of Drake and me, and we’re a part of it. We breathe together, sing together, laugh and cry together. When we rage, the ground rumbles, and when we ache, the rains soothe us.

Being in this clearing brings a different sort of awareness. It still reminds me of when I came here seven years ago. The day after Lars and Jenny were found dead in the ravine beneath it.

I remember that night, after grieving for hours with tear-stained cheeks and red-rimmed eyes, confusion and anger clouding my mind.

I came up here to seek answers.

And I found them. But the thing about searching for the truth is that you always end up finding something you wish you hadn’t.

Theforcesdidn’t show Abdiel the full scope of what happened that night… the night his parents fell from the cliff.

Tonight, they might.

“My jealousy did it,” the familiar voice rumbles at me from the ground as I walk up to the clearing, lantern in hand. “It was my fault.”

Stepping between the trees, I glance down at him where he’s lying, arms out wide at his sides. He’s wearing white linen pants only, his pale skin scattered in occasional black symbols, and scars.

And his eyes are closed while he speaks. “Evil atones.”

Placing the lantern down, I stand over him. “You’ve made many messes over the years, brother.”

His forehead creases in his clear anguish. I don’t enjoy seeing it. For as much as I crave his vulnerable side, I don’t want him to hurt. But with Drake, the hurt is inevitable.Eternal.

“I went to see the girl,” I tell him, pacing around in the clearing.

His eyes spring open, and he turns his head to watch me. “You did?”

“I did.” I nod. “Because after I got to thinking, about her misguided attempts at what she thought was saving people, I realized she reminded me of someone…”

My eyes find his once more, and I see him swallow.