Destruction’s Desire (Broken Souls Trilogy #2)

Chapter 5

Rule five: Never ask the snake shifter about his penis(es?) – ever.

A smart person would hide in their room after being kidnapped by the enemy.

I’m not smart.

Sin mentioned no one would help me escape this realm. He might be right, but he’s made another critical error.

I don’t want to leave the realm. I just want to find a place to build a new life where there’s no chance Leon, the Council, or Sin will ever find me again. At least that way, I won’t be handed back to Leon and forced to put my own realm in danger.

But in order to achieve my witness protection status, I’m going to need more information. I’d rather not accidentally walk into another death forest.

What I need is a tour guide. Or a map. I’m not picky .

With that in mind, I leave my room and set about exploring.

Rosie seems like the ideal tour guide. She’s also the only person I’ve seen here other than Sin. So, I’m really hoping she’s willing to take me around the realm.

After walking up my hallway and not hearing a sound, I double back towards the stairs. Hopefully, the first floor is a more popular hangout.

I’m not trying to be sneaky, but my footsteps sound deafening as I make my way through the seemingly deserted castle.

Seriously, where are all the people?

I’m just about to head back toward the front door when I hear something sliding across the floor up ahead.

Houston, we have life!

Following the sound, I pass a few open rooms, including a dining room and a sitting area. Unfortunately, they’re all empty.

The sound comes again, further down the hallway, and I follow it to a half-closed door.

Quietly, I poke my head in.

The room is at least the size of one of my college classrooms, but nearly all the open space is filled with crates. They are piled high to the ceiling, all along the walls, and more are lining the center of the floor. Many of the crates are open, with weapons poking out of them. I’d assume this was a disorganized armory, but I also spot crates of books, clothes, jewelry, and little glass bottles full of colored liquids.

The sliding sound comes again, and I finally notice someone on the far end pushing a crate over to the wall .

Stepping inside, I clear my throat, and the person looks up at me. I recognize him as soon as our eyes meet. Brilliant emerald eyes lock on mine, and his concentrated expression immediately turns to delight.

Magnus. The snake shifter from the black market.

Well, I guess I know who spilled the beans about Leon being angry with me.

Men are such gossips.

“Vivian! What a delight to see you up and about,” Magnus greets, extending his arms wide.

His luscious black curls are tied behind his head, but a few strands have escaped, making him look even more devilish than usual. He makes his way toward me, and I meet him partway, skirting around the boxes.

“Hello Magnus, it’s nice to see you again,” I say, smiling warmly at him.

I’m not lying. I liked Magnus the last time I met him. He tasted my energy to try and determine my power. Even when he couldn’t figure out what I was, he still gave us information on Morgana.

Magnus clasps my hands. “You simply must forgive me, my darling enigma. I did not mean to deceive you at our first meeting. But I could not stand by and do nothing when the trigger-happy Destroyer leveled his anger at you.”

Gently, I pull my hands back, and Magnus frowns at my bandaged arm before adding, “I won’t apologize for reporting back to Morgana, but I am sorry for not finding a way to get you out of there sooner.”

At his stare, I clasp my arms behind my back, drawing attention away from the exposed skin .

“It’s really okay,” I answer before turning my attention to the rest of the room. “What’s all this?” I ask, pulling the focus away from my skin and my toxic relationship.

I think it might be better to avoid any talk of Leon or Magnus’ position as a spy. We need common ground.

Magnus smiles again, but this time, it doesn’t reach his eyes. He waves an arm around the room as he answers, “This is my warehouse. It’s where I keep the goods I trade. It’s also where I assess them for magical properties and sell them if needed. I’m just sorting through my latest acquisitions now.”

I scan the boxes, my interest fully piqued. “Can I help?”

Magic is still very new to me, and the idea of seeing magical items is alluring. I’m not distracted from my escape goal. I’m making allies.

“Of course! Though, I do ask that you not touch any items unless you ask me first. There are many cursed things here, and well, as a mortal…” he tapers off, letting me draw my own conclusions.

“No touching, got it.”

Maybe I’ll find a knife that can kill an immortal being of infinite power. That might come in handy.

Could I kill someone, though?

I swallow the thought, not ready to think too hard about it.

Magnus leads us to a table hidden behind a large stash of crates, before pulling one onto the table and emptying the contents.

