Chapter 480: My Soul To Keep
I woke up with the worst taste in my mouth—like bug legs and bad decisions. I could have sworn that I still felt the humidity from that dark place like a physical layer on my skin. Shuddering, wondering if I should take a shower, I realized that I was back home.
Groaning, I blinked open one eye, then shut it just as fast when I realized the room was too bright, my blanket was missing, and I was currently being used as a teddy bear.
"Why is it always me?" I mumbled, rolling my face into the nearest warm surface. "I just granted a wish. That should’ve cleared my damn quota for the month. Maybe even the year. Can’t a girl catch a break?"
"You were muttering about bugs," came a soft voice near my ear. Luca. Of course, it was Luca. His heartbeat was too steady, too calming to be anyone else. "Did you have a bad dream?"
"More like an interdimensional house call," I grumbled, voice muffled against his chest. "Some bug girl wished for a jungle kingdom, offered up her humanity, and now I’m pretty sure Country X is about to get a new queen with antennae."
Luca didn’t say anything for a moment. Just ran his fingers slowly through my hair. Comforting. Predictable. Dangerous.
"What’s wrong?" I asked, squinting up at him. "Where’s Ronan?"
"He was called away. Papa Khaos wanted help with the old maps—something about ley lines shifting since you split the world. He was going to wake you up to figure out where the line between East and West was drawn, but Ronan threatened to burn down all the maps and the house if you were disturbed. I guess he wanted you to get a much sleep as you needed."
That explained why I’d actually gotten a full nap. Ronan’s threat must’ve made the house realize that it had been going too far lately. It was fantastic that it wasn’t listening to me, but as long as it would listen to the guys, I guess I wouldn’t have to rebuild the whole thing.