“I won’t let you fall.”
Green eyes found mine. Her head tilted as if in wonder. There was not an ounce of hesitation in her gaze as it drifted between my eyes, over my face.
“What are you thinking?” I asked.
“You’re handsome,” she replied with zero regret, her gaze lingering on my features. “It is a shame you are so stubborn.”
“Stubborn?” My lips inched up at the unfiltered comments I was receiving.
“I won’t stop fighting until I am free,” she announced, brows furrowing in determination. Her thoughts had already moved on.
“You can fight me all you want. You won’t win.” Some part of me felt a thrill at the notion. Of the roles we currently held—I the predator and she the prey. My fingers tightened at her waist and she leaned into me even more, her body flush with mine.
To my surprise, her lips curled as if she also enjoyed this. “With a belief like that, it will be all the sweeter when I do.” Her gaze dipped to my lips before lifting once more. “I wonder. What will you think once we are on equal ground? When you finally truly see me for all that I am.”
Ashes. My pulse spiked at the thought. It was part of what drew me to her. The fact that she did not cower before me. I enjoyed her defiance. Perhaps I even craved it.
She tensed, gaze dropping to my chest, lashes fluttering briefly. The drumming of her heart shifted its beat, becoming erratic.
“Are you alright?”
She sagged as strength slipped from her. “I—I don’t feel so well all of a sudden,” she murmured. Any trace of humor vanished.
“Is this normal?” Being under the influence of what she drank was one thing. This was something else. With every irregular beat of her heart, she got worse.
“I don’t know.” She squeezed her eyes shut.
“Edda will be here soon.” I hoped the words brought her some sliver of comfort.Ashes, Iver, what was taking so long?My thoughts appeared to bring the old hag to us.
“Hurry up,” Edda hissed as she exited the building out of a side door.
“I am,” a deep voice replied, Willis on her heel.
Edda observed Ariana, whose eyes remained shut, as I held her upright. “It seems the potion took effect a little quicker than expected. We are taking her to the temple now.”
“Give her to me.” Willis held out his arms.
I hesitated, not wanting to release her when she was in such a state. As if I could somehow help her.
“Mhhh, Willis,” Ariana murmured, turning towards him. She reached for the Bavadrin guard, and I forced myself to let her go.
Ariana looked even worse than just a moment ago. A sheen of sweat coated her forehead, skin pale. I reached out to touch her brow, but my hand only landed on air as Willis stepped out of my reach.
“Keep your hands off of her,” Willis instructed flatly. He managed to keep the hate from his tone, but his golden eyes spoke volumes.
“It’s fine,” Ariana said softly. Her eyes opened, but she seemed to have trouble finding me. “I’ll be okay, Erik.” Her gaze went in and out of focus before her eyes slid shut, and her head rolled to rest on Willis’s shoulder.
“I don’t like this,” I stated, a sense of unease settling over me.
“You thinkwewould harm her?” Ariana’s now second-in-command asked.
“I didn’t mean . . .” I began, my own frustration gnawing at me.
“Save it for later, Lysian,” Edda cut in sharply. “Right now, we need to get her to the temple.” She looked to Willis and nodded towards the street, as if telling him to get moving. He carried Ariana away, her limp form in his arms. I trailed a step behind them.
Once we reached a small round wooden building near the center of their town, Edda turned to me once more. “You are not permitted to enter. You may stay out here if you would like while we set her up inside, but you remain out here.”
I nodded, accepting that this was a part of their ritual and rule. I would not disrespect their belief, especially when I could monitor Ariana’s heart rate and breathing from outside. If anything went wrong, then I would know.
