He cupped her cheek and guided her face toward his, smoothing his thumb over her skin. “By all the hells, Ember, are you all right?”
She beamed up at him. “Did you see that? Did you see what I did? Holy shit, I have magic!”
And gods, what magic it had been.
He looked at Starling, who remained nearby wearing a grin that seemed much too large for her little face. “You taught her all that? Taught her a banishment spell?”
Somehow, the sprite’s grin stretched wider. “Banishment and binding. Sarnessa will be trapped in the Pit of Despair for many, many,manyyears to come, and her meals certainly will not come easy there. But the rest, our witchling did all on her own.”
Nyte’s chest swelled as he looked back at Ember, his heart nearly bursting with that huge, complex, delightful emotion called love. He knew it was the only thing holding back all the pain and residual fear he should’ve been experiencing.
He could’ve lost her forever tonight…and that only reaffirmed what he had to do once their lunar binding was dispelled.
He drew Ember into anembrace, his clawed fingers slipping into her hair. Part of him wanted to hold her like this forever.
Nyte pressed his lips to her forehead. “Ah, my Ember. How brightly you shine for me.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Smiling and closing her eyes, Ember slipped her arms around Nyte. There was a hint of desperation in the way he kissed her, in the way he held her, and it reflected her own inner turmoil after having watched Sarnessa nearly tear out his heart. After seeing the agony that had been in Nyte’s eyes.
She wanted nothing more than to melt against him and forget about the rest of the world.
However brief, the encounter with Sarnessa had been draining in every way possible. Adrenaline hummed within Ember, and residual wisps of magic fluttered through her body. Even if part of her was ready for sleep, she knew she wouldn’t get any rest for a while. Not until all this calmed down.
Holy fuck. I…I used magic!
Ember had wondered if it was even possible, if summoning Nyte had been a fluke. Starling had been adamant in her belief that Ember could cast the banishing spell on Sarnessa when the time came. Ember hadn’t necessarily shared the sprite’s confidence.
Yet not only had she cast Starling’s spell, she’d blasted the succubus away from Nyte before the demoness could steal his heart for the second time. Sarnessa wasn’t going to hurt Nyte again.
Ember’s breath caught.
Nyte…
I’m losing him tonight.
She’d known this moment would come, and she had tried to be strong, had tried to keep her sadness at bay. God, even in the shower she’d struggled to hold back her tears. But she couldn’t stop them now. They burned as they filled her eyes.
And she’d thought lying in bed with him during these last moments would be enough? That the memories she’d had with him would be enough? In the span of a month, Nyte had become an essential part of her.
She didn’t want to let him go.
Ember curled her fingers against his back and looked up at him. “Nyte…”
A concerned crease formed between his eyebrows, and he took her face between his big, warm hands. “What’s wrong, Ember? Did she harm you?”
She shook her head as tears spilled down her cheeks, her bottom lip quivering. Her heart felt as though it was breaking, rending her chest wide open even as it caved in on itself. “I don’t want to lose you. I thought I’d be able to let you go, but I…I can’t.”
The smile that upturned his lips was the gentlest she’d ever seen. Shaking his head, he brushed her tears away with his thumbs. “Come, Ember. Let’s watch the moon rise.”
His shadowy magic flowed over her skin, making it pebble with that whispery touch. When the shadows faded, her towel was gone, replaced by her favorite warm, cozy white pajamas,which were decorated with blue crescent moons and black cats, paired with fuzzy socks.
“Ooo, yes, let’s!” Starling flew closer, beaming.
Nyte turned his face toward the sprite, his smile not fading. “Starling, if I wasn’t already, I am eternally indebted to you. Thank you, my friend. But the rest of this night…” He returned his gaze to Ember, and it softened. “This night is for myself and my witch.”
Ember’s throat tightened, and her chest constricted with emotion. It was taking every ounce of her willpower to keep from crumbling into a blubbering mess. She could fall apart…
