A smile broke out across his face. He held a hand to his heart. ‘Phew.’ Catching his breath, he fanned himself.
She rolled her eyes; the dramatics never ceased with this one.
Tilting her head back, she looked up at the stars. It was a bit cloudy, but she could still see a few between the clouds, shining bright.
Xander tipped his head back to look as well, and she took the opportunity to look at him unobserved: the long column of his pale throat, the sharp line of his jaw, the tilt of his mouth. His bright eyes.
Fondness crept into her heart, spreading across her chest. She was overwhelmed by the urge to hold his face in her hands, to look at him, to just look.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said.
His brows knit. ‘For what?’
‘For storming out like that.’ Her gaze went to the lilacs on the ground. ‘And for throwing away your flowers.’
‘Don’t worry, silly. I’m a garden-witch, remember?’ he said, stepping toward her. ‘I’ll grow you new flowers—I’ll grow you flowers forever.’
‘And thank you,’ she whispered. He brought his gaze to hers, and a current ran through her. ‘For what you said.’ She swallowed. ‘For thinking I’m pretty.’
‘Pretty is an understatement,’ he said, taking a step closer.
Her breath hitched.
He ran his knuckles down her cheek, and she leaned into his touch. ‘That’s like calling the stars pretty.’
His hand opened, his thumb rubbing against her jaw as he cupped her face in his hand. He stepped closer, his voice lowering, and she felt the heat of his skin filling the space around her, banishing the cold night. She wanted to tuck herself into him, to wrap herself in him so tight she could never be extricated.
‘“Ethereal” is a bit more accurate,’ he whispered.
His gaze went to her mouth, and he released a slow sigh. Her body pulsed in anticipation as they grew nearer, cheeks almost touching. They were breathing the same air now, lips mere inches apart.
All it would take was one step … just one—
‘Baji!’
Bisma whirled to see Luna. Her stomach lurched.
‘What is it?’ Bisma ran to her sister.
‘It’s happened again,’ Luna said, catching her breath. ‘Why does this keep happening? Why won’t it stop!’
Bisma grabbed Luna by the shoulders. ‘Luna, what’s happened again?’
‘Mei,’ she sobbed. ‘She’s been poisoned again.’
24
Luna had given Mei the freeze potion, so she was alright, but it meant that there was no time to mentally unpack the brief evening she’d had with Xander.
They went to his greenhouse, straight to work, and Bisma hoped Luna would stay safe. With Mei poisoned, Luna was the only one left other than Bisma.
But then, a day after Mei was poisoned, while Bisma was away, Luna drank the freeze potion, leaving behind a note.
I’m sorry, Baji, but it feels inevitable that I will be poisoned again next, and I can’t live with the fear. I thought I would get ahead of it and take a nice long nap. The house is terribly boring, anyway. I know you’ll find the cure. I’ll see you soon.
Kisses,
Luna
