“No, you don’t. And it’s a different kind of pain from the one that…” He releases me and presses the heel of his palm against his eyes. “No. Why am I telling you this?”
I wish I knew. The hot, sweet moment is broken and with a huff, I gather the long skirt of the dress, annoyed at my weakness when it comes to him. “If we aren’t about to die, then it’s time for the sanctum. You promised you’d accompany me.”
He blinks at me, his gray eyes wide and unfocused. “Like I could ever say no to you.”
I’m confused. I open my mouth to tell him he’s denied me plenty of times already. But he starts walking, and grabbing Olm’s book from the floor, I hurry after him.
At least, we’re going to look at the books. That’s the only thing that seems to be going right today. The rest is pure madness.
We hurry down the long colonnade in silence, Roane striding ahead. The silken dress whispers on the floor as I hurry after him, the fabric light as a cloud.
The dress of a goddess. Not sure I can believe that.
Then again, should I believe the rest? That he pulled this dress from a story? That he wants me? Not sure which is more implausible.
My lips still burn from his kisses, my skin tingling where he touched me, the words he spoke echoing in my head, ruining any rational thought.
“This. I imagined this with you so many times.”
Me, too. More times than I’d ever admit to.
“For all the Gods’ sakes,” Olm mutters. “Mercy.”
Unexpectedly, Roane slows down, turning and waiting for me. Why is he in such a hurry? My heart is still pounding from the way he’d held me.
“Ellin,” he whispers, reaching for me. Surprising me yet again, because I didn’t expect him to sweep me up in his arms without a word, cradling me to his chest, and resume striding toward what I hope is the sanctum.
“You don’t have to do this,” I whisper, clutching Olm’s book to my middle, gazing up at Roane’s handsome face, the hard set of his jaw, the blazing eyes.
“I enjoy it too much,” he says, that sexy roughness back in his voice. “That’s the problem.”
“Why is it a problem?”
He frowns harder. “We’re almost there.”
“Why do you always deflect my questions?”
“Why do you keep asking them?” His lips peel back. Halting, he lowers me to the floor. “You know I won’t answer.”
Shaking my head, Olm’s book in one hand, I walk to the door of the sanctum. I give it a push, but nothing happens.
I turn to find Roane watching me, a faint smirk on his mouth. “You sealed the doors again.”
“Can’t let the monsters escape.”
“Or curious humans enter, I suppose.”
His laugh is a deep rumble of thunder. “That’s right. To unseal the doors, you need the librarian’s ring. I can see you pouting. No, you can’t enter whenever you feel like it, and you can’t enter without me. Not again.”
“Unless I cut off your finger with the ring,” I quip.
His dark brows arch. “So bloodthirsty.”
“I bet it wouldn’t work, though.”
“No, it wouldn’t.”
I wait but he doesn’t move to open the door. “Will you let me inside? Or did you lie when you made the deal with me?”
