“Why do you think the last God vanished?” Emry asked.

Ezekiel rubbed the back of his head. He didn’t really know, and he was certain the book would answer her questions. She started asking him questions the past couple of days. Perhaps it was her way of checking to see if he really was paying attention, and he was ever since she tried to kill him. He didn’t want another situation like that on his hands. She snapped her fingers twice. A heavy sigh escaped his lips.

“Can’t you just read the book aloud to find out?” Ezekiel asked. He turned his gaze towards the book. The gold letters disappeared from view whenever he looked at it directly. Though, lately they’ve been lasting longer. He could read a quick few sentences here and there if he paid close enough attention. It helped a lot more when Emry was seated next to him with the book, instead of across the table.

“I want to know what you think, not just what the book says.” She inhaled sharply. “So, why do you think the last God vanished?”

Ezekiel groaned. Another sigh escaped his lips. If she just continued reading, she would have had the answer by now. “I think whatever the book says.”

“Hmph.” She turned the page. He could make out the word immortality. She began to read: “The last God gave its immortality to the Tralechs.” Emry stopped. Ezekiel met her gaze. He arched a brow, waiting for her to continue. “I think I’m going to stop there for the day. I’m hungry and would like some food.” The minute she said those words, an anger rose in Ezekiel.

His brows furrowed. “Continue,” he commanded.

“No.” She shut the book. A detestable smirk covered her face.

“Please.” He pleaded, desperate for the knowledge she was speaking. He yanked the book from her hands and opened it to where she left off. “You can see the words. Tell me what it says.” He jabbed his finger into the page. His eyes turned to her.

“How about no?” Emry smacked her lips together. “Put the book away for me while you’re at it.” She turned on her heels and walked to the door. Her shoes clacked with each step.

Ezekiel clenched his fist. Gold flashed on the page for a quick second. His eyes caught glimpses of the words: “Immortality taken because of sacrifice.” A smirk covered his face as he got what he needed for now. His hunger for knowledge was satiated. He was fine with waiting another day for Emry to reveal what the rest of the page said. The information would taste much sweeter tomorrow.

He walked to the shelf and placed the book into its perfect slot between the wall of the shelf and the other books. His steps were quick as he ran to the staircase. He quickly caught up to Emry.

She just stood at the top of the stairs, head faced forward as if she was watching something. Her eyes tracked something. Ezekiel stepped to the side to see what she was infatuated with.

“Shh,” Emry whispered. She held her fingers up to Ezekiel’s lip before he could say anything, silencing him further. A rabbit stood in the centre of the library. It looked like every other rabbit that entered the forest. There was nothing special about it. Ezekiel couldn’t ask her why she stopped since she was too busy watching it. If he spoke, he knew she’d hit him, and after last week, he didn’t want to deal with that.

He had to admit watching the rabbit was a beautiful sight. It hopped along the marble floor, stopping at the patches of grass that forced its way through. It nibbled on the edges of the greenery before hopping to the next. Ezekiel let out a snort as it tripped over its own feet as it found its prize: clover. He turned to Emry.

“I can see why you like watching it,” he said through her finger.

“I told you to shush,” Emry said.

The rabbit’s ears flickered. It picked up its nose and sniffed the air. Ezekiel held its breath. He wanted to see what this rabbit would do. He released his breath when the rabbit went back to eating the clover.

“Did you get scared that it would see you?” Emry asked, a hint of teasing laced in her voice.

“No.” His brows furrowed. He wasn’t scared, just wanted to see what the rabbit would do. It was strange that it got this far into the library, even stranger that it didn’t succumb to the forest’s sap. He stepped out of the shadow and approached the rabbit slowly.

The rabbit turned its head to Ezekiel. Its nose twitched. It was small, unlike the rabbit in that forest all those days ago. The lapin took a step backwards; its ears pressed against its head. As Ezekiel took another step forward, it turned around and dashed for the nearby exit through the pile of rubble.

A chuckle came from Emry. Her laughter grew in volume. She clutched the sides of her ribcage. The sound was both melodious and frustrating.

