“Krystian…” I don’t want to leave this conversation if the issue is still bothering him.
His smile turns more genuine. “Later,” he promises, grabbing my hand and giving it a squeeze. “I promise.”
I nod to show him I understand. Now isn’t the time.
We meet with the others, who are watching us curiously. Everett levels an unreadable glance at Krystian and cocks an eyebrow.
“We good?” the shifter asks.
Krystian nods. “Yeah. We’re good.”
The five of us continue to walk once more, past a carousel with horses frozen in mid-gallop, cloaked in shadows. Past game stalls with dirty bears dangling from the ceiling, pieces of their bodies missing and stuffing protruding from their bellies.
We wander deeper, our breaths visible in the cold. We don’t speak again, as if any noise will shatter the illusion of serenity.
“This is it,” Everett tells us gruffly, pulling to a stop in front of a huge purple building.
The sign above readsHall of Mirrorsin bright, peeling paint.
“So the portal is just…inside?” I bring my thumb to my lip and chew on the nail, my nerves frolicking in my belly.
“According to Athena, yes,” Zaid answers. “Hades hid one here years ago. Apparently, he made a deal with the owner.”
My nose wrinkles. “Why would anyone make a deal with the God of the Dead?”
“The owner was probably promised a permanent spot in Elysium,” Zaid explains. He frowns and studies the crumbling building. “But one thing Athena stressed in her message—only one of us can enter the building at a time. We must wait at least five seconds, and then the next can enter.”
“What?” Everett’s scowl deepens.
“Not happening,” Rafe agrees, lazily spinning a knife in the air.
Zaid’s lips firm. “If we don’t follow her instructions, then we’re dead.”
An uneasy silence permeates the air until Everett breaks it. “All right. I’ll go first. Krystian, you follow. Then Thea. Then Zaid. Then Rafe. Everybody in agreement?”
Krystian, Zaid, and I say, “Yes.”
Rafe simply mutters, “No,” and shoots a dark glance at the windowless building.
Everett ignores him and steps forward. He stops suddenly, whirls around, and halts before me. He grips my cheeks tightly, possessively, and guides my lips to his.
It’s a fleeting kiss, but it makes my insides light up like a thousand fireworks.
“Ohh. Everett and Thea kissing in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G,” Krystian sings, stopping only when Rafe hits him across the back of the head.
“Be safe,” I tell Everett.
I know he’s going first to scout for any threats. He always puts himself in harm’s way to protect us. It’s infuriating.
“Always.” He flashes me a cocky grin and then spins towards the maze of mirrors. He disappears through the entrance seconds later.
“One. Two. Three. Four. Five,” Zaid counts. He turns towards Krystian. “Your turn.”
Krystian smirks and turns towards me, playfully tapping at his lips. “Kiss for good luck?”
I pretend to think about it, then I lean forward and plant a chaste kiss to his cheek. Before I can pull away, he grips the back of my neck and brings my lips to his.
“Naughty, naughty girl,” he growls playfully, nipping at my lower lip. Energy fires up my spine in a series of sporadic explosions.