Captive of Wolves (Bound to the Fae #1) - Eva Chase Page 0,65

snaps with a groan. He cups my face and captures my mouth, the scorching press of his lips setting off a rush of sensation even more intoxicating than anything I summoned alone.

It can’t be more than a few seconds of that dizzying paradise before he wrenches himself away, his hands dropping to his sides. I just barely restrain myself from snatching after him to yank him back.

“Just one,” he says again, as if trying to convince himself. He inhales deeply and seems to get a grip on himself. “Maybe I should let you go on upstairs by yourself.”

Yes. This can’t be anything more than it just was. But I don’t want him to think he’s violated me in some way, especially when this might be the last chance I have to clarify that.

“Thank you,” I say, as emphatically as I can, holding his gaze with a fervent smile so he knows I mean for everything.

As I slip out of the room and head to the stairs, it occurs to me that the list of things I’ll miss about this place has just gotten longer.

19

Talia

I sit with my back against the wall next to the bedroom door so I can hear the comings and goings in the hall as clearly as possible. In the afternoon, I napped as long as I could to make sure I wouldn’t inadvertently fall asleep now, but I still have to jerk myself into alertness a couple of times when my eyelids start to droop.

When footsteps pause outside, I hold my breath. There’s a murmur so faint I can’t make out the word, and then whoever that was moves on. The door must be locked now—until I put my salt trick to use.

I was right that Whitt wouldn’t be hosting another party tonight, but I’m guessing he’s the one who takes the longest coming up to the bedrooms. I’m shuffling my feet against each other to keep me awake when the final set of footsteps finally reaches my ears, rounding the corner to the rooms where the fae men sleep.

Of course, going to bed doesn’t necessarily mean dozing off just yet. I wait longer, anticipation buzzing through my nerves, my pulse already hiccupping.

I’ll only get one chance. One chance, with no idea what really awaits me once I leave the keep. What if Aerik or someone from his cadre is prowling around out there? What if I stumble out of the Mists into a human war zone?

I press my hands against the floor to steady myself. Whatever happens, happens. All I can do is take it one step at a time. I can do this.

When the keep has been silent for long enough that my skin starts to itch with impatience, I wait a few minutes more. Then I ease onto my feet. The fae might have good hearing, but surely a few small sounds won’t be enough to wake them.

The salt crystals hiss into my hand. I push them against the knob like before, and a quiver of energy darts through me. A few of the crystals crumble into a dust so fine I can’t see it after it falls from my hand.

I snatch the rest back against my palm. When I peek at the salt, it looks like I’ve lost almost half of the meager amount I started with. Counteracting the magic must damage the crystals in the process.

What if this isn’t enough to get me through the outer door too?

I drag in a shaky breath and fight off the suffocating sensation rising through my chest. I won’t know until I try.

After dropping the remaining salt into the leather pouch for safe keeping, I edge the door open so slowly the hinges don’t make the slightest squeak. I close it behind me, knowing that the appearance of me still being inside could buy me vital minutes or even hours if one of my captors walks by, and head for the staircase with carefully even steps. My fingers squeeze the pouch tight.

As I make my slow, measured way down the hall, the foot brace only rasps faintly against the floorboards a couple of times. Both moments make my heart lurch, but its thudding is the only answering sound I hear. No one stirs in the other rooms.

The stairs are trickier to handle silently. I grip the bannister and lower my warped foot first, making sure it’s stable, and then set my sturdier foot down beside it. I probably look like a toddler taking her first