50 Zealotry

Despite the turquoise-haired woman's good performance, Samael was adamant that she was to blame, and nothing could make him change his mind. 

"If you're so sure it was me, then…" Her voice sounded low and soft as if she was thinking about something carefully.

Then the woman opened her hand and the lezaali peeked out from the flared sleeve of her robe. The viper, now gray like the woman's garments, chirped, then spat a black marble onto her palm.

An eerie shiver ran through Duman's body at the sight of the lezaali.

He had believed that the viper had returned to its nest, but he had never thought that it would be hiding in the veiled woman's sleeve like a normal, harmless pet.

Worst of all, for the entire trip so far, that deadly beast had been inches from his neck and shoulders.

Thinking of that made goosebumps rise on his skin and the chills worsened.