I lift up his chin. “Baz.”
“Go away, Snow.”
“You’re not a monster,” I say. His face is cold as a corpse in my hand. “I was wrong. All those years. You’re a bully. And a snob. And a complete arsehole. But you’re not one of them.”
Baz tries to jerk his face away, but I hold it fast. He opens his eyes, and they’re pools of grey and black and pain. I can’t stand it. I growl again. The fire blows back.
“This is what I deserve,” he says.
I shake my head. “Well, it isn’t what I deserve.”
“Thengo.”
I see the fire flickering in his eyes, which means it must be all around us.
“I won’t,” I say. “I’ve never turned my back on you. And I’m not starting now.”
61
BAZ
That’s it. I’m going to have to spell this imbecile away from me. My last deed will be to save Simon Snow’s life, and my whole family will be ashamed.
He’s holding on to my face, expecting me to stay alive just because he’s told me to—because he’s Simon bloody Snow, and he gets whatever he wants if he growls loud enough.
I think I might kiss him before I send him flying.
(Can I get him away from me without breaking any of his bones? What spell will keep him away, so he doesn’t come running back into the fire?)
I think I might kiss him. He’s right here. And his lips are hanging open (mouth breather) and his eyes are alive, alive, alive.
You’re so alive, Simon Snow.
You got my share of it.
He shakes his head, and he’s saying something, and I think I might kiss him.
Because I’ve never kissed anyone before. (I was afraid I might bite.) And I’ve never wanted to kiss anyone but him. (I won’t bite. I won’t hurt him.)
I just want to kiss him, then go.
“Simon…” I say.
And thenhekissesme.
SIMON
I just want him to shut up and stop talking like this. I just want him to get up and follow me out of here. I just want to be back at Watford in our room, knowing he’s there, and that he isn’t hurting anyone, and no one is hurting him.
BAZ
Is this a good kiss? I don’t know.
Snow’s mouth is hot. Everything is hot.
He’s pushing me, so I push back.
His cross is rattling in my tongue and jaw. His pulse is beating in my throat. And his mouth is killing everything I’m trying to think.
