Page 36 of Summer’s Seduction (Sinful Seasons #2)
LARKSPUR
T ime seemed to slow as I watched the first beasts break free from the castle. It stood three feet tall on all fours with two spiraling ram horns rising from a thick mane. At first glance, it appeared as a lion, but the snarl was warped by a harsh, belting sound ringing beneath. Hoofed feet stood in place of claws, the fur shifting to that of a goat across the back before transitioning into the vibrant blue hue of scales. A blue taipan snake rose in place of a tail, arching over the chimera’s back with its yellow eyes locked on me.
Morpheus’s wings snapped out, shielding me from the beasts racing toward us. Artemis and the huntresses aimed, the sounds of the world crashing back in on me as time resumed. I couldn’t think past my panic, the gripping claws of dread gripping my throat—not for my safety but for the creature bounding toward me.
“Fir—”
“Stop!” Magic lashed through the clearing, halting Artemis’s command and freezing the others.
I stepped around a stunned Morpheus just in time to catch the honey-colored eyes of the lion’s head a moment before it crashed into me. My back hit the ground, pine needles softening the blow. Cursing myself for being so stupid, I scrambled back, rising to my forearms as the others broke free from my spell.
The massive beast stood over me, baring its teeth. This was it , I thought as it let out a final growl and lowered toward me.
The wet press of its nose grazed my cheek, followed by an enormous swipe of its grating tongue. The chimera whimpered, nuzzling up to me as if this entire exchange had been a fun, well-known game.
A laugh tore from my chest as the other beasts sat around me, pawing with their hooved feet for attention. I scratched behind their ears, not minding how their snake tails undulated across my arms. A single drop of venom could kill me, but I felt only joy at knowing I’d saved the group of them from premature deaths. And that, in turn, they’d spared my life.
“Larkspur,” Morpheus breathed.
The careful control in his voice drew me up short. With a glance, I saw Artemis standing before the other three huntresses with a calculating glint to her eyes. Those on the battlements had stilled, The Dark Ones watching as I pressed to a stand with a pack of chimeras sitting at my feet.I met Morpheus’s eyes once more, finding his face a mask of—not precisely concern but trepidation?
The chimera with honey-gold eyes stared back at me, his sharp teeth on display as he panted for breath. His ears twitched toward the castle gates momentarily before there was a low call. With one last, playful nudge, he turned, leading the others as they retreated.
It wasn’t until the last of them were behind the gates that I saw him step forward. He was tall, every inch of his body trimmed in thick muscle. The top button of his blue tunic, embroidered with intricate, golden designs, was left open, revealing dark skin and a long chain tucked beneath the heavy material.
He took a step forward, causing the light of the torches to illuminate his strong nose and square jaw trimmed with a clean beard. His dark hair was cropped short, the temples peppered with silver, and the tawny color of his eyes were made brighter by the red rings circling his irises. There was no crown upon his head, but it was evident by the way he carried himself that this was Egerius, Lord of Lycia, Ruler of Chimeras.
“Morpheus, my son,” Egerius stepped forward, ignoring the tension hanging thick in the arm between us with his arms open wide. “Welcome home.”
E gerius played the part of a gracious host well, showing us around the castle grounds briefly while servants prepared our rooms. We’d just finished a stroll through the palace gardens, ending on a section composed entirely of red roses peeking through patches of snow, when one of the huntresses gave Morpheus another inconspicuous nudge with her shoulder.
He shot her a glare as if to say, ‘Okay!’ before letting his smile return as he faced Egerius.
“That’s not necessary,” Morpheus said for the third time, but Egerius only shook his head.
“Nonsense. It has been months since we’ve seen you. I admit, I wasn’t expecting such an entourage…” Tawny eyes skimmed our group, lingering a second longer on me before he resumed. “But no matter. Accommodations are already being made.”
Artemis’s jaw flexed. I could see her urge to demand an end to the pleasantries. We were here for the key to The Glass Palace and to ascertain whether Hypnos was still in The Underworld. The goddess of the hunt didn’t take kindly to interruptions once she was on a trail, but Morpheus urged her to keep her identity a secret.
Camilla wound her fingers through the goddess and pasted a charming, though fake as fuck smile on her face. “Thank you, Lord Egerius, for the warm welcome. As beautiful as The Kingdom of Lycia is, I’m afraid the journey has tired us. Might we ask for a meeting before retiring for the night?”
Egerius blinked. “Retiring for the night?” he echoed with a laugh as he looked toward the moon high in the sky. “Certainly not. It’s nearly midnight.”
I glanced toward Morpheus as the huntresses tensed, frowning as I found a happy smile fixed in place. Morpheus looked completely at ease—despite being greeted with chimeras and having dozens of arrows pointed at us on site. He was grinning easily as we’d been led through cobblestone streets and a bustling market teaming with goods. Foreign spices filled the air, the savory scent comforting and disconcerting all at once. I had the oddest feeling that I’d been here before, even knowing it was impossible.
I’d come close to whispering my concerns to the others, but Morpheus was so relaxed. There were no more talks of cursed dreams or uncertain futures. Even the ever-present cloud of Hypnos and the ongoing war seemed to lighten as he chatted comfortably with Egerius. I wanted that for him—the peace of knowing safety—and I knew he considered Lycia his home, but I couldn’t help but feel like something was off.
A pair of young servants approached, their skin pale and their robes the color of blood. Without a word, Egerius waved them off and then turned toward the castle. “It appears your rooms are ready. We are to have a feast.”