Queen of the Underworld | Book 3

• forty-nine •

Kymra and Leah smiled when they saw us appear in the kitchen.

Kymra looked like she had taken a shower of her own as well as Oren.

"Mehnit needs to hunt," Julian announced. "She needs to eat and gather her strength." He looked at Kymra. "Can you help?"

Kymra nodded enthusiastically. "We can take her in the woods here. They look desolate." She placed her hands on her knees and crouched as she looked at the small cat. "I'm so excited to see her. It's been so long since the Underworld has been gifted with an Egyptian mau." She smiled. "I'd love to see what she can do."

Mehnit sat down next to me, her chin lifted. She seemed to know exactly what we were saying and was more than willing to bask in the praise.

Oren stepped forward. "Right. I will stay with the queen but Kymra, you will need help too. In case you run into trouble."

Kymra nodded. "Julian, go with me. It will be like old times."

Julian crossed his arms. "I rather stay."

Kymra shrugged. "I think you need one more bout with someone that can beat you." She tugged on the gloves on her hands. "Leah says you've been training and teaching them for a while. I mean, the Alteazor is good and all but you should-"

"All right, all right," Julian said half-annoyed cutting her off as she spoke.

She smiled triumphantly. It seemed to be the response she wanted.

"You're on." He turned to Oren. "Where are Damien and His Highness the royal pain in the ass?"

Leah cleared her throat. "Asmodeus is setting up in his room. Damien isn't leaving him alone."

"Good," Julian approached Oren as he followed Kymra out the back door. "Don't let Asmo anywhere near Emylin."

Oren gave a curt nod.

I shifted uncomfortably where I stood.

Knowing how much they were going out of their way to keep Asmo away made me uneasy. He wouldn't harm me despite what he was...or...what half of him was. But I knew their fear wasn't that he would harm me physically, it was that he could potentially do something else that could put me in danger.

I followed them all outside with Mehnit close to me. As soon as we stepped outside into the night air, I breathed deep.

The dewy smell of the evening reminded me so much of my parent's house it made my stomach twist.

I wondered how my parents were.

The night was quiet save for the rustle of the pine needles in the trees as the wind blew.

"All right, Curran." Kymra shrugged her shoulders in a stretch as she addressed Julian by his last name.  She looked at him, her dark hair blowing in the wind that picked up. "Let's see how rusty you've gotten in your retirement."

Julian chuckled, a genuine smile on his handsome lips as he looked skyward. "Gods help me from the sarcasm of this group."

Oren laughed, stepping forward and planting a kiss on Kymra's cheek.

My eyes widened.

She grasped his fingers as he moved closer to her. She closed her eyes as he whispered something in her ear. The gesture was so natural, it seemed like they had been together for a while.

Her smile was loving and sincere as he kissed her cheek again. It was as if none of us were outside with them standing on the deck of Leah's backyard and it was only the two of them.