I turned away. “It’s decided, Devora. You’re staying here. I won’t risk it. I won’t riskyou.”
Her rage washed over me, a metallic and spicy scent mixing with her usual pomegranates. I closed my eyes for a brief moment before crossing to the door, unable to bear seeing the look on her face.
As I reached for the handle, a wall of shadows slammed against it.
I whirled to face her. “What are you doing?”
“You don’t get to walk away from me,” she said. An angry blush crept up her cheeks. Her shadows slipped from the door and wound around my waist, then fastened in circles around each of my wrists.
I struggled to break free, but she was stronger than I anticipated. “Let me go, Devora.”
“No.” She flicked her hand, and the shadows tugged my feet closer. Her blue-green eyes flashed in defiance. “You don’t get to tell me what I can and can’t do, do you understand?”
My heart pounded as her magic called to mine, a furious beat of rebellion and desire and pride all mixed into one. Fates, she was stubborn. Obstinate and hardheaded and absolutely stunning.
I didn’t think I’d ever loved her more.
And that was the most frightening thing of all.
A growl worked its way up my throat. “Devora, I?—”
“You told me you wouldn’t leave me, but that’s exactly what you’re doing!” she shouted, her magic winding tighter around me.
My dragon thrashed at the challenge as a wave of heat surged through me. “I’m not leaving you, Devora. I’mprotectingyou!”
She threw her hands in the air, and the shadows pulled me forward. “Well,stop! Haven’t I proven I can take care of myself?” Her voice rose as her magic pushed on the backs of my legs. “I’m tired of this, Nox. Why do you keep trying to cage me?”
“BecauseI love you!” I roared. My arms strained against theshadows, shoving me forward until I had no choice but to fall to my knees before her.
Her mouth fell open. “You—you what?”
My dragon half bashed against my chest, and the workshop faded around us. The only things left were the heightened sounds of our breaths and the echo of her heart thrumming in my ears, as fast and sharp as my own.
I hadn’t meant to fall in love. But here I was, on my knees for her over and over.
“I swore I’d never feel this again. I told myself I couldn’t.” The words were choked, blazing their way up my throat. “But, Fates, Devora, Iloveyou. Fiercely. Selfishly. In a way that terrifies me. Loving you makes you a target, but I—I can’t do this anymore. I can’t pretend I don’t want you so desperately, I can barelybreathe.”
Her lips parted, shadows swelling around me as if they were hanging on to my every word.
“I don’t care what he tries to take from me this time,” I said, voice low and ragged. “I won’t let him takeyou.”
As if in a daze, she took a single, staggering step to me. Then she fell to her knees and yanked me forward with her shadows, crashing her lips to mine.
I didn’t think. I just kissed her.
And, Fates, it undid me.
Her hands fisted in my shirt. I jerked against the restraints with a muffled growl until she finally released me, then gripped her waist and drew her closer. The press of her soft curves against me set me on fire. Shadows coiled around us, licking up my spine with a fervor that made my dragon purr inside my chest. I buried my other hand in her hair, caught between surrender and control.
The world narrowed to just this—her heartbeat, her breath, her everything.
But just as suddenly as it began, she pulled away, lips swollen and eyes blazing. “If you love me, Nox Duma, then you have to understand I won’t kneel for you. I’mnotyour prisoner. I refused to be one to your hatred, and I refuse to be one to your heart.” Placinga finger under my chin, she tilted my head up. “I’m coming with you. From here on out, I stand beside you.”
“But what if I lose you?” I whispered.
Her piercing gaze softened. She swallowed hard, then cupped her hands at my neck. “What if you don’t?”
I rested my forehead against hers. “I don’t know how to do this, Devora. I don’t want to control you, but I don’t know how to stop being scared.”
