“It’s exactly what you said, actually."
“It’s not what I meant."
“What did you mean?”
“I blamed you for being my distraction, and that was wrong, but it doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy you being my distraction.” His words cause me to still.
“You don’t strike me as the type of person who is easily distracted,” I say. He leans into me, filling all my space.
“I’m not,” he says, his voice rough. “But you, Elodie, appear to have found a weakness.” His words cause heat to pool in my cheeks.
I feel my breath hitch as I find myself lost for words.
My emotions feel all over the place.
I’m both nervous and elated at the same time.
This tormented knight has found in me something he’s trained himself to never have. A weakness. His face moves closer, his expression tortured, clearly wanting but holding back. My body reacts on impulse as my lips brush his, barely a whisper of air between us. His moan rumbles through my body as his hand slides down, finding the gap at my hip where my overalls are too big. The sudden heat of his palm against my bare skin causes my breath to hitch. His hand lingers, tracing the line of my hipbone as his fingers slowly graze over my nerves. But before I’m able to give in, a loud knock sounds on the glass. I pull away, my heart pounding as I step back, breaking the fragile line between us we had almost completely shattered.
Rowan doesn’t move.
Not even an inch.
He stays exactly where he is, unshaken with a fire in his eyes.
I turn to the knight who is standing outside, clearly waiting for Rowan to leave. Rowan’s gaze doesn’t leave mine, the silence stretching thick and charged.
“That was your choice, not mine. Remember that,” he says, his voice lower than normal. When the knight knocks once more on the glass, Rowan turns and gives him a small nod before heading out of the glasshouse, not even a glance back at me.
Chapter 19
Elodie
I finish up in the glasshouse with the third seed planted. Deciding to use a combination of the techniques that almost worked for the scholars. Except I also added in some extra magnesium salts since that always used to work back home if I was ever struggling with a particular batch of seeds.
I have no reason to think this will work, but I still feel hopeful about it. I think I’m just trying to stay hopeful, because if I let myself fail any more than this, I might break.
Waving goodbye to the little Rustcap, I leave a pile of dead stems in the usual place for him.
“I should really give you a name, little guy, but I’m hoping I can eventually get out of here so it doesn’t feel fair to you,” I say, its eyes blinking a few times. Its gaze weakens me, compelling me to yield. “Okay, fine. If I were to name you, which I’m not saying I am. It would be… Pip.” I smile at myself, hearing how stupid I sound talking to a mushroom. Although considering my life at the moment, maybe it’s not that crazy. Placing all the tools back in their place, I head out the glasshouse door towards the dark stone path. My mind wanders to what almost happened between me and Rowan earlier.
Would we have kissed if the knight hadn’t knocked?
I’m pretty sure I know the answer, but denial is a hell of a lot easier right now. As if my thoughts alone conjured him, I spot him outside, a stern look on his face. Head down, facing the ground, deep in thought. He exhales slowly when he sees me, and I offer him a worried smile.
He looks as if he’s seen a ghost.
“I know I said I prefer you less sunshine and roses, but you didn’t need to take it so seriously.”
“The King,” he says. “He’s shortened the window.”
“The window for what?"
“Everything.”
“Well, what does that even mean? I’m trying as hard as I can here. I am not some magical woman from another land sent to save this place.” My words falling out of me before I can even register what it is I’m saying.
“He is getting sicker. I can see it myself.” His fingers curl slowly at his sides. “He’s running out of time. "
