Page 40 of Greed of Giants

“Close.” He made a fist. “I feel the heartbeat of the Maw. We arrive tomorrow, perhaps, or the day after.”

I looked over my shoulder, even though there was nothing but green stretching in all directions. My skin was hot, as though I were the one who was on fire. “Will she come after us?”

“Yes,” Killian confirmed. “She was watching us, waiting to see. You’re right, she was following us, biding her time, waiting to attack.”

“One of the Guardians,” I confirmed.

He nodded. “I believe so. We should go further. Despite my fire, it’s best not to sleep within reaching distance of the vines. It appears they serve her, and it would be a shame for the Maw to go up in flames.”

Just like the bank of Stonehaven, the forest, and the field of wheat. Everywhere we went, the world burned.

We walked and even though Jasper nudged me, I didn’t ride this time. It wasn’t his fault, but Jasper wasn’t the most comfortable beast to ride on. He slowly diminished as we continued, trotting behind me. The light continued to fall as we walked, but bright spots of light hovered in the trees.

Occasionally, when I looked through the semi-translucent leaves, I glimpsed a shadow, something in the shape ofa human. But when I looked directly at it, there was nothing. I wasn’t sure what to feel: fear, annoyance, apprehension? Was there something there, or just the odd light in the area playing tricks with my mind?

The hum grew louder until suddenly the trees ended, and we stepped out into a clearing. I drew in a sharp breath, taking in the vast panoramic view. We stood on a grassy knoll, gently sloping down to a river. Far above it rose a series of jagged, rocky hills covered with moss, all leading to the summit. At the top, a series of waterfalls poured down into the river where it formed, smoothing out when it reached us, calm, still, flowing gently with barely a ripple.

My heart lurched as I walked toward the water, dropping my bag in the grass. This was why I traveled, to see the hidden beauty of the world, to see the heights of magnificence. But I’d never seen anything like this. It reminded me of Killian’s home, except instead of volcanoes and stonework and ash, it was covered in green, lush and verdant. How had no one found this hidden valley? This secret paradise?

My fingers slipped under the hem of my shirt. I peeled the damp fabric from my skin, leaving my clothes in a small heap on the bank. The water was clear, yet I hesitated a moment, long enough to ensure there were no lurking tentacles waiting beneath the surface, before submerging myself.

The water was cool, refreshing after the frenzied rush through the forest, and my body soaked it in, letting go of the intense heat that claimed me. I ducked beneath the surface and swam a few strokes before resurfacing,marveling at the smooth, gray stones under my feet. They gave an odd glow to the water, like swimming in a pool of sparkling silver.

I cupped the water in my hands, watching the brightness gather in my palms before slipping between my fingers again. It felt sharp and sweet, like a rush of sugar.

When I lifted my face, Killian stood on the shore. Watching me. He’d taken off the ruined shirt and dropped it by his bare feet and borrowed shoes. His gaze rested on me with a focus I couldn’t name. Slowly, awareness crept over me. I hadn’t thought, hadn’t considered, only rushed again, desperate for relief from the heat.

His gaze lingered on my face, then drifted lower, raking across my bare shoulders, lower still to where my chest met the clear water. I doubted the waters concealed verymuch, despite the falling light.

His jaw tightened, and the desire I’d tapered down returned tenfold, spreading through my body until even the cool water could not chase it entirely away. Any flicker of embarrassment dissolved. Lifting a hand, I waved at him, keeping my voice deliberately light. “Join me.”

Mist curled around his ankles as he approached the water, faint crackles of fire rippling across his skin like embers beneath the dusk. Even standing there, he radiated heat, and my pulse spiked in response. Only when his hands went to the fastening of his pants did I plunge beneath the surface again, eager for the river to cool the sudden fire rushing through me.

The water parted with a gentle splash when he entered. I turned as he sank beneath the silver-lit surface, his dark hair loosening and drifting behind him like ink. A moment later, he rose.

Water poured off him, along the line of his jaw, over the broad plane of his chest. I watched the slow shift of muscle beneath skin, the strength in his shoulders, the steady rise and fall of his breathing. My gaze lingered on the hollow at the base of his throat and the way it moved when he swallowed.

The fire that had danced across his skin earlier had vanished, and the lack of it made me bold. I drifted toward him, compelled by a force outside of me. He moved toward me too, and the waters danced between us, carrying us closer until barely a breath remained between us.

I lifted my hand toward his arm, and stopped.

The space between us hummed with energy, the water whispering softly around our bodies. His gaze dipped to my hand, then rose slowly back to my face. His expression held a question, his entire body tense, as though he might burst.

Tentatively, I pressed my hand against his forearm.

There was no flare of heat. No pain. Only the quiet lapping of the water and the wild pounding of my heart. He turned his hand upward, and I placed my palm against his. His fingers were much larger than mine, longer, still warm.

When I gazed up at him, to see if his desire mirrored mine, his eyes were molten.

He shifted closer until our bodies met, just barely touching underneath the waters. The faint warmth of his breath brushed my cheek as he bent his head toward me. “You shouldn’t look at me like this,” he murmured.

A shiver ran down my spine. I wanted to cross that barrier, that threshold between us and indulge. To complete what I’d started, the first night we’d met. Back then I’d acted out of impulse, but now I felt the connection between us. The mutual desire. Here in the water was the only time we could act on it.

I pressed my other hand against his chest, feeling the drum of his heartbeat. It steadily increased as he placed one hand on my waist, anchoring me in place.

“Ilaris,” he breathed.

I stepped closer, pressing our bodies together, the heat rising within me. I’d never wanted anything so badly. It was hard to breathe, impossible to think.