"Geo, you've already done enough," I say, stepping closer to his chair. "I've already gotten you far more involved in my bullshit than you ever wanted to be."
It's true. From the moment I stumbled into his brothel after running from Nikolai, lost and broken, Geo has been cleaning up my messes. And what have I given him in return? A flash drive with information about an artifact he probably doesn't even care about anymore.
More trouble than I'm worth, as always.
Geo sets his glass down on the small table beside him, the crystal making a sharpclinkagainst the metal surface. Then he rises from his chair with the grace that always catches me off guard. For such a big man, he can move like a predator just as much as leaner alphas like Nikolai.
Before I can react, he's backed me against the wall, directly beneath the empty spot where the Harbinger would sit if he ever finds it. His hands plant on either side of my head, caging me in without actually touching me.
"You don't get to waltz in, fuck up my perfectly predictable life, and then decide when you walk back out of it," he growls, his face close enough that I can smell the scotch on his breath. Feel the heat of him against my skin. "Where you go, I go. Period."
I stare up at him, my heart hammering against my ribs. We've always had a complicated relationship, Geo and I. Mostly because of the feelings I thought I'd buried a long damn timeago. Sometimes he says shit that almost makes me wonder if he's trying to dredge them up, but I know better.
"I can't make any guarantees we're coming back," I murmur, forcing myself to look away from his intense gaze before I do something stupid. Like beg him to come. Or beg him to stay. I'm not even sure which anymore.
Geo grunts, the sound rumbling through his chest as he finally relaxes his posture, letting his hands slip from the wall behind me. "What else is new?"
"What, you're not going to kiss? Boring."
Cosima's voice from the doorway startles us both. She slinks into the room with that feline grace that makes my mouth go dry, her silver hair shining as it cascades over her shoulders. Behind her looms Knight, his massive frame keeping him from following her in, glowing blue eyes watching from behind his silver mask.
I force a breathless laugh, slipping out from behind Geo. "Didn't see you there, goddess. Are we ready to go?"
Cosima's violet eyes dance with clear amusement, darting between Geo and me. "Yes, all packed. Does this mean Geo is coming with us?"
Geo straightens, adjusting his eye patch with a mild scowl. "Someone has to look after you lot. Not one of you has a lick of common sense." He gestures vaguely in her direction. "You included, princess."
Her lips curve into that half-smile that makes my heart stutter. "The more, the merrier." She glances around the room, taking in the collection of oddities with open curiosity. "Nice junk room."
With that, she turns and glides back out, Knight a hulking shadow at her heels.
Geo's expression goes blank and his face turns beet red. "Brat," he grumbles half-heartedly, following her out.
I linger for a moment, looking back at Geo's treasure trove and everything he's leaving behind. I make a silent promise to myself that no matter what, he'll come back alive. And if anything happens to me out there, he's the only person in this world I trust to take care ofmytreasure.
With a soft sigh, I turn out the lights and close the door behind me.
Chapter 9
COSIMA
It feelslike I can see the whole fucking wasteland from here.
I have a higher vantage point than I ever have walking on my own, perched on Knight's massive shoulders, my thighs hugging either side of his muscular neck. His silver mask occasionally brushes against my inner leg when he turns his head.
From up here, I can see further than the others. In the distance, the mountains that mark Reinmich's southern border shimmer like a mirage. The place I've lived my entire life, and yet one that somehow feels more distant than my mother's homeland, which I never even knew.
And now, here we are, heading to Surhiira.Azarel'shomeland.
With each heavy step Knight takes, the same thought echoes.
A prince. He's a fuckingprince.
The revelation of Azarel's identity still stings every time it crosses my mind, a wound that refuses to scab over.
"So this is what it's like to be tall," I muse, more to distract myself than anything else. My fingers find their way into Knight's hair, threading through the stark white strands. It's so clean and soft now, I can almost forget the first time I saw him.
Drenched in blood and terrifying beyond words.
