His sea-blue eyes reflect the gold of his flickering lantern. “You’re the girl I’m in love with, Ailesse.”
A rush of heat washes over my skin. I’m suddenly weightless, breathless. “Can you repeat that again?” I cock my head closer. “I’m not sure I heard you right.”
He grins. “I’m in love with you, Ailesse.”
“A little louder.”
“I’M IN L—”
I bring his mouth to mine. I kiss him with all the strength of my graces. He laughs against my lips and spins me back toward the wall, kissing me with equal passion. I pull him even closer. I’ve wanted this since he fought beside me at the land bridge and filled our room with candles and brought me to the moon under the dome.
He stumbles back a step as I push off the wall and kiss him more urgently. He lifts me so our faces are level. My toes skim the ground as he kisses deeper, harder. I want more. My back arches. I weave and tug my fingers through his hair. Heat flowers from my belly and spreads throughout my chest and limbs. He’s as warm and flushed as I am.
We pull back and gasp for air, our heads leaning together. “Bastien . . .” I say, waiting for my racing pulse to slow and my breath to steady. I draw my head back so I can see him. “Look at me.” He slowly opens his eyes like he’s waking from a spell. I sweep my thumbs across his cheekbones. “I love you, Bastien.” I need him to know I feel just the same. “I love you,” I say again, in a reverent whisper.
He still has me lifted in his arms. “Ailesse,” he whispers with the softest smile. He doesn’t say more. He doesn’t need to. He gently lowers me to the ground, and our lips touch again, tender and patient and adoring. This is a new dance between us, one that doesn’t lead to death but clings to the fragile hope of life.
His mouth floats along my jaw and treads a soft path down to my collarbone. When his lips trail up again, they brush a sensitive spot on my neck. I laugh quietly and turn my head to control myself. Then my eyes land on two packs resting against the wall. They’re crammed full, straining at their seams. I grin at them, though I’m confused. “What is all that?”
He glances past me. “Oh, um, a precaution against the dead. Turns out I’m not the best at fighting invisible people.” He winces, and his expression darkens. “It was much easier fighting Jules.”
“Jules?” My heart plummets. “What happened?”
Bastien rubs his forehead like he’s angry with himself for forgetting. “The Chained man didn’t leave the quarry. He went inside Jules’s body.”
I stiffen. I didn’t realize a Chained soul could do that. I look down the mining shaft and bite my lip. I don’t know how deep it goes, but the soul bridge should be at the bottom. “I think I can do something to help. When I play the siren song, it should lure him out of her.”
His brows draw together. “Is that the only way?”
“I don’t see any other. If the Chained man stays trapped inside Jules, he’ll steal all her Light. He can’t be defeated until he’s ferried to the Underworld.” I squeeze Bastien’s hand. “I have to try.”
His mouth sets in a firm line. “Then I’ll help you.”
“No!” My eyes widen. “You can’t even see the dead.”
“We’ve worked through that difficulty before.”
“I can’t let . . .” My stomach twists. “What if you die because of me?”
He shrugs. “It wouldn’t be the first time I was up against that worry.”
“I’m serious, Bastien. This isn’t a good idea.”
“Ailesse.” He takes me by the shoulders and kisses me softly. “I’m not leaving you. You’re worth the risk, do you hear me? You’re always going to be worth the risk.”
I exhale slowly and fold myself against him.
“Besides,” he whispers, pressing his lips against my neck, “I have four casks of black powder.”
44
Sabine
I PACE THE STONES OF Castelpont and wring out my hands. I’ve already dug up my grace bones and tied them back onto my shoulder necklace. Ailesse’s amouré should return any moment. I’m waiting for the right time to take him captive. I need his map first.
I rub my golden jackal pendant as I search the skies and nearby trees. The silver owl is gone. Is that significant? If it is, I don’t know