Her hand slid up my chest, slow, leaving fire in its wake.
“Atlas…”
Not a warning but a promise.
I shifted, meaning to sit up, to put even an inch of space between us before I lost control again. But her fingers curled in the sheet at my hip, stopping me.
“Don’t,” she said, barely above a whisper.
I froze.
Her palm slid over my abdomen, her thigh tightening around mine as she shifted closer, her chest brushing mine. A soft, devastatingly intimate touch, my body reacted instantly.
So did the shadows.
They rose at the edges of the room, unbidden, unrestrained, curling along the corners, drawn to her like they recognized her warmth even better than I did.
Her eyes flicked toward them, a faint crease forming between her brows.
“Atlas…?” Her voice was curious, not frightened.
I almost lied, I almost said it was just residual magic, almost hid it again like I always had.
But after last night, after everything, I couldn’t.
“They respond to you,” I said quietly. “Even when I don’t tell them to.”
She looked back at me, slow and steady, her hand sliding up my chest until it rested over my heart.
“Then don’t run from them,” she whispered.
“And don’t run from me.”
Something inside me buckled.
The shadows drew in closer, brushing her ankle like a cat marking what it wants. I wasn’t sure which of us gave in first, her mouth brushing my neck or my hand sliding up her spine —
—but the air between us ignited.
Before either of us could speak, a knock thundered against the outer doors.
Then Joren’s voice, muffled but absolutely horrified:
“OPEN THE DAMN DOOR, ATLAS. THE COURTYARD LOOKS LIKE A GODS-DAMNED BATTLEFIELD AND I NEED TO KNOW IF YOU TWO ARE ALIVE OR IF I SHOULD START DIGGING GRAVES.”
Caelira froze against me, I closed my eyes. Of all the times…
She bit her lip.
I groaned. Joren banged again.
And somewhere outside, a tree finished falling.
She was still half on top of me, breath warm against my throat, shadows curling around her ankles like they wanted to drag her closer, when Joren slammed the door again.
“ATLAS. I swear on every god that has ever existed—IF YOU ARE IGNORING ME BECAUSE YOU’RE DEAD, I AM GOING TO BE SO PISSED.”
I exhaled slowly. “This is the part where I kill him.”