“This crate is from the Seelie Fae Court. The Fae don’t typically part with treasured items, but I happened to be passing by when there was a rather distracting disturbance,” he finishes, giving me a conspiratorial wink.

I gape at him. “You stole these things?”

“Not to worry. The Seelie Court has more treasures than they know what to do with. They covet rare, beautiful items and would never part with even an earring. I hardly expect anyone will notice these items are gone, at least not for a few millennia.”

While my immediate reaction is to move away from the stolen goods, I remember that I’ve already stolen a surfboard and a boat.

I might as well add ‘laundering Fae treasure’ to my growing rap sheet as a criminal.

Everything Magnus pulls out is wrapped in fabric. Once he empties the crate, he returns it to the ground and looks back at me.

“My power gives me an advantage in this line of work. While some could try to use charms to glean what magical properties these items may hold, I can discern them by feeling the aura of power around them.”

He unwraps an item the size of my hand to reveal a beautiful comb. It looks to be made from some kind of iridescent stone. Like moonstone, only a hundred times more brilliant.

I raise a brow. “Let me guess, the comb is cursed to make the user go bald?”

Magnus hovers his hand over it before he smiles back at me. “Fae curses are rarely so blunt. They prefer to wrap their deceits into non-descript items, so the source is more difficult to track. ”

He picks up the comb and holds it up to the light that streams in from a window far above us. “This comb is cursed; you’re right. It will cause infertility to anyone who uses it. Not permanently, mind you. Children are very rare in the Fae Realm, and such a curse would be punishable by extinguishing the entire family line. It only lasts so long as the person uses the comb regularly.”

My eyebrows shoot up. “So, it’s Fae birth control?”

Mental note – steal this comb if I ever have to see Leon again.

Magnus shakes his head. “Close, my little enigma. But like I said, children are rare in the Fae Realm and treasured above all else. The Fae don’t believe in contraception. Instead, I would wager that someone was having a tryst with a non-Fae and that this comb was used as a precaution.”

“But wouldn’t they want the children?” I ask, frowning.

Magnus shakes his head as he re-wraps the comb. “Full-blooded Fae are cherished. Half-breeds are considered abominations.”

I grind my teeth together at hearing that yet another realm has serious issues with their thinking.

At my expression, Magnus hurries to add, “But never you fear,” he pauses to look me up and down and winks. “I do not share their reservations about inter-species breeding.”

Right, even in the black market, Magnus was a flirt. It seems that hasn’t changed. Blushing at his implication, I focus on the next item, eager to move the conversation away from this topic. “What’s next?”

Magnus quickly moves through the other wrapped items. There are a lot of knives, a bracelet, a few forks, and a goblet. All are ornate, but most hold no magic. Although the goblet was spelled to glow if it holds poison, which sounds handy.

Finally, Magnus moves on to the last item from the box. He opens the cloth to reveal a small blue-green pendant, set on a long golden chain. My eyes fixate on the stone and how the colors shift from blue to green, as if it were alive.

“Well, that one has to be magical,” I note, smiling.

Magnus holds his hand above it before picking up the chain. His eyes flit between me and the stone. “You’re right. It is spelled, but not with a curse. The necklace holds a charm. The pendant will heat when the wearer is told a lie.”

That has my full attention. “It’s a lie detector?”

Magnus nods. “You should hold on to this one. Something tells me you are in need of more clarity in your life.”

I purse my lips. I should say no to such a precious gift – it’s too much. But at the same time, Magnus is absolutely right. I know not everyone around me is being honest, and I have no idea who to trust.

Noting my hesitation, Magnus lifts the necklace, placing it over my head. “I insist. No doubt you’re concerned about being in Morgana’s castle. And while I can assure you that you’re safe with us, hopefully, this necklace will help you to see that we are genuine in our intentions.”

The necklace sits over my oversized shirt, and I pick it up, taking a closer look at the stone.

“Thank you,” I answer, my heart warming .

“You are very welcome, little enigma,” Magnus answers before tilting his chin at the pendant. “Place it under your shirt so you can feel the heat if you are lied to.”

I do as he says, and the pendant sits between my breasts. The chain feels cool against my skin. “How will I know it’s working?”

Magnus’ eyes dance. “I find you utterly revolting.”

