“Why were you looking?”he asked.Zane raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything.
“I wasn’t.It’s just there.Impossiblenotto notice.”Talon glanced between Emmeric and Iyana.“Do you need to go take care of that?”
Honestly, not a bad idea.Maybe then he could focus on the task at hand…
“No,” Iyana hissed, shooting him another glare.“Gods, can everyone drop it?We have work to do.”
Kaz’s hand flew to her chest in mock outrage.“We’re not the ones practically fucking in the library.”
“We aren’t—” Iyana groaned and covered her face with her hands, then slowly dragged them down.“Look, can we stop talking about this?It isn’t a big deal.”
Well, that was one way to figuratively douse him with cold water.Emmeric stood from the table.
“I’m going to go search for other books,” he mumbled.
“Em, wait,” Iyana said, starting to stand.“I didn’t mean—”
He held his hand out to halt her movement.“It’s okay.I only need a minute.”
Iyana sat back down in her chair and let him walk away into the stacks.
Emmeric…
Please don’t.He couldn’t block her out the way she could.Mercifully, Iyana listened and didn’t say anything else.
Iyana thought it wasn’t a big deal?Emmeric had only been waiting for her to come to him for what seemed like ages.He felt as though he’d been searching for her his entire life, and that morning was the culmination of everything he’d ever wanted.
She had looked him in the eyes and told him,It’s always been you.I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to see it.Sure, it wasn’t a declaration of her undying love, but Emmeric had taken it to mean she was finally giving in to what they had between them.That she was admitting to both of them she wanted this too.Wantedhim.Maybe he had read the situation wrong—again—and Iyana was still only interested in him for a convenient distraction.
Walking through the stacks of books, Emmeric barely noticed the beauty of the space.The library was deep within the palace, built into the cliff face, so there were no windows, but lanterns lit the space with a warm light.The bookcases themselves were also made of stone, as if they had always been there and the empty space had been chiseled out around them.Books and scrolls of every size and color were meticulously organized.At least it was easier to find things in this library than in Elena’s.There was even a disgruntled old librarian who had pointed his finger at them when they first arrived and told them there would be ‘absolutely no funny business’ or they’d be expeditiously removed.But, Emmeric had to admit, the old man knew what he was doing and had found several books that could have useful information in them.
Emmeric picked a leather-bound book off the shelf and carefully leafed through its brittle pages.He wasn’t actually reading anything, the words blurring in front of him as his thoughts raced.It was more to make himself appear busy should one of the others come looking for him.
The bond within his chest thrummed as the scent of lavender engulfed him.Emmeric pointedly ignored her presence until there was a small touch on his arm.
“Sully?”Iyana asked softly.At least she was respecting his request not to talk through their bond.He sighed and re-shelved the book, turning to face her fully, which was a mistake.She gazed up at him with her sad, caramel-brown eyes and any anger Emmeric was feeling melted.It wasn’t fair—this hold Iyana had on him.
“I didn’t mean it to sound like what happened between us was nothing.I only wanted them to stop, and after…” She dropped her gaze to the floor.
Emmeric felt it then—her fear.
Tilting his head back, a breathy laugh escaped him.Emmeric took a small step towards her, closing the distance.Iyana still wouldn’t look at him, so he put his knuckle under her chin and lifted her face, but she refused to make eye contact.
“Look at me, Mouse,” he murmured.
When she finally lifted her eyes to meet his, Emmeric pressed a gentle, fleeting kiss against her lips, but wouldn’t let her deepen it.She needed to hear him, and he needed her to know how much she meant to him.
“Do you understand just how thoroughly you’ve imprinted yourself onto my life?”Emmeric rested his brow on hers.“You are all I can think of.I get excited to wake up each morning because it means I get to see your face.Everything I do is for you, Iyana.Everything I am is yours.”
Iyana inhaled sharply.
“I can’t pretend I know what you’re going through and the conflicting emotions you must be feeling after…him.”He pulled away slightly from her and ran his hand into her hair so that he was cradling her head.“I’m not expecting any grand gestures from you.I’m only asking for you to give this a chance.”
“I can do that,” whispered Iyana.
Emmeric’s breath whooshed out of him, a knot in his chest uncoiling.He hadn’t realized how tense he’d been and how much he needed to hear her say those words.This time, he kissed Iyana’s mouth with a bruising force.She gripped the front of his shirt and dragged him close.One of his hands was still at the back of her head, the other Emmeric used to tug her waist forward.Backing her into the stack of books, he deepened their kiss, running his tongue along hers and moaning at the taste.It didn’t matter that he had been inside her a few hours before—he was desperate to feel his skin on hers again.
Suddenly, Iyana broke apart and pushed him away slightly.Her chest heaved with panting breaths.