Ezekiel growled and walked towards the exit.

“I’m not sorry. You’re just hilarious. Did you really think the rodent wouldn’t scare off the minute you entered its line of sight?” Emry asked. He turned to face her. She wiped the tears from her eyes.

“Would it be so wrong if I thought it wouldn’t?” He quirked an eyebrow.

She burst out into laughter again. Gods above, that sound is annoying. He couldn’t help but join her in her laughter. It felt nice and comfortable. He couldn’t remember the last time he laughed like this. It was freeing to finally let go of his restraint and show some emotion. He glanced at Emry. She looked beautiful under the glow of the sunset.

Ezekiel turned his gaze away. His laughter ended as he walked towards the exit. “It’s a lagomorph, not a rodent,” he called.

“Always have to have the last word!” Emry responded.

===

The entrance back into town was uncomfortable. Tralechs and humans alike surrounded Ezekiel and Emry as they entered the village. Azuriel was front and centre. Her blue tail wagged back and forth, and there was a devious sparkle in her eyes. She held out her hands to Ezekiel and Emry.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Emry looked to Ezekiel. “What do I do?” she mouthed.

Ezekiel shrugged. “Follow my lead.” He grabbed her hand before she could grab Azuriel’s. The idea of her holding another Tralech’s hand bothered him, and he definitely didn’t want her to hold Azuriel’s. She was sneaky and would do something strange. There was no doubt in his mind about that.

The warmth Emry radiated from her hand was nice to feel. Her hand was soft and delicate. It felt like a simple cut would cause it to bleed greatly. He wanted it all to himself. He wouldn’t let another human or Tralech hold her hand.

Azuriel led them into the restaurant where Emry and him first met. People got up from their tables and flocked to the trio. Azuriel smiled and quickly moved, taking Ezekiel and Emry to a secluded section. She slammed the door. The noise of the restaurant was muffled and it was almost more enjoyable in this room.

She released Ezekiel’s hand. The tip of her tail flicked back and forth. The look on her face said it all: she was plotting something. “Are you two together?” Azuriel blurted out.

The question was not what Ezekiel expected. In fact, it almost made him laugh, had it not been for Emry’s response.

“Yes, we are.” A coy smile crossed her lips. She became the most annoying person in the room immediately, though it wasn’t much of a competition.

“I knew it!” Azuriel cheered. She smiled and immediately left the room, before coming back in. “How did you two end up together? Who fell first? Did you two kiss yet?’

Ezekiel rubbed his forehead with his hand.

“He fell first. We haven’t kissed. Working together is what brought us together,” Emry said. The lies rolled off her tongue with ease. Azuriel looked at her as if they were the truth. A beaming smile cloaked her face.

Ezekiel couldn’t help but feel disgust towards Emry and Azuriel’s reaction. Emry was everything Ezekiel feared, a master manipulator and someone who takes advantage of others. He hooked his arm around Emry’s. The touch was repulsive. And to think he enjoyed the warmth she radiated earlier? Bile entered his mouth, but he forced it down.

“Emry and I have to talk,” Ezekiel said through a forced smile. He opened the door. “Ladies first.” Venom was laced into his voice. Emry walked out the door and into the crowd of chattering people. “Now, my love life is for me to know alone. So if any of you would like to be dragged out into the forest and left for the monsters, you’ll clear a path for me and Emry, and then leave us be. Permanently.” He smiled again and cocked his head to the side.

The crowd separated into two distinct groups: humans and Tralechs. They nodded as Emry and Ezekiel walked past. Ezekiel’s grip on Emry’s hand was strong. She had a knowing smirk on her face. She knew what she did and the trouble it caused him. It was a habit of hers, and it pressed every single one of Ezekiel’s buttons. She didn’t need to try to press a nerve on Ezekiel anymore. He was annoyed by her the moment she woke up to the moment she slept. Today, she was exceptionally irritable. Answering Azuriel’s questions and lying to her face was a few actions Ezekiel could think of that annoyed him. Laughing at him about the rabbit was another. And finally, not telling him what the book said about immortality. He should kick her out of his house the moment they get to it. Except that would cause even more issues. He was certain she knew that.

