Page 46 of Moth to a Flame

I loved my brothers more than anything, but the weight of that responsibility had been like trying to fly in lead boots.

With her, I could soar.

That very first night, I’d ruined everything.

Get to the light.

She had always been the flame I was running toward, and I’d show her a devotion like this world had never seen.

She was my sun, and I was Icarus.

I’d let her burn me if it meant I could be that much closer to her.

I was falling, but there was no fear because she was there with me.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Emotional Bondage

Hawk was looking at me like I had hung the very stars in the sky, and it had a feeling unfurling in my chest that I had never felt before. One that, even without the curse, I didn’t have words for.

“Are you all right? I’m sorry he said those things to you.”

He gave an easy shrug. “I’ve been called worse.”

I hated that. “You didn’t have to do that—any of that.”

“Yes, I did.” He reached out and gently toyed with the end of my braid, and the feeling in my chest felt like it was trying to claw its way out. I didn’t meet his gaze.

“How did you know it was him? That he cursed me?”

He ran his thumb down my cheek, gently guiding me to look at him.

“Because I see you, Lucia. I hear you.”

I looked down again. “Of course you do. We’re magically bonded⁠—”

He tipped my chin up again. “That’s not what I mean.”

Hope—that forbidden magic—fluttered in my chest. Soft wings, so easily torn apart. But with him here, maybe I could hope. Maybe I could believe that a soft future was possible for someone like me.

“My middle brother…he has that new shifter autoimmune disease. I used to do thirty-six-hour delivery shifts to make enough to pay for his medicine. That was until the generic was made and the price dropped. Now, I just work regular twelve-hour shifts.” He smiled, that beautiful, shy smile that had me spellbound. “That was because of you.”

I placed my hand over his. I’d done it to help people—of course I had. I’d seen the online reactions, and of course I’d been happy. But after the curse, that had felt so far removed, like it wasn’t real. It wasn’t something I could hold on to in the lonely nights to know that it had all been worth it.

But this—this was real.

This had helped him, long before he had ever helped me.

That hope in my chest was glowing dangerously bright.

“There you are.” His eyes softened, and the magic between us threatened to burn away all the walls I’d built to protect what was left of my heart.

“It will make you a target…their lawyers—” I was reaching for those walls. I couldn’t let him get hurt, not because of me. I didn’t deserve that.

But he wouldn’t let me.

“You heard it from him. I’m a cryptid. They’d have to catch me first.” He smirked, tilting his head slightly, his thumb tracing circles on my cheek. “I’m pretty flighty. Only one person has ever managed to do that.”