Eira stopped. She had a dismissal ready. But when her eyes met his, Eira knew there wasn’t any hope of it. Cullen had an intensity to his stare that assured her he wouldn’t be denied. And even if Eira had wanted to…he did just risk his life for her. Hearing him out with whatever he wanted to say was the least she could do.
“All right.”
“Alone.” Cullen glanced up at Noelle.
“Oh, thank the Mother, I am exhausted and the last thing I want is to stand here awkwardly and witness a lovers’ quarrel.” Noelle dramatically heaved a sigh of relief. “I’ll just see myself out then.” She paused after three steps. Noelle brought up two fingers and separated them. The mote of flame that hovered over her shoulder divided into two, one hanging by the ceiling and the other remaining with her. She pointed at the one she was leaving behind. “That way you’re not left completely in the dark.”
“Thank you,” Eira murmured.
“Don’t say I never do anything nice for you both.” Noelle yawned. She was doing a good job of presenting strength. But Eira could see the dark circles under the woman’s eyes that hadn’t been there at the start of the night and were caused by much more than a lack of sleep.
“Do you know how to get out?” Eira asked as Noelle came to a stop at the top of the walkway.
Noelle couldn’t refrain from rolling her eyes before pulling the lever that released the door. She slipped out, shutting it softly behind her.
“She’s nicer than she wants you to believe,” Eira mused, staring at where Noelle just was. “And incredibly strong.”
“She is, on both accounts,” Cullen said thoughtfully before bringing his gaze to Eira. The weight of his stare settled on her shoulders. Eira took a small step back, as though she could avoid it—which was impossible in the narrow passage. They were always toe-to-toe. “You should have told me.”
“I was trying to protect you. I told you. I warned you,” she whispered.
“Stop shutting me out. Protecting me is not your job.” His voice was low and thick with emotion. His brow was furrowed in anger or sorrow. His mouth was slightly parted. And his eyes…the dim light of Noelle’s flame somehow made them glow. “I can protect myself.”’
“Stop shuttingyouout? Like you’ve been shutting me out for days?” Eira hadn’t realized how much he’d been hurting her until that moment. She’d allowed his excuses and half-hearted explanations, smoothed over by stolen, loving glances. But there had been more festering beneath. “I told you everything about what happened with Ferro, afraid of what you might think, and then you all but disappear from my life.”
“My father—”
“I know.” She held up her hands. “I’ve reminded myself you don’t have a choice when it comes to him but…”
“I should have been better.” Cullen pulled her forward. Eira could have—should haveput up a better fight against him. But she was so tired. The world was relentless and he was offering her the one thing that had smoothed over every jagged edge that cut into her flesh.
His arms encircled her, tightening. Eira pressed her face into his shoulder, her hands wrapped around him and gripping his shirt by his shoulder blades. He smelled of smoke and blood and the nightmares that would haunt her for weeks to come. But underneath all the horrors…was Cullen. That unique musk all his own. A scent that made her head spin and her knees weak.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “Have I utterly messed this up?”
She laughed bitterly. “Not if I haven’t.”
“You haven’t even come close.”
Eira twisted to meet his eyes. “I’m afraid for us. You saw what the Pillars did. They’re so strong. No matter what we do, he can get to me. This house, these halls…he might even know we’re standing here now.” Eira glanced around, realizing the truth in her words.
Cullen’s hands settled on her shoulders. “You’re safe.”
“I’ll never be safe. Not as long as Ferro’s alive.”
“You’re safe,” he repeated firmly. As he spoke, one hand worked its way into her hair. His fingers trailed along her jaw. His thumb caressed her cheek.
“I’m afraid he will kill you because he’ll see you as a threat to his possession of me.” She blinked back tears of frustration. The rage within her was desperate to escape, as screams or sobs. The hold Ferro had over her and her world was unbearable. Every day was worse than the last. “He’ll find out about us, about you, and he willkill you.”
“You are not a thing to be possessed. You are a strong, beautiful, and wicked smart woman.” Cullen shook his head slowly. “I’m not afraid of him.”
“You should be.”
“We will be his undoing,” Cullen declared with all the confidence Eira wished she could feel. Her hands tightened in his shirt.Believe, her heart screamed,just believe in him.
“I am death.”
“You are my life, my love.” Cullen leaned forward. He braced himself with a palm against the wall by the side of her head. Her whole world narrowed to him and him alone. “Do you believe in me?”
