“Sorry, that was uncalled for. Can I explain? Please?”
She pressed her lips into a thin line. “Fine.” Even in anger, she was a masterpiece. If I lost her, I’d never survive.
“I had to relinquish what I worked so hard to achieve. That doesn’t mean I can’t attain it again. It just means I have to let it go for a while.”
Some of the anger fled from her gaze. “That’s a huge risk. You might not get it back.”
“It’s worth it.” I brushed my knuckles along her cheek, and she shivered. “You don’t know what this curse has done to me.”
“I can’t imagine.” Her eyes drifted to the place where Winnow had worked her magic. “Now you can love as you please.”
“Indeed.” I dropped my hands into my lap, uncertain. I knew I loved her—desperately. But her previous declaration sat heavy on my mind.
I don’t do love.
Was that true? There had been a hint of conviction to her tone when she’d uttered that phrase. She’d gone through so much with Wynn. And I’d been so cruel to her, pushing her away when I wanted to pull her close, in order to save us both. But maybe, with time, she’d give me a second chance. I’d give her eternity if she needed it.
And yet… There were things she needed to know. Now.
I rotated my wrist and studied the oath inked into my skin. “There’s still the matter of your bounty.”
Her stare followed mine, and then she offered me a cautious smile. “I’ve delivered all four beasts, as promised.”
I needed to tell her the full truth. It was long past time. “Yes. You did.”
She pushed away from me. After finally ridding myself of the curse, the added space I would’ve welcomed earlier stung. “What aren’t you telling me? What’s wrong?”
“When we negotiated, I didn’t tell you the full truth. You see this?” I pointed to the mark. “This is called Cruor’s Oath. It’s a binding magic that activates when we accept a bounty.”
She frowned. “And?”
“And, it only goes away when the job is complete.”
She froze. “We had a deal.”
Panic spiked in me. “Leena, no. Don’t worry. You’re safe.” I reached for her, stilled. Her eyes targeted my hands like they were weapons. “No one at Cruor will come after you. Not now, not ever. There’s another way to remove the oath. All this means is that there’s a little extra work involved on my end. Work I’ll happily take on if it means keeping you safe.”
She rolled her lower lip into her mouth. Looked up at me with wary eyes. “You promise?”
Reaching out, I rested my hand on her knee. “I promise.”
“Gods be damned. You better not be lying.” She pressed her palms into her eyes. “You were right—you’re nothing but danger.”
Pulling her hands away from her face, I forced her to meet my stare. “That’s what I’ve been saying all along.”
She tried her best to hold onto her uncertainty, but it slipped away with an exhale. “You make me tired.”
Chuckling, I dragged my thumb along her jawline. “Just tired? Nothing else?”
Her eyes snapped to mine, a faint glimmer of heat already shining in her stare. “So damn dangerous.” And then she laughed. It was pure and light and real. Trust. I felt it like I felt the hum of the magic bleeding from the ruins.
Closing the distance between us, I placed a gentle kiss on her lips. She caved beneath me, caved in to me, and I wrapped my arms around her. She trusted me. Despite everything. And I sure as hell was going to do everything I could to hold on to that forever.
Twenty-four
Leena
As the moon rose into the night, the forest came alive. Julips—miniscule jellyfish-like creatures—floated up into the air, leaving their homes in the dirt to soak their transparent skin in starlight. The delicate membranes of their bodies exploded in color, and the navy sky was suddenly blotted with electric aqua. Noc dragged his lips away from mine for a moment to watch as one crept upward between us.
“I’ve never seen this before.” His voice was raw with a mixture of desire and awe, and his words rattled my heart. In the gleaming light of the Julip, his onyx eyes flashed and the angles of his face sharpened.
He was beautiful before, but even more striking now. Face tipped toward the heavens, gaze tracking the progression of a Julip, he rested his hands on his knees. Ease.