“Mr. Gryphon, can you go search for your dagger?” Nali asked sweetly. “We’ll join you in a few minutes.”
“I save the day, he loses my dagger, and he’s the one getting kissed,” Mr. Gryphon grumbled as he disappeared through the branches below.
Nali ignored the lion’s grumbling. Her attention was all on Asahi. She tilted her head, leaned in, and kissed him again.
“Do you have a license to fly and kiss?” he seductively murmured when she paused a breath away from his lips.
“I’m the Empress of the Monsters. Trust me when I say I can do a lot more,” she breathed.
Their lips met again with fervent relief. They molded their bodies together as she softly landed. The second their feet touched the ground, she pulled away and began placing tiny kisses along his jaw.
“I… was… so afraid,” she confessed, peppering his lips with brief kisses between her words.
He captured her face between his hands. “How do you think I felt when I saw you disappear into that snake’s mouth?” he retorted.
He covered her lips with his again. She tasted his fear in that kiss. Their tongues tangled and their breathing grew heavy. She ran her hands across his back, trying to pull him closer.
“Hey, love birds, you need to see this!” Mr. Gryphon shouted.
Nali groaned when Asahi reluctantly pulled away. She rested her forehead against his and pulled deep, calming breaths into her lungs. A giggle escaped her when she saw the expression on Asahi’s face.
“I hope he found his dagger because I’m ready to shove him back in his sheath,” he stated.
“I know what you mean,” Nali laughed.
“Nali! Asahi! You really need to come here,” Mr. Gryphon insisted.
Asahi shook his head and looked at her with amusement. “We better go, or he’ll never shut up,” he said.
“If it helps, I know about this amazing little cottage nearby,” she said with a suggestive gleam in her eyes as she turned away.
“I look forward to visiting it—with you,” he murmured, wrapping his arm around her waist.
Chapter 29
Asahi held a branch aside so Nali could pass through. Mr. Gryphon’s tone was becoming more animated with each passing minute. On a positive note, the lion didn’t sound upset.
As long as it isn’t more of the alien, he thought.
He tried to ignore the nagging feeling in his gut when he remembered his vision of the flaming entity. He must have misinterpreted the image. It seemed impossible that any piece of the alien could have survived. From his vantage point at the top of the branches, Asahi had an unobstructed view of what had happened to the alien.
He replayed the scene in his mind, searching for any pertinent detail that he might have missed. Nali had thrown Ashure’s sword to him, and he had plunged it into the serpent’s neck at the base of its head. A brilliant white light had burst from the sword, searing through the creature’s body like spikes of lightning, creating a ring around its neck. The magic had spread, growing brighter and hotter as it ate away the alien’s flesh until nothing remained but glowing embers. Even those dissipated when they hit the ground. There had been nothing left but ash. He was sure of it.
Yet, Aminta had been certain that someone would arrive from Valdier to destroy the alien. She had also been pretty certain that Asahi would die, though. Perhaps the fact that he had survived made all the difference. Perhaps something had happened to their fiery savior to keep her from coming to their aid.
Asahi paused when Nali put her hand out. They both stared at the sword embedded in the ground. He walked over and pulled it out. There was a long scorch mark running from the tip to the hilt as if a lightning bolt had struck it.
“This looks like it has seen better days,” he dryly commented, holding it out to Nali.
She grimaced as she took it. “Ashure is sure to have a few choice words for me. He absolutely adores his swords. I’d say he was compensating for something, but unfortunately, I have seen him in the buff, so I know he isn’t,” she said.
“Really?” Asahi inquired with a raised eyebrow.
She scrunched her nose. “Let’s change the subject, shall we? He’s like a brother to me! Let’s just say Ashure has kept the ladies purring with happiness for several centuries, and leave it at that,” she replied with a shudder.
“Hello!” Mr. Gryphon called. “Are you two ever going to…. There you are! What took you so long? Wait, strike that question. If you two were having sex, I don’t want to know,” Mr. Gryphon growled.
“Did you find your dagger?” Asahi politely inquired.
Mr. Gryphon nodded. “Yes, and something else.” He led them farther into the tangled tree limbs.
“Wha…? Oh, my,” Nali breathed, stunned.
Asahi swallowed and gaped in awe at the beautiful woman rising from the ground into a sitting position. Her body was solid gold, like his vision of the aliens in the cave. He stepped forward when she turned and faced them.
“Aminta?” he quietly surmised.
The woman tilted her head, frowned, and looked around before returning her gaze to his face. She bowed her head uncertainly. He reached out and helped her to her feet. She swayed.
“I… Where am I?” she asked in a confused voice.
“You are on the Isle of the Monsters. It is part of the Seven Kingdoms,” Nali replied in a gentle tone.
“The Seven Kingdoms…. I remember the alien creature that held me…,” Aminta murmured, looking around again.
“Gone. Destroyed,” Nali reassured her.
Aminta sagged against him. “Thank you,” she whispered in an unsteady voice.
“You’re welcome,” Mr. Gryphon preened. “I helped with that, by the way,” the Golden Dagger added rather self-importantly.
Nali touched Aminta’s arm and looked at Asahi. “We should have Xyrie check her over to make sure she is alright,” she