Instantly, the pendant starts to heat against my skin. Not warm enough to burn, but enough to be noticeable.

My cheeks heat. “Thank you, again.”

This is the most thoughtful gift I’ve ever received. If anything, my lie detector swag will go a long way in keeping me alive.

Best gift ever.

Magnus looks like he’s about to say something that will make the necklace heat up again, when a voice calls from the doorway.

“Oh, there you are,” Rosie says, looking much less anxious now that she isn’t next to the murder forest or the murder man.

I can’t say I blame her.

“I’ve been looking all over for you. I’m so happy Sin didn’t scare you into running away or hiding in your room,” she adds, skipping over to us.

I stiffen, not wanting to lie about the fact that running away is still very much on the table, but Rosie continues, saving me from having to say anything, “I’m glad you realize Sin won’t hurt you. None of us will.”

Magnus shoots a pointed look at my chest, and it takes me a moment to realize he’s tipping me off that the necklace didn’t heat. Rosie isn’t lying .

My posture relaxes a bit, relieved that at least in Rosie’s eyes, I’m perfectly safe.

“Where is our resident lord of frowns?” Magnus asks, his lip quirking up. There’s enough affection in his tone to indicate that he likes Sin.

Shocking.

Rosie shrugs. “He said he had important business to attend to. He’s gone.”

“He left?” I ask, not bothering to mask my irritation.

Of course, why would my kidnapper bother sticking around? According to him, I’m not important enough to warrant any consideration for my time.

I huff, and Rosie gives me an apologetic smile. “I wish I could say he’s gone to get Morgana, but Sin isn’t exactly forthcoming with what he does.”

Magnus cackles. “Forthcoming? I am surprised he even told you he was leaving.”

Rosie raises her eyebrows and grins mischievously as she tilts her chin at me. “Only because he asked me to keep an eye on our mortal. I have a feeling Vivian gave him a run for his money this afternoon.”

Magnus gasps. “Well now I simply must hear this story. Vivian, darling, won’t you join us for dinner?”

At his words, I remember I haven’t eaten a thing today and am starving. I shrug. “Sure, why not?”

We follow Rosie to the dining room that I walked by earlier. It’s a smaller table than the one at Leon’s castle, and the room has an intimate, warm feeling. The table has eight seats, though there are only three place settings. There are dishes piled high with meats, vegetables, bread, pitchers of water, and what I think is wine .

Rosie takes a seat and points to the chair to her right, just beside the head of the table. I take the seat, and Magnus sits in front of us.

I eye the food, trying to figure out if it’s different from the human realm. Do the other realms have chicken?

Rosie must sense my hesitation because she starts adding scoops of whatever she’s taking onto my plate as well. “Don’t worry, I’ve had mortal food before, and I promise this tastes better.”

Dinner is more fun than I expected. As Rosie promised, the food is some of the best I’ve ever tasted. The conversation stays light and friendly, and Magnus has a great time laughing at my earlier escape.

Rosie and Magnus purposefully avoid asking me anything about my being Leon’s Keeper, and instead, I get to listen to them poke fun at each other’s jobs. I learn that Rosie works in the gardens, which she’s promised to show me tomorrow, where she grows medicinal plants.

Magnus’ job is less of a mystery. He sells items in the black market but also has a gift for ‘retrieving’ difficult to obtain items. After our afternoon with the stolen Fae goods, I’m ready to assume that by ‘retrieve,’ he means ‘steal.’

Magnus tells me about snake shifters and their magical abilities. His species are rare, and Magnus’ ability to sense magical auras is even less common. Most snake shifters sense emotions.

“My species is highly empathetic,” he finishes.

I’m nursing a glass of wine, thoroughly sated, and the alcohol gives me a little bit of liquid courage to ask the question that’s been nagging at me since I first met him. “So, when you say snake shifter – do you actually turn into a snake?”

Magnus’ pupils change to slits, and he licks his lips.

My attention locks onto his tongue.

Right – a forked tongue. I almost forgot about that.

“Why don’t you come back to my room, and I can show you exactly what I can change?” Magnus answers suggestively.

I cough before answering, “No thanks, I’m good here.”

His answer brings up a biology fact I really wish I could forget.

Snakes have two penises.

Yup. I did not need to learn that in the tenth grade.

