Kisses From Death | Book 1

F O U R T E E N

F O U R T E E N
Let's Play A Game

"SO WHAT NOW?" Cassiel asked, eyeing the frozen body of water in front of us.

We were finally out in the freezing open air, with wintry winds blowing at us from every single direction. As the frost nipped at my skin, I automatically curled my sweater closer towards my body, attempting to preserve as much heat as humanly possible.

There were three boats out in the open, two normal fishing boats and a single yacht that was frozen mid-rock from the waves, as if the winter had abruptly attacked the waters, causing such a reaction. Though the two fishing boats were nearer to the dock, the yacht was situated just slightly away, only accessible if we went over the ice. The writing on the side of the yacht placed a scowl on my face as I assessed the damage done to it.

Of course, of all the rich folk in town, of all the yachts that could possibly be stuck on the dock, it just had to be the one that belonged to my family. I cringed a little when I thought about how bloodstained and destroyed the inside of the yacht probably was.

It had taken a great deal for us to reach here. After Death's attack in the corridors, my legs felt weak and without a single ounce of strength. It had taken Cassiel a few minutes before he realized. At that point, he turned back, wordlessly pulling my arm over his shoulders before hoisting me up onto his back so that he could piggyback me towards the docks.

Cassiel walked down the hallways with great ease, even while carrying me on his back. He navigated his way through the many corridors as if he had the entire place memorized in his heart like the back of his hand. I did not know if he was moving on just pure instincts or that he seemed to know the place a little better than I did. All the while, I was examining the white pistol with heightened interest. There was a little indent by the handle, probably damaged when I had dropped to the ground while wrestling one of Death's projections. We eventually reached within a few mere minutes. After that, he dropped me back down to my, thankfully, now-working feet.

"We cross," I grumbled with fierce determination, placing a foot on the ice as I heard it crackle lightly from my weight. "Goodness me, I'm not that heavy, am I?"

"No actually." Cassiel's voice had the hint of a smile, but I had not looked back to confirm that assumption. "You were actually quite light. Easy to carry. Are you sure you're eating properly?"

"It's time to which you ought to learn never to criticize a girl's weight, Cassiel."

Cursing under my breath, I prayed for the best before placing my other foot forward, and when the crack of the ice became visible, I took a deep breath before I muttered a prayer.

My prayers, as usual, were not heard.

The ice started to split from under pressure, collapsing beneath my feet as I let out a yelp, racing across the ice as best as I could without slipping before leaping onto the yacht, landing with a loud thud. The distance was not that big of a deal, probably attainable with a great mighty leap, even. But my little decision to play safe and run on the ice had turned out to be not too safe anymore. With the layer of ice gone, Cassiel was still on deck, his eyes wide with shock as he glanced at me right after eyeing the ice.

"You alright?"

"Bit of a nasty shock but I'm okay. A little bit of ice isn't going to kill me." I nodded.

"Okay. Stand back, then. I'm coming over."

"No!" My eyes widened as I eyed the freezing waters, shaking my head slightly. "It's too dangerous. The deck is slippery and you might slip and hit your head if you were to land improperly. Just stay where you are and just guard the place, keep an eye out for the four horsemen. I'll be out soon, no worries."