They left the restaurant, finally free of it’s ever growing crowd. Ezekiel looked back at it, taking note to not visit it for a few days, or maybe a week. A shame since its food was delicious, but he would rather starve than deal with the consequences of Emry’s decisions. He pulled her along with him. He could feel her glaring at him, but he didn’t care. She can suffer a little bit for the amount of suffering she caused him.

All through the walk of the village, Tralechs and humans alike stared at them. The two of them were about as unusual as the rabbit in the library. Even when they arrived at Ezekiel’s house, people still watched. He pulled the door open and smiled as she entered. He slammed the door behind him and locked it.

“We need to talk,” Ezekiel said. He sat on a chair by the counter.

“About?” Emry asked.

“The lies you spewed at Azuriel. Others were listening in too. You knew this. Why are you telling the village that we’re together?” Ezekiel tapped his fingers against the counter. Each tap was subduing what anger he had. He knew he should have taken it out on her since it would have been deserved. But he’ll wait and see what she has to say, not that anything she would say would be justifiable.

“Because it made sense. I go to the library with you every day. I sleep at your house at night. Would you rather me say we aren’t together and ruin your reputation far more than if we were dating?” Emry snapped. Ezekiel took a step back. He knew she didn’t actually care about his reputation.

“I would have rather you kept your mouth shut than speak anything at all. Azuriel and the others would have left us alone if you didn’t say anything.” His voice echoed through the halls. “You know nothing since you just showed up. You are a fool!”

“Is it a fool that finds the part of the library you have been seeking?”

“I would have found it!”

“Before or after your death?!” Her eyes narrowed into slits. Her words were venom. They were as vicious as they were true.

He let out a low growl and slammed his fist against the table. “It is a fool that travels through the forest without a guide. It is a fool that spins lies and tales. You are like those bards that sing stories, only worse because I have to live with you and your actions.” Ezekiel spat out each word. He rose to his feet and walked towards the dimly lit hallway. “And it is a fool who gains satisfaction over the suffering of the others.”

“You think I enjoy seeing you suffer? That its amusing?” Emry asked. She sounded hurt, or it was a ploy to win over Ezekiel and make him apologise. He wasn’t sure which, but he wasn’t going to fall for her traps.

“I have seen no proof to show me otherwise.” He turned towards her. “You made me drunk and then kissed me. You nearly killed me. You read a book and stop when it gets to the part I so desperately want to hear about. There’s your wretched smile on your face at all times when you do something like this. Am I to believe you don’t enjoy my suffering?”

“We were both drunk when we kissed. The only difference is you have it in your head that you can’t feel whatever it is you feel for me. You haven’t even looked me in the eyes since this fight started, since we got to the village. Not even with our time spent in the library together.” Her words struck a chord with Ezekiel. She was right: he didn’t want to feel whatever it is he felt for Emry. It was like a storm that hasn’t stopped its torrential rainfall for days, wiping away the land and life. It was a tsunami that destroyed everything in its way. She was dangerous because he felt something for her.

“Argh!” He turned on his heels, walking towards his room. “You’re wrong!” He opened his door, and slammed it as soon as he entered. She’s wrong. He grinded his teeth together. She’s wrong, he thought over and over again as he stripped out of all but his underwear. He sat in his bed and cupped his head.

“I don’t like her. I hate her. She’s annoying and stupid and beautiful,” Ezekiel mumbled. He blinked slowly as he realised what he just said. “She’s beautiful… She’s like the embodiment of evening. And I like her, from the way she speaks and the way she presents herself.” He lied down on his bed, feet dangling over the edge. The moon light casted its glow on his face. “I like her,” he whispered. It felt right and confusing.

How did he even fall for her in the first place? She nearly killed him. And it was right after she seduced him into kissing her and letting her live in his house. Gods above, I’m not meant to fall in love with a human, a mortal. He rubbed his brow. Emry really did infiltrate his plans. He had to get rid of her before his infatuation took a turn for the worse.