Arianna allowed ice to spread across his chest again. Gooseflesh pebbled his skin. “Not scared anymore?”
Rion’s throat bobbed, the movement entirely too distracting. “Presently, scared isn’t exactly the word I’d use.” Her lips parted. Silence engulfed the space as they stood there, neither daring to move. “What do you want, Arianna?”
She tilted her head back to look at him again. Gold flecks danced in those beautiful, anguished eyes. They reminded her of the stars dotting the night sky.
“You said you already knew what I wanted.”
“I need to hear you say it.”
Consent. Arianna chewed her lip. Could she just let herself give in? Would passion finally allow her memories to surface, or would that passion dissolve into rage, forever tainting a moment that was meant to be sacred?
Arianna furrowed her brow, suddenly uncertain. She should have drank another glass before leaving Talon. “Do you still feel the bond?” she asked.
She could tell he was struggling to remain still. “It’s not what I’d call a bond. It’s more like an echo. A single thread.”
“But you can feel it?” He nodded. “Why haven’t you pulled on it?”
Rion’s face softened. “I didn’t want to risk hurting you. It seemed like every time a memory surfaced, your body rejected it.”
“I didn’t think anyone noticed the reason.”
A small smile. “I notice everything when it comes to you.”
Heat rose through her and Arianna let the frost fade once again. Rion’s magic inched closer.
“Try,” she whispered.
He drew in a ragged breath, as if the action of moving too much might scare her away. She waited, her gaze locked with his until—pain exploded behind her eyes. Arianna jerked back, nearly stumbling over the table in the center of the room. She reached for the sofa, supporting her body as her other hand instinctively shot to her head.
Sive claimed the discomfort would be minimal. She’d been so wrong.
Pain radiated behind her eyes and Arianna’s stomach rolled. Her world tumbled, turning upside down. She slid to her knees, feeling the soft rug beneath her. Noise swam in and out as her world was consumed by shadows, all buzzing through her head like a swarm of angry insects.
A male’s voice, no, several voices, bounced through her head, all chanting the same line.
Kill him, kill him, kill him.
She hated that voice. She hated the way it slithered through her mind. She wanted to killitinstead.
Arianna gritted her teeth, then something warm touched her shoulder. Her magic exploded. She grabbed a wrist and flipped around, pinning the owner of it beneath her body. Colors blurred for a fraction of a second, then all came crashing back into focus. She tilted to one side, but a strong hand caught her shoulder, holding her upright. The body beneath her shifted, rising, then Arianna leaned forward, grounding herself to his warmth.
Her eyes cracked open. She stared at a bare chest, his hot skin scorching. That same buzzing pulsed through not just her skin, but her entire body. She pushed up, finding a set of wide, gentle eyes staring back. His breaths clouded in the cold air. Then Rion moved a strand of hair away from her face.
She hardly noticed. Arianna was straddling his lap, her body pressed close to his.
“Are you okay?” he whispered. Gods, why did he have to be so close?
“Not really.” She’d reacted, but she’d also come out of it quickly. That was progress. Something Sive had done had worked. A few more sessions and maybe she’d be able to reach for the bond. Maybe—
Rion’s fingertips trailed down to her neck. He watched her carefully. Arianna’s breath hitched, that same flushed feeling returning tenfold. Her eyes darted to his lips and back up. She leaned forward, then a loud knock had Arianna scrambling off Rion’s lap. She bolted for the door.
Raevina stood on the other side. Her eyes widened slightly as she took in Arianna, then Rion behind her. “We have a problem.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Arianna
Problem was an understatement.
