Page 46 of The Shard and the Serpent (Shard Daughters #1)

Warrick’s eyes snap toward mine. Heat courses through the Bond, and he tosses the skull over his shoulder. Its clatter rings out, bouncing through the prism as he hurries forward and scoops me into his arms, my laughter ringing out with his.

“Alodon,” Aleksi reminds us.

I flatten my hand to Warrick’s chest, tracing his Serpent ink with my fingers. I need you , I whisper along the Bond.

He shivers but shifts an arm free and points at the map. “The nest is there.” Then he turns on his heels and walks us out of The Crown Prism, my sisters’ glares burning into us.

I worry my lip, and he pinches my side, causing another laugh to break from me. “We’re being rude,” I tell him.

“Don’t ask me to go back up there,” he growls, leaping expertly across the floating stones leading down the mountain. “Not when I can feel how wet you are and not when I know you’re about to send me out into the middle of fucking nowhere.”

“We need to take out the Alodon nest. We can’t risk The Vile—” My words cut off as he drops me to a stone and kisses me.

My spine grinds into the mountainside, the roar of the nearby waterfalls covering every sound.

I shiver, the two of us teetering at the edge of the magic that keeps Shard House warm all year long despite the snow.

Warrick drags me closer, grabbing my thighs and hitching my legs around my waist. “The best part of my day,” he mutters and kisses down my neck, “is coming home.”

My chest dips as he cups my breast, tugging my tank top down and exposing me to the cool air. He sucks down, swirling and nipping, my back arching at the sensation. His approval radiates across the Bond, my fingers curling into his hair.

“I’m happy you like Shard House so much,” I say, trailing a hand down the warm curve of his neck.

He lifts, stubble along his jaw scraping my chin. “Rayze,” he returns, the corners of his eyes crinkling in amusement. “I don’t give a fuck about Shard House. I mean, it’s nice, but that’s not what I meant.”

I tug back with a frown. “This isn’t home for you?”

Warrick studies me. Then he slides his palm over my heart and kisses me softly. “Yes. This is.”

He sighs when I tense. “I’ll open a portal back to Synlon,” I say, tugging out from underneath him and fixing my clothes. I stride toward the stairway leading up the cliffside to the main den.

“Rayze,” he calls.

I keep walking, taking the steps two at a time.

“Rayze Angeline,” he growls.

Oh shit. I jog up the rest of the way.

“Vicious.” His hand snags the back of my trench coat, pulling me to a stop.

I whip around, pulling free with a snarl. “Just stop, Warrick. I don’t want to hear it.” I reach into my pocket.

“Don’t you fucking dare,” he bites out.

I lift the scissors.

His eyes flash wide. “ Rayze ,” he says, wounded.

Fuck.

“I’m sorry.” I wet my lips and snap open the shears. “I wish I could explain, but I can’t, alright? So just—just be safe until Alodon.”

He takes a step toward me, his expression frantic. “You could tell me anything. I would never think less of you or judge you, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“It’s not.”

“Then what is it? What aren’t you telling me? I don’t want to dance around this anymore. Just let me the fuck in, Rayze.”

I halt, the scissors hovering at the first strands of our Bond. I squeeze my eyes shut. “Pink.”

His mouth snaps shut.

“Pink, Warrick,” I growl. “I can’t talk about this with you, with anyone, so I need you to move the fuck on.”

Gritting my teeth, I pull back, but his hand catches my wrist. My eyes flash open as he pries the scissors from my grip and chucks them through one of the open arches lining the staircase.

“I can just summon them,” I mutter.

His eyes narrow. “It was for dramatic effect.”

I fold my arms.

He folds his.

“So what? You don’t want to hunt anymore?” I snap.

“I’ll never not chase you, vicious.” His jaw flexes. “Just let me say what I want to say. Then you can cut all you fucking want.”

My brows raise at that.

He rakes his hands through his hair and looks to the sky. “Fuck me. I’m just trying to say I care about you. Is that so bad?”

Yes.

“Is that all?” I ask and slip behind Fate’s veil, summoning the scissors. They materialize beside my head, floating down into my open palm.

Warrick stares at the scissors. Then he glares at me. “Don’t make me leave you in the middle of a fight.”

“This isn’t a fight, and if it is, I’ve clearly won.” It’s a shitty thing to say. I know it is, but I can’t have this conversation right now.

He steps closer, and I hold myself still. “I’ll miss you.”

Gods.

“Mhmm,” I push out, guilt damn near crippling me.

He gently tilts my chin up, and I drag my gaze to his, wishing I hadn’t. He’s hurt . I’ve hurt him. “Angel,” he says, his throat bobbing.

I tear my chin from his grasp, but he catches my face with both hands and presses a hard kiss to my forehead.

“See you soon,” he says, pulling back.

I swallow and move toward an arch set with a mirror, summoning a portal to Synlon. His apartment at Fang’s Edge ripples into view.

Warrick looks at me from my peripheral, waiting for me to look at him, but when I don’t, he rubs the back of his neck and strides into the portal without a word.

“Forget. Me,” I command, my voice cracking.

His back tenses, his fists clenched at his sides. Then the portal snaps shut as he disappears, stars sparkling around his fading silhouette.

I sway unsteady. “See you soon,” I whisper. “I’ll miss you, too.”