Chapter 16
Sixteen
Autumn sat cross-legged in the corner of the cave. Her new permanent dwelling. Her teeth chattered as she blew warm air against her palms. With her stomach full, she grew exhausted and frozen to the core. Every time she closed her eyes, a cold cruel wind whipped by the entrance rattling her bones raw. I’ll never sleep at this rate.
Meanwhile, Armienti lounged at the far end of the cavern. His bare blue chest and muscles glowed in the dancing firelight. Of course he’d discover a minigun in one of the pockets of Valdez’s dead Zexian soldiers after they’d eaten. To be fair, she didn’t remember to check either. She was too busy almost becoming dinner.
He laid down, resting his head against his makeshift pillow.
The scarlet cape he’d stolen from Dante.
“You know, Autumn, you’re more than welcome to join me. There’s enough fire and warmth for both of us to share.” His lips tugged toward a smile in a pretty sort of way.
“Don’t worry about me,” she glared. “I’m fine over here.”
Even though she couldn’t convince herself she would be okay as white mist flowed from her mouth.
“Are you sure?” His long lashes grazed his prominent blue cheekbones, while his lips drooped into a pout. Like she was supposed to feel sorry for him or something.
“Seriously, Armienti, how can you be so calm considering we’re stranded here for all eternity? This is all your fault. To think I trusted you. I thought you were my friend.”
“Well, I have my reasons,” he picked at his nails, appearing disinterested.
“I’d love to hear them,” she muttered. “It’s not like I have any other choice or anyone else to talk to.”
“You’d never understand.”
“Just try me.”
Armienti’s lips moved. “Do you know what it’s like to live your life as a shadow? To never be enough, no matter how hard you try? To toil in the glory and magnificence of everyone around you?”
“Actually, yes, I do,” her teeth chattered, her breath escaping in thick white puffs. “I’ve never been popular at school. I’ve always been delightfully average, taking it day by day, caring for my family, always ending up two steps behind everyone else. I’m not perfect, but I give my all, then something like this happens and I get hit with a shitstorm. Unlike you, however, I know how to make the best of a bad situation. To always be hopeful. I’d never sell anyone out, especially not my own family.”
“Well then you understand why I made the decision I did. I had a glimmering chance to be something more than average and now here we are, back at square one again.”
She folded her arms. “Wait, you can’t be serious. Do you really expect me to feel bad for you after your little plan to overtake Dante with Valdez went awry?”
“I knew I shouldn’t have trusted her. My gut screamed no, but I didn’t have a choice. Working with her was the only way I could’ve gotten what I wanted. What’s rightfully mine.”
“Wait…what do you mean?” She couldn’t believe she was asking. She didn’t care about his answer, but boredom got the best of her.
“I’m the true crown prince. My father was murdered by the former emperor because he was jealous of his station and the weaker of the two siblings, although he was the first born. The Martyne dynasty should’ve been my inheritance. I should’ve been appointed by the Grand Supreme to hail through the universes as the Great Conqueror.”
She crossed her arms tighter as goosebumps consumed her body. “How is any of this Dante’s fault?”
“Well, it’s not actually, but it doesn’t mean I’m any less thrilled about the situation. Wouldn’t you want something that was rightfully yours from birth?”
“To think his own cousin has been conspiring against him the whole time.” Her eyes thinned to slits. “Whatever happened to blood is thicker than water?”
Armienti shook his head. “We’re not cousins actually. We share the same mother, but Dante isn’t aware. I overheard one of her infamous fights with the emperor in passing when I was younger. To think I could’ve had you instead of him.”
Her heart accelerated. A lump fastened itself in her throat. “ Had me? How can you be so sure I would’ve fallen for you?”
The apples of his blue cheeks shifted to pink. Fire danced through the strands of his golden hair. “Trust me, you would’ve, if I’d gotten to you first. But Dante always takes whatever he wants with complete disregard for everyone else. You know that by now, don’t you?”
“Well don’t get any ideas,” she scoffed. “Just because we’re stranded here, it won’t change how I feel about you.”
“Trust me, I’ve had plenty of ideas,” he winked. “The thought of you excites me to no end. But I understand, I owe you respect.”
The wind howled through the cave. Bits of ice fell from her wet, matted hair. As annoyed as she was and as much as she didn’t want to admit, he was right. She’d freeze to death if she didn’t comply.
Although she’d developed and fostered her own set of abilities, generating warmth wasn’t in her skill set.
She got to her feet and marched over to him. Her hand rested on her hip. “Move over and keep your hands and thoughts to yourself.”
Armienti raised his palms in the air, surrendering to her wish. “I’ll be on my best behavior, I promise. Although I’m just saying, it would be much warmer if we slept in each other’s arms. Preferably nude. But only for survival purposes.” He chewed his bottom lip into a smile.
“I’m sleeping with my clothes on, thank you very much, storm or no storm,” she grumbled. “And you’d better not shed even a sock, or else .”
She stretched and yawned shivering from head to toe. Goosebumps prickled over her skin. She was beyond freezing. Autumn crawled next to him rolling onto her side. His hot peppermint breath flowed against her exposed throat.
He wrapped a well-defined arm around her waist. As she laid there in silence, his golden locks tickled the frozen skin of her cheek sending shivers ripping across her limbs.
Autumn closed her eyes. The gentle heaving of his breast relaxed her. She drifted off, all the while pretending he was Dante. She couldn’t help but wonder how he was doing in her absence.