Idris didn’t flinch, didn’t shy away. He held still, letting me be the one to break the contact of my lips against his skin. Easier said than done. I would miss him too, though there was no hope of the words breaking past the lump in my throat. I wanted to stay.
There it was. The cold, ugly truth. I did want to go home, to see my parents and my friends again, to let them know all was well, but did I want my life back? Did I really want to trade this for a mundane, ordinary life?
No, but I no longer had a choice. Anwir had seen to that. I turned my face forward again, clenching my jaw. Like it or not, this was my last day.
It was the right choice. The only choice.
One of Idris’ hands loosened from Saeth’s mane, snaking around my waist instead. My breath caught in my painfully tight throat, but he only held me, once more resting his chin on my shoulder. A cuddle.
I snorted, smiling and blinking away a fresh bout of tears at the same time. My hand folded on top of his, tucked against my belly. It stayed there as the sky darkened around us.
Night had fallen fully by the time we landed further along the mountain range, atop a broad, flat expanse of rock, over which a waterfall plunged. Further along, the river cut straight into the mountain face itself, disappearing into a dark cave.
“The Blood Gate is inside,” Idris explained, patting Saeth’s neck and vaulting from his back. “We’ll walk the rest of the way.”
I slithered to the ground with less grace and agility than my companion possessed in his little finger.
Home. Home was on the other side of this mountain. I gave Idris a tremulous smile before turning to the horse. “Bye, Saeth. Thanks for the flying lessons. I’ll never forget them.”
Saeth snorted, nudging me with a head the size of my torso. I staggered, laughing. “You’re lovely. I should get a photo with you, shouldn’t I?”
What he boasted in haughty elegance, Idris lacked in technical prowess. I set up the camera on my phone and steered the prince a suitable distance away. “Point the phone until you can see us on the screen, and make sure it's in focus and that you get his wings in it. Then press this little symbol on the screen.” I hesitated, contemplating the likelihood of a successful first attempt. “Better press it a few times, to be safe.”
He held the phone like it might take a bite out of his hand, but followed my instructions as I hurried back to Saeth’s side, propped my arm on his withers, and smiled. The horse shifted a wing, tucking me to his side with the feathery joint. At least somebody understood the assignment.
“How do I know if a photo has happened?”
My smile stretched, squinting my eyes. “Did you press the symbol?”
“Eleven times so far,” he said, continuing to jab the screen with his thumb, bringing to mind a memory of my dad the first time he’d got a smartphone for Christmas.
“That should do it then.”
Idris sagged with relief, and I couldn’t help but laugh as I rescued him from the horrors of technology. I flicked open the gallery and my screen filled with identical images of me and Saeth. They looked passable, much to my surprise. “I should have got a selfie of us flying,” I grumbled. Now that I was out of time, it turned out there were lots of things I still wanted to do.
Idris’ silence stretched for a few seconds, then he said, “You could stay for another day?”
“And risk Anwir catching up to us and dragging me to the altar in chains?”
“I wouldn’t let him.”
After his vicious reaction to Jacques, I had no trouble believing him.
Jacques. Another thing I’d have to leave behind. Not that I was feeling particularly fond of him at the moment, with a dull sting still throbbing in my neck, but I’d miss him eventually. I’d never know if he was okay.
My eyes flickered over Idris’ numerous cuts. “Who came off worse in the fight? You or the vampire?”
The prince raised an eyebrow. “Do you really need to ask?”
My mouth went dry as I took in Idris’ bulk. Jacques was barely taller than me, and severely malnourished, whereas Idris… well, I couldn’t be sure, but I’d had his arms around me long enough to suspect that, beneath the clothes, he was something of a god. If only I’d paid attention when he was shirtless in the witch’s ward. That would be a photo I could treasure. “Don’t be smug.”
He gave a velvety chuckle, but his expression quickly turned serious. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Only if you’re prepared for the same evasive non-answers that you give me.” I folded my arms, earning another small smirk.
His face darkened. “How did the vampire get in?”
Damn. My skin ignited, bypassing my ears completely. If only I hadn’t asked about Jacques. “Through the window.”
“All by itself?”
“Himself,” I corrected without thinking. Idris raised his eyebrow again, and I conceded defeat with a sigh. It didn’t matter what Idris knew; I’d soon be gone. “His name is Jacques, and he’s alright. He’s a friend. I met him on my first night in Neath. He’s helped me.”
Idris gave a sceptical snort, spreading his arms. I didn’t need to see his wounds to know what he referred to. “I can’t believe you let it in. It’s a vampire. It would have killed you, Aliza. Friends don’t do that.”
As absurd as it was to argue against such a statement, he was wrong. It had been a moment of weakness after centuries of starvation. I wasn’t about to admit to pushing Jacques though, to offering myself up as a snack, only for him to take a full banquet. “You didn’t kill him, did you?”
“I tried. Unfortunately for me, it had just fed, and was too strong.”
“Stop calling him it.” I couldn’t keep the bite of impatience from my words.
Idris matched me, equally waspish as he asked, “Why were you half naked?”
Why, oh why had I agreed to questions? Thank God for the dark, because my face burnt like a beacon. “I shouldn’t have let him in,” I admitted in an attempt to avoid the question and dampen rising tempers. “I’m sorry you got hurt. I never meant for that to happen. I trusted Jacques when I shouldn’t have. Though, apparently, I’m a terrible judge of character, so that should come as no surprise.”
His shoulders drooped slightly. “No need to apologise.”
