“Don’t leave me. I have no one else. Not in this world or the next.”
He nodded and rested his forehead on mine, our breaths mingling as if we had been sharing air since the dawn of time. There was something deep and primal between us. Despite the pain, confusion, and complications that came with it, I was certain of the inevitability of us. What was between us was as beautiful and catastrophic as the births and deaths of the stars. We had each been spinning in our neighboring systems, but we’d always been on a collision course toward one another. I knew fate existed, and I had no doubt Vincent and I were always destined to find one another again.
“I talk a big game, but I truly don’t think I could. I don’t think there is a place in this universe I could get far enough away from you that wouldn’t have me crawling back on my hands and knees.” His lips slanted over mine, the claiming slow and sensual.
Gods, I’d missed this, kissing him. It had been weeks with Elianna nipping at our heels like a lost puppy. We’d had no time for ourselves, but here, now, atop a roof with the sky as our only witness, I welcomed it. My fingers knotted in his coat, pulling him flush against my body. No space separated us as he used his hands to tip my face up, devouring my mouth. Heat soaked into my skin, my magic singing in response to the taste of him. Vincent tightened his fingers in my hair and—
He froze, pulling away from me and looking out into the darkness. I blinked at the abruptness, my eyes scanning for what had caused it. A bright light lit the horizon, and we pulled apart as the sky split. A loud boom shook the windows and sent a shudder through the atmosphere, clouds rolling away from the source like smoke from an extinguished candle. Where there had been nothing, now a ship made of a strange, shimmering, gold metal hung above the town.
“Fuck,” Vincent said harshly. He grabbed my hand and turned, pulling me toward the door. I glanced back but ran after him to keep up.
“What is that?”
“Her armada,” he said, all color gone from his face.
My eyes widened as not one but two more joined it. Bright lights beamed down on the city, illuminating the streets in silver rays. Great, it figured that not only would Nismera have a legion at her feet but also a fleet of massive warships.
Vincent’s grip tightened on my hand as we cleared the stairs and ran down the hall. Elianna yelped and sat up as we barged into the sleeping room.
“Do you guys even knock?”
“Shut up!” Vincent snapped, grabbing a cloak from the dresser and tossing it to her. “We’re leaving. Now.”
She scowled at him. “Why? What’s happening now?”
The air trembled with the whirr of a powerful engine. A bright light came from the window, making it look as if the sun had risen in the room. The ground shook with a dull thud as the craft landed. We stood staring at each other for a moment. Elianna’s eyes widened, not smarting off again as she lunged from the bed and grabbed the cloak, slipping it over her shoulders.
We crouched low, and Vincent quietly closed the door. Commotion came from the main foyer, and Vincent held his finger to his lips, his gaze locked on the window. There were guards here already. I swallowed hard, green magic sparking around my hands as I prepared to protect us. Vincent shook his head, and I let it die, the room returning to a soft, gloomy gray. The lights outside faded, and Vincent lifted his head enough to peek out. Whatever he saw had him quickly working to open the window, being as quiet as possible. Elianna and I shifted closer as the guards’ voices grew near, their boots loud against the wood floor in the hallway. I knew exactly what they were looking for, or rather, who.
Vincent.
My heart thudded as the voices grew louder out in the hall, and I knew we had to get out now, or we were fucked. Vincent had gotten the window open, and he poked his head out quickly before ducking back in. “Come on,” he said, gripping the frame.
Elianna and I moved, but Vincent went out first, blades drawn and ready just in case anyone had snuck around the back. Once cleared, he turned and reached out to me. I shook my head and stepped back so Elianna could go first. His eyes hardened, and he shook his head. I glared back, the silent argument continuing between us, but I refused to move. I could defend myself, but she could not. His lips thinned, but there was no time for this, and we both knew it. He huffed in disgust and reached for her instead. She only had one leg out when I heard a door near ours crash open.
Adrenaline surged through me, and I shoved Elianna. She yelped and fell into Vincent’s arms. His eyes grew wide with panic, able to hear the rush of boots drawing near. With a snap of my magic, I closed the window between us. Lifting my hands, I quietly chanted an illusion spell. The words had barely left my lips when the door was kicked in.
Three large, muscular, adrueth warriors entered, turning sideways to fit their wings through the doorway. The first had his long blond hair tied back from his face, waves spilling past his shoulders. One thick braid hugged the side of his head, a smiler one below. The warrior who followed him had dark hair clipped close to his scalp. A scar split his bottom lip as if someone had tried to slice his face in two. A woman followed them in. She was tall and lean but no less formidable. Her ashy blonde hair braided, the thick plait draped over one shoulder. They each carried a sword sheathed along their spines between their wings, the hilts just visible above their heads. I pressed deeper into the corner beside the window, chanting silently to strengthen the glamour.
“Nothing,” the dark-haired male said.
The woman sneered. “Let’s keep looking. If they left, they may be close or have forgotten something.”
The massive blond man nodded. “We cannot go back emptyhanded. Milani will have our heads.”
They searched the room, tossing the two mattresses against the wall and overturning the dresser before checking the small bathroom with the same thoroughness. The dark-haired one kneeled and sniffed at the blanket. His eyes flared, and I knew he smelled where Vincent and I had lain.
“They were here,” he said, tossing the blanket to the woman.
“Which means they cannot be far,” the blond male said, and I nearly jumped. I hadn’t been paying attention, and he was right beside me, his breastplate close enough that if he turned just right, it would scratch my face. I froze and held my breath. All he had to do was take one more step toward me, and spell or no spell, he’d feel me. I readied for that as he started to move, ready to fight my way out of here, but he turned away.
“Let’s search outside.” He nodded toward the door, and they filed out behind him. The woman took one last look inside, and I swore she stared right at me, but she didn’t protest when the blond male grabbed her around the waist, dragging her from the room.
“Come, Eva.”
Their boots had barely cleared the hall before the window snapped open, and Vincent’s powerful arms dragged me through. He set me on my feet, and Elianna glanced at me as if she’d seen a ghost. He pulled me down a narrow alley between the tavern and the shop beside it, Elianna close behind. We ran, hid, and ducked through town until we reached a manhole. Vincent wasted no time in hauling away the lid. The stench hit us, and Elianna groaned, but he ignored her. He nearly tossed me into the hole, ordered Elianna in after me, and replaced the lid before following us down. The sewer reeked, but we stuck to the outer wall. We walked in silence, not talking even though we could no longer hear the city above through the thick walls and ceiling.
I could feel Vincent’s rage beating at me, but he managed to remain silent until we reached a four-way with enough space for us all to stand without touching the rolling water. Then he spun on me and gripped my shoulders, nearly lifting me off my feet.
