Page 227 of Psycho Gods

I blinked groggily as I rolled lazily out of bed.

“Let’s go.” Malum grabbed my arm as I pulled at the covers. His eyes were chips of steel.

I jolted as I remembered how he’d talked to me for hours.

“Wait, did we sleep together all night?” I flushed as I remembered the warm weight rolling off me.

Did he kiss my forehead this morning and tell me I was perfect? Had I imagined it?

“That’s not important right now,” he said in a clipped tone. “Get ready.” The warrior was back.

“It’s important to me,” I said as I got ready.

When I was dressed, Malum grasped my arm and pulled me out of the room, straight into a punishing blizzard.

What was with all the grabbing this morning? He held on to me like he was afraid he’d lose me.

Wind burned where it touched my exposed face.

The ground was iced over, and the pine trees were completely coated in white. Branches were frozen and made no noise.

Dangerous icicles glinted.

The only sound was our crunching footsteps, frosty breath, and screaming wind.

It was eerie.

The twins jogged in my peripheral vision, and my heart hurt as I remembered they’d left me. They were supposed to be different from the kings. They weren’t supposed to leave without a word.

Scorpius and Orion sidled protectively in front of me. Malum kept his hold on my arm.

They turned their heads back toward me. Once again, they had streaks of dried blood on their faces.

“Where did you two go?” I asked.

“We can’t say,” Scorpius said with a strange expression. Orion stared at me over his shoulder.

“Whatever.” I pushed my pipe between my lips and inhaled sharply. “I guess we all have our secrets.” I exhaled, and smoke curled around my face.

The arm pulling me along the path caught fire. I leaned closer to the warmth and narrowed my eyes up at Malum as I tried to figure out what had pissed him off this time.

His cheeks turned bright pink under my scrutiny, and he purposefully didn’t make eye contact.

I stumbled as I realized he was intentionally on fire. He was warming me. Another frozen piece of my heart thawed. I played with the edges of my sleeves.

“Be careful,” he ordered. “Keep your mittens on.”

I arched my brow at his tone, and his blush intensified.

“Don’t tell me what to do with my mittens,” I said as we moved through the trees.

The corner of his lip curled up. “Don’t be a brat.”

I stuck my tongue out at him.

The demons sprinted past, kicking up snow in their wake.

Malum’s grip on my arm tightened, and I realized he was still dragging me.