Gilded Serpent by Danielle Jensen (top 10 novels txt) 📕

a burning stick out of the fire and ground out the flames on the rock. Then he started writing a series of numbers and letters. “Each path-hunter is given a personal code, as well as provided with the code assigned to the genesis stem he’s exploring. This one belongs to the man who found us in Arinoquia. His name was Nonus. And this is the code for the stem in Bardeen. You’ll also need to provide them with as much detail as you can as to where the genesis stem we took in the city is located, as well as where it landed us in Sibern.” He lifted his head. “It was shelter number 203.”

She didn’t answer.

“This number”—he wrote 37–1519—“is mine.”

As if that number wasn’t burned into her soul. Even if she lived to a ripe old age, on her deathbed, she’d be able to close her eyes and see it tattooed across his golden skin. “Thanks for the reminder.”

“This code”—he wrote another series of letters and numbers—“means I’ve delegated you to deliver a message.”

“This is stupid. I’m never going to be able to remember all of this.”

“You have to.”

“And just who am I supposed to be giving these to?” she asked. “Cassius? Call me crazy, but I somehow doubt that he’s going to hold to our agreement if I show up without you in tow. He’ll probably just have one of his lackeys slit my throat and stuff me in a sewer drain.”

Marcus flinched, then tossed the stick back on the fire as though he were trying to hide the reaction.

“Don’t go to Cassius,” he finally said. “Disguise yourself when you enter the city, and then arrange to speak with my sister Cordelia.”

Teriana sat up straight in surprise.

“She’s married to Senator Tiberius Egnatius. Tell her everything.” He met her gaze. “She’s deeply opposed to Cassius. She’ll help you.”

“Given that the information about the xenthier paths is what Cassius wants, that seems counterintuitive.”

“She’s against the imprisonment of your people, so for their sakes, she’ll help.” Marcus sighed. “And if you must, tell her about us. For my sake, she’ll do it.”

“You haven’t seen her since you went to the legions, Marcus. You’re banking an awful lot on stale sentiment.”

“She sneaked into Lescendor dozens of times to visit me while I was in training. And I spoke to her the night before we left for the Dark Shores. If she’s alive, she’ll help you. Cordelia is no coward.”

Realization flashed through her. “That’s the woman you were talking to while I was trying to rescue my mother.”

“Yes.” He turned his head away. “She was trying to convince me not to go, among other things.”

What other things?

“If for some reason you can’t get to her, travel to Campus Lescendor and ask to speak to Commandant Wex. Don’t use my name; just send a note saying that the library mouse needs a favor. He’ll help you.”

Teriana stared at the codes he’d written, feeling them sink into her memory despite her best intentions. To have them there felt so final, because she no longer needed him to get her people free. But that didn’t mean she didn’t need him in a hundred other ways. A hot tear dribbled down her cheek, and she brushed it away angrily. “You’re giving up, then?”

“No.” He rested his chin on his knees, the flames sending shadows dancing across his face. “I’ll keep going. But there are”—he coughed—“eight more bridges like that one. Me having another attack is inevitable. Even if I don’t fall, having attack after attack is going to kill me. You need to be prepared.”

Cool. Pragmatic. Logical.

“You don’t need me,” he said.

Teriana didn’t. Not to survive this, not to make it to Celendrial. Not to force Cassius to hold to the letter of their agreement. But her heart needed him. “Maybe not, but I most certainly want you. And if you even think of presuming to tell me what I do or do not want, I’ll push you off the side of a cliff.”

Marcus didn’t laugh. Instead, he squeezed his eyes shut, his throat moving as he swallowed, cool pragmatism gone and replaced with something that was worse.

“Don’t,” she whispered, then closed the distance between them, her knees on either side of him, pulling him against her. A shudder ran through him, then he relaxed, his forehead resting against her shoulder. “We’ll see what morning brings, all right? We both need sleep, but you especially.”

His head nodded against her in acknowledgment, but he didn’t let go of her. Instead, he pulled her down into his lap, their bodies pressed together. Lifting a hand, he cupped her face, his thumb stroking her cheek, his eyes searching hers.

Then he kissed her.

It was slow and sweet, pulling a whimper from her lips. But then it turned harder, his tongue chasing over hers, one hand tangling in her hair, the other sliding over the curve of her bottom. She closed her eyes, heat filling her as his teeth caught at her bottom lip, causing her to rock her hips against him. Wanting more. Wanting everything.

But then he paused, both of them breathing the same air, hearts pounding the same rhythm. “Don’t stop,” she whispered. “Please don’t stop.”

The kiss he gave her was again sweet. Gentle. And it felt more like a good-bye than anything he could possibly have said.

“We’ll make a decision in the morning,” he said, lifting her off him. “Get some rest, Teriana.”

Her stomach hollowed as she curled up in his arms, silent tears dripping down her cheeks. Waiting. Waiting, for his breathing to deepen into sleep. Only then did she shift, fingers moving over him to slip into his belt pouch, deftly sorting through the contents until she found what she was looking for.

There was no one else in the world like him. No one else capable of making her feel like this. She loved him, and she wasn’t going to gods-damned let him go without a fight.

Teriana rose just before dawn, easing Marcus’s head out of