Free Saffron by Taige Crenshaw and Aliyah Burke Page B

out.” A flicker of something flashed across his face. “I’m … I’m sorry about my brother.”
    Kenric sat forward, laying the rifle on the floor beside his foot. “You’re sorry?”
    “Yes. I should have known he would try something and when Saffron told me about the map mix-up and the deliberate attempts to harm the crew, I just…I feel horrible.”
    “Saffron told you?”
    “Yes. She met me here this morning. And she told me that Frank died in a trap of his own making.” Kade ran a hand over his face. “I don’t know what I’ll tell Mom and Dad. They never saw what everyone else did.”
    Kade continued but Kenric lost focus. Saffron was here. His skin prickled at the thought of seeing her one more time. Maybe he could convince her to sleep with him while he caught a few Zs. Wait, I’m still mad at her, right?
    “Look, you’re exhausted—why don’t you get some sleep and then we’ll talk some more. I’ve got to get out to the site and check it out myself.”
    Kenric nodded, not taking offence. It was just Kade’s way to be short and to the point. “Flare is out there so he can show you around.”
    “Excellent.” He stood. “You look like hell. Get some sleep.”
    A wry smile crossed his face. “Thanks, man.” Rifle in hand he got to his feet as well. “Where’s Saffron?” he asked .
    Black brows lifted. “I thought you knew. She left on the other chopper when it went back to the airport. She’s off to some other destination.” A clap on his shoulder and Kade was gone, leaving him alone with the news.
    In a mixture of disbelief and anger, he stumbled to his room and fell face first on his rack.
    Gone. She was gone.
    Saffron!
     
    She reclined in the leather seat of the first class cabin. Saffron Eshe, better known as Qetesh, closed her eyes against the pain that radiated inside her heart and soul. He’d lied. After Kenric had seen what she could do, he avoided her only to follow for a confrontation later on.
    Was that really how it went? her brain questioned.
    She sniffed indignantly and opened her eyes to find the bottle of vodka sitting on her tray. She poured it into the cup of grapefruit juice, stirred it, and downed the Greyhound. Now he has me questioning how it went.
    Lolling her head to the left, she stared out of the window at the passing brilliant blue sky. When she’d gone back to the camp, she’d expected to find him in their room. But Kenric hadn’t been there. So she’d done something no other human had got her to do—she went looking for him. Her hurt had lessened a bit when she’d found him pulling guard duty. A bit—not fully.
    What was I expecting? Him to drop to his knees and beg me to stay? Okay, so maybe she had been. She didn’t like the anger, though.
    Do you know why he was mad? her subconscious questioned.
    The logical part of her brain said it was because she’d not told him sooner who she was. The arrogant goddess part said it was because he couldn’t accept her as she was. An immortal. A goddess. His superior.
    She snorted and rolled her eyes. Some superior I am — all it took was a touch from him, and I damn near forgot everything but the feel of his skin on mine.
    When the plane landed in Cairo, Egypt, she got off and walked outside, her sole bag slung over her shoulder. She meandered along, no set destination in mind, peering at the stalls that lined the streets and picking up a trinket here and there.
    Eventually, she turned down a narrow street and just vanished. When she reappeared, she was out in the wilds of Egypt, no people around, just sand. A smile filled her face as she sank her toes into the warm sand. Her wounded heart began to heal.
    This was home. She tipped her head back and absorbed the sun’s powerful rays. Readjusting the strap of her bag, she set off across the sand. She made her way to the Qattara Depression and walked, unseen to the mortal eye, across its sandy region. There were marshes and salt lakes, which made it