“Worried,” Darkness said, meeting my eyes once again. “There is a war, and I need to find a way to stop it.” He cleared his throat. “And to protect you. There is no time to be vulnerable.”
With a sigh, he rolled onto his back and pulled me into his arm. I rested my head against his icy chest, enjoying his cool skin against my sweaty body.
“How do you feel?” he asked, kissing the top of my head.
“Like a million bucks,” I said with a laugh. I hopped out of the bed, dashing to the mirror at the dresser. “The dark circles are gone.”
I no longer looked like I was dying. The color of my skin was back, and my eyes almost seemed to be glowing in the dimly lit room.
“I think I could lift the bed!” I said, my eyes widening. “Should I try?”
Darkness laughed. “No, please don’t.”
“How do you feel?” I asked, cocking my head.
“Better. Yes, much better,” he said, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.
I frowned. “But not ready to fight a war?”
He looked at me and shook his head. Darkness got to his feet and walked to the closet, where he pulled out fresh clothing.
“So, what do we do now?” I asked with a sigh.
He looked at my reflection in the mirror as he pulled on his pants. “I have an idea.”
Chapter
Eighteen
Ipicked up my shirt off the floor and pulled it down over my head, the fabric clung to my warm skin. “What’s your idea?”
“The Oracle,” Darkness said with concern etched into his face. He straightened his spine, glancing at himself in the mirror as he adjusted his shirt. “She will guide us on the next steps to take.”
“I hope you’re right,” I said, sinking onto the edge of the bed. Seconds later, I leaped to my feet and paced, my anxiety too great to contain. “Perhaps you need more rest first.”
All I could think about was how weak he was when we escaped Behemoth, Leviathan, and Ziz. He was not ready for another fight like that.
A faint smile played on Darkness’s lips. “Yes, more rest is needed, but I don’t think I can get that without knowing what is to come for us.”
“Are you sure, Mace?” I asked, biting my lip as I turned to him.
His eyes brightened. “You remember my name.”
“Of course,” I said, swallowing hard. “Why wouldn’t I?”
“You are not the only one that felt as though the other despised them,” Darkness said.
“Ugh,” I said, swallowing hard as I pressed my hand to my stomach. “I am not excited about traveling.”
Darkness clasped his hands together. “Still not used to it?”
“Not sure I ever will be.”
“You should stay here. Wait for my return,” Darkness said, placing his hands on my shoulders and guiding me back toward the bed. “I don’t even know if she will see us, so there is no point in making you travel.”
I gave him a nod but stood the second he stepped away from me. “No. I want to go with you. I need to help in whatever way I can.”
“It helps me greatly if I know where you are,” Darkness said.
“I’m not the one that got captured,” I said, crossing my arms.
Darkness slowly blinked. “Is that right? Not even once?”
“Shut up,” I said, puffing out my bottom lip.
Darkness laughed as he held out his hand. “Let us be on our way, then. At least, if we get captured again, it will be together.”
“Then who will save you?” I retorted, biting back a laugh.
“You must think you’re amusing,” Darkness said flatly, fixing his stony gaze on me.
I shrugged as I looked at my fingernails. “A little.”
“Let’s see if you’re still laughing after we travel to The Oracle,” Darkness said, turning toward the bedroom door. “Come.”
We stepped out from the safety of Darkness’s house and into a chilling drizzle. I shadowed his determined stride along a short path to a concealed shed nestled inside the gnarled branches of a dead tree.
In an instant, we stood before The Oracle’s house. My stomach churned as the front door creaked open.
