Page 84 of The Noldrin Witch

*****

Elise couldn’t hide her happiness as she walked away with Kurt.

She hadn’t seen him since yesterday, and no one had been able to tell her what all the commotion with the trumpets had been about. She was thankful that neither Seth nor Kurt had distracted her while she finished the potion, but now that it was done, she wanted nothing more than to enjoy a few quiet moments alone with him.

She kept thinking about everything he had said, about being someone’s second choice. Her heart swelled at the thought that, much like her, he too had known heartache and deception.

Danu’s magic surged through her with renewed ferocity at the mere idea of being alone with Kurt. She could still feel the warmth of his body. His hands gripping her waist. The desire burning in his eyes as he held her close. It was all maddening. And yet she wanted more.

They made their way around the gardens until no fairies were in sight. Elise could still hear the bustle, but at least the spot where they stopped afforded them a measure of privacy.

At first, Kurt said nothing, and all Elise could think about was reaching for his hand.

He must have shared the thought, for as he turned to her, his lips slightly parted and his fingers brushed hers.

There were no words, but the way he was looking at her told her everything she needed to know.

“Did you talk to Sebastian?”

Kurt nodded. “I should have known,” he whispered.

Elise barely shook her head. “I understand.”

She felt a wave of relief wash over her. At last, that matter was settled. But Kurt was right about one thing: he knew very little about her. She still had many secrets to confess, and she was ready to tell him everything before any more misunderstandings came between them.

Kurt kept looking at her as though nothing else around them mattered.

Elise swallowed hard as she prepared to tell him the real reason she had come to Metz: her borrowed surname, Seth, and her cursed magic power. Kurt, however, appeared equally troubled by something weighing on his mind.

“I’m leaving for battle,” he murmured.

She felt her heart skip a beat. Everything blurred for a moment.

“It’s Noldrin,” he said. “All of our men perished in a single day. There’s no good explanation for how that could have happened, but I’m being sent to recover what was lost.”

Elise gasped, mortified.

“When are you leaving?”

“Tomorrow.”

For a moment, words failed her. Her heart sank, and everything else suddenly looked unimportant.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” she managed.

Kurt smiled. “You already are. I came to see you as soon as I heard the potion was completed. I wanted to come earlier, but I didn’t wish to disturb you.”

She stood motionless, looking at him. He was indeed considerate, and she had no doubt he deserved all the praise Sebastian had given him.

Under the circumstances, there was only one thing Elise could bring herself to say.

“Promise me you’ll come back.”

Kurt smiled again, though this time there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. “I haven’t even left yet.”

“Promise me,” Elise repeated, holding his gaze.

He nodded.