Magnus winks before adding, “Of course, my darling enigma, you must be exhausted after your adventures today.”

Rosie shakes her head, smiling, before standing. “I’ll show you the way back, Vivian.”

I stand, maybe a little too quickly, before turning back to Magnus, who is still seated, nursing his own wine glass.

“Goodnight,” I say, not meeting his eyes.

“I apologize if I made you uncomfortable, Vivian. It was not my intent,” Magnus notes, pausing my escape. “I do find you very alluring. Your taste is not an easy one to forget. But I am honorable. I would not touch you unless you wanted me to.”

My chest loosens, and I realize I was holding my breath. “Thank you. I, uhm, I’ve… ”

“You don’t owe me an explanation, darling. Goodnight, little enigma,” Magnus says.

I turn, and Rosie leads me down the hallway.

“I hope that wasn’t too unsettling. Snake shifters are very forward with their affection,” she notes, pausing at the base of a staircase, “but Magnus is harmless, I promise.”

Again, I know she is telling the truth, and I relax. Now that I know Magnus isn’t a threat, I can deal with the flirting. Conner gave me all the practice I needed.

I smile back at her. “Thank you for checking. I’m okay, really.”

“I’m so happy to hear that. Do you know how to get to your room from here? These stairs go directly to the third floor, and your door is the third one. Otherwise, I’m happy to walk you up.”

“Yeah, I can make it. I appreciate your help today,” I add.

“Of course! Like I said, I think we have a lot in common, and I really hope we can become good friends,” Rosie adds, looking hopeful.

“I’d like that.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful! Well, I’m going to go because I know I tend to go on and on, and you look exhausted. Goodnight, Vivian!” Rosie says before twirling in the air to head down another hallway.

As I make my way up the stairs, my brain is once again without distractions. The dark thoughts are quick to creep in, each feeling like a stab to my gut.

I don’t deserve Rosie’s friendship. Neither Rosie nor Magnus has lied to me, but could I really blame them if they did? After all, I’m a liar and a murderer .

Reaching my door, I pause. Instead of going straight to my room, I eye the second door, directly in front of mine. It would probably be a good idea to know if someone is sleeping across from me. Though I assume I’m in the castle’s guest wing. That sounds like a castle-type thing to have.

Still, I’d rather be sure.

Testing the knob, I’m relieved to find it isn’t locked. It opens easily, and I’m struck by the familiar scent of woodsmoke.

Well, shit. Sin’s room is directly across from mine.

I’d say that I’m surprised, but I’m really not. I bet he’s here to ensure I don’t try anything stupid like slitting someone’s throat in their sleep.

Would slitting a Destroyer’s throat even kill them? I’m doubting it.

I should leave. This is an intrusion on his privacy.

But my heart is pounding from the thrill of being somewhere I shouldn’t be, and the reverberating beat drowns out my dark thoughts.

I’m not going anywhere.

Besides, if Sin didn’t want me to go through his room, he should have locked the door. Or, more accurately, he shouldn’t have kidnapped me.

His room is bigger than the one I’ve been given. There’s a door to my left that I assume holds a washroom. Further in, there are large windows, with a glass door that opens out to a stone balcony. Soft light from the setting sun spills into the room, adding to the ambiance .

The bed is a four poster like mine, only about twice the size. It’s also covered in a large, soft-looking blanket. I walk over and feel the material. It’s cozy and warm.

The thought has me remembering that I shredded all my blankets to make my blanket rope. I chew on my lower lip, considering whether I’m ready to commit another theft.

After the way Sin invaded my personal space today, I know he puts off a lot of body heat. There’s no way he needs this blanket. I, on the other hand, will freeze to death tonight if I don’t find new bedding.

Deciding I’m not in the mood to die, I strip the blanket off the bed, bundling it up in my arms.

I definitely don’t smell it.

That would be weird.

I’ve always liked the smell of woodsmoke, though.

Men are making me crazy.

The room is deathly quiet, making me paranoid that Sin will be back any minute and catch me in the act. While I think antagonizing him might help convince him to leave me somewhere else in the realm, I’d rather it wasn’t a deadly place. So, I hurry out of his room.

Once back in the safety of my own room, I throw my new treasure onto my bed, impressed with my handiwork.

I bet Sin won’t even notice it’s gone.