Page 58 of Soul Fire (Darkling Mage 8)

“Nothing,” Hecate said. “Nothing at all.”

The sound of shuffling feet came from the corridor far behind us. I blinked, and Hecate was gone. I gasped, finally finding that I could breathe again.

Herald stepped up next to me, then joined me on the ground, holding his glasses up to his face as he looked into the abyss beneath us.

“What’re you doing here?” he said, smelling of my shampoo, my soap, smelling like someone I could never bear to lose.

“Just, you know, hanging out.”

He chuckled, because that’s how Herald could be – giving, and understanding, even when it came to my dumbest jokes. He scuttled closer, his skin and blood warm against mine, then nudged me with his shoulder.

“You’re looking a little serious there, buddy. Everything okay with you?” He adjusted his glasses, studying my face, then smiling. “What’s on your mind?”

I grinned back at him, lying to my best friend like it was the simplest, most natural thing in the world.

“Nothing,” I said. “Nothing at all.”

END