Queen's Shadow || Kingdom at the End of the World - Book II

[10] Bonds of Blood

Gabriel opened his eyes and immediately wished that he was still unconscious. His head throbbed terribly, his body is a mess of aches, and the pillow in his arms kept wiggling. The demon turned his attention there with some confusion.

Xiang Yi glared up at him, his expression one of silent suffering.

Gabriel blinked a few times, trying to focus through the haze that had fallen over his eyes. His lashes brushed against Xiang Yi's cheek, making the man shiver.

"You did not need to knock me out to get me into bed," Gabriel said.

Xiang Yi twitched, visibly restraining himself from lashing out.

Gabriel smirked. He pulled Xiang Yi close and rolled on top of him, ignoring the man's grumbled protests and the sharp pain in his own chest. Xiang Yi smelled nice. Gabriel closed his eyes and turned his face into the man's neck, nosing at the collar of his robes until he reached skin. Slim fingers carded through Gabriel's hair after a moment of hesitation. Gabriel arched into the touch.

"Helcat," Xiang Yi murmured, "Never met another who fit the moniker better."

"I miss you," Gabriel said softly.

Xiang Yi stilled. Gabriel nudged against his hand with a plaintive whine. Xiang Yi resumed his careful petting, but his body remained tense.

"What happened?" Gabriel said.

"You do not remember?" Xiang Yi asked.

"I remember shouting at Rae," Gabriel said. "Did she finally decide to murder me for my insolence?"

"Rae did not touch you. You would have deserved it if she had, mind," Xiang Yi huffed.

Gabriel frowned in thought. He recalled his report on matters in Samodevia – the twin serpents, Beaufort Manor, Ira Hale and her unorthodox parentage. Rae had been less than forthcoming about her thoughts. Gabriel, already agitated, was not able to resist bringing up the matter with Dimitri. The conversation quickly devolved into shouting, despite Carmen and Xiang Yi's best efforts to keep Rae and Gabriel civil.

Then, there was an awful burst of pain, and the world bled to black.

"You fainted," Xiang Yi said.

Gabriel tried to smother himself in the soft silk of Xiang Yi's robes.

"Rae caught you before you hit the floor," Xiang Yi continued mercilessly, ignoring the demon's groan of shame.

"Why does my head feel as if it has been torn out and poorly reattached, then?" Gabriel grumbled.

Xiang Yi tugged at a tuft of red hair. "You will have to tell me. Rae carried you here – in perfect health, may I add. I came in a few hours ago and found you imitating a drowned corpse."

"So you decided to join me?" Gabriel asked, unable to resist needling the other man no matter the situation at hand.

Xiang Yi puffed out his cheeks in irritation. "I tried to pull the covers over you. You grabbed me and pulled me down. And did not wake up," the man snapped.

Gabriel's smile dimmed at the distress in Xiang Yi's voice. His state must have been frightening, to illicit such a response from the stoic man.

"You truly remember nothing?" Xiang Yi asked.

"I..." Gabriel frowned, "I believe I dreamed of something."

The demon focused inward, attempting to stitch the fragments of what he had assumed a particularly vivid nightmare into a coherent whole. A shock went through him, and pain so intense it doubled him over.