Magic.
Of course—she was using her magic to try and reveal the truth of me.
I felt in control of myself in that moment, yet I was still afraid of what she might see. Afraid I was more gone than even I realized, that she wouldn’t be able to find me among the shifting, treacherous layers of Lorien’s power.
Who am I, if evenshecan’t recognize me?
The seconds ticked by like a blade swinging back and forth above our heads, getting closer and closer to cutting.
Then, finally, she lifted her hand to my cheek and whispered, “It’s you.”
My mouth tipped automatically toward hers, but I somehow held myself back, my lips not quite brushing hers as I said, “You shouldn’t have come here.”
“I know.”
“I didn’twantyou to come here.”
“I don’t care.”
“It isn’t safe.”
Her gaze narrowed defiantly. “As though that could have kept me from you.”
I kissed her. It was fuckingstupid,but I kissed her hard enough to make all the warnings pounding through my head go silent. Deeply enough and fiercely enough that all I heard was the sound of her breath catching, her heartbeat quickening.
Her tongue met mine in a wild, heated dance. My hands tangled in her hair. Her fingers dug into my back, clutching tightly, pulling me closer. As our bodies pressed together,something dangerous and determined unfurled in my chest—something that belonged to the two of us and no one else.
Something Lorien couldn’t take.
I felt his looming presence like a knife at my back, threatening to sink in. Before it could, I took Nova’s face in my hands, pulling back just far enough to whisper, “Listen to me, Chaos.”
Her eyes went wide at my tone, the fear from before resurfacing. It killed me to see it. To know I was the one causing it. But I forced myself to keep talking:
“Whatever deal he tries to make with you, don’t do it. Not for me. Don’t let him use you against me. That’s all he’s trying to do. You understand?”
“Aleks—”
“Swear it to me.”
Her mouth opened but nothing came out.
“Swear you understand.”
She tried to shake her head, but I only held her more tightly, my gaze desperately fixed on her face, like it was my last glimpse of shoreline before the waves carried me under.
Then I was drowning in a furious rush ofpower.
Like a hand wrapping swiftly around my throat, Lorien’s control surfaced, choking the breath from my lungs.Ourlungs. His lungs.
The words I’d planned to say next died in mid-air?—
I love you.
Over and over, I thought the words but couldn’t speak them.
Nova stumbled backward, realizing what was happening.
“Such an uncooperative host.” Lorien’s words slithered from my mouth, low and poisonous. “It’s getting exhausting, really.”
