I shoved the stone back into the gap in the floor and pressed the board down hard. It clicked into place. We both rose to our feet.
Reyla spun, scanning the room, and I did the same. Hide or leave?
There wasn’t time to choose. Only time to regret.
My heart pounded. Tension loaded the air. Even Farris went still, pressed against my leg like he understood we were about to be caught.
I grabbed Reyla’s hand and tugged her into my arms. “Hold on, Farris.”
He looked up at me with complete trust. One day, we’d discover why this small creature understood so much.
The bedroom door hinges creaked. The panel began to glide inward.
I flitted us back to our suite.
We squeezed through space like a fist aroundthread, stretched and pulled until everything inside me howled to snap back into place.
We landed in our bedroom at Irridain.
My limbs hadn’t caught up to the move yet. The rug caught my boot, and I hit the side of the chaise with a grunt. Reyla tumbled into me, her elbow digging into my ribs. We landed on the chaise in a tangled heap, me on my back, her on top of me. Farris leaped away with a huff and scampered into the sitting area.
For a moment, we just breathed. The adrenaline from nearly being caught still coursed through my veins, making everything sharper, including how aware I was of every place her body was touching mine.
Reyla’s hair hung in my eyes. Her hip was wedged against mine, one knee braced against my thigh.
Her breath whispered against my neck. Neither of us moved, caught between relief and something else entirely.
That was close,she said.
Too close.
She was still breathing hard, clinging to my shirt, and I could feel how cold her fingertips were.
Reyla didn’t move.
I didn’t either.
“You know,” I drawled. “For a narrow escape from mortal peril, this landing has definite possibilities.”
She braced herself up on my chest and gave me a look that was half mock scowl, half heat.
I could work with both.
We should talk about what we found,she said, but made no move to get up.
We should.I traced my finger along her jaw.In a moment.
The memory stone'ssecrets could wait.
Prager could wait.
Right now, all that mattered was the woman in my arms and the way she was looking at me, like she wanted to forget the danger for now.
I flitted us to the bed.
Chapter 24
Reyla
