Page 26 of Hearts on Fire

“Don’t leave. Please…” With her hand holding the blade at his throat, he hooked his arm around her middle, yanking her to him.

The blade slid along his skin. He felt a warm trickle of blood down his throat.

“Oh no!” She dropped the dagger with a gasp. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it…”

He grinned. “It’s nice to know you didn’t mean to hurt me, little spark.” His smile disappeared, extinguished by the heavy feeling pressing on his heart. “I never meant to hurt you either. But I fear I inadvertently have.” He cupped her face, directing her gaze to him. “I’m sorry, my spark, so sorry for the wrong I’ve done to you. I can’t regret taking you with me, but I’m sorry for all the pain it has caused you. I’m sorry I ripped you out of your life, the only life you knew. I’m sorry I forced this change on you. I wish I knew how to make you happy again. Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.”

He meant it with all his heart. All he’d ever wanted was to give her the life of a princess. For that, he hoped to secure his high standing at the king’s court. But even that paled in comparison to what really mattered—just being with her. As long as they were together, he’dtreather as his princess, no matter where they were or what they did.

Something shifted in her eyes, as if a shield got lowered for just a moment.

“You still don’t get it, do you?” she said softly. He had to admit, he had no clue. “I’m not angry with you for taking me to Dakath. It was sudden and painful, but I understand why you did it. And I agree, you probably did save my life that day. Things hadn’t been good between Chris and me for a while. And the more I think about it, the more I believe he wouldn’t have let me get away that morning.”

“So you’re not mad at me?” His heart lifted.

“Oh, I am, Elex. Not for taking me to Dakath, but for abandoning me right after. For leaving me alone on that riverbank. Everything you and I have gone through since would’ve been so much easier to bear if we stayed together, don’t you think? You said you saw me. You knew where I was. Why did you leave? You didn’t even let me know you were alive. That’s something I can’t understand or excuse. And it hurts…”

She rubbed her chest where it must have ached, and he felt her pain. His own heart squeezed so tightly, he could hardly breathe.

“Amber, I didn’t abandon you. I would never…” He sucked in a desperate breath. She had to believe him. He had to make her see. “The king’s men were there, looking forsalamandras. At that moment, it felt safer to lead them away from you. I didn’t know about the current state of the Sanctuary. I believed you were better off with the women. And I would’ve flown back to you, no matter how far, but I couldn’t. Our crossing to Dakath was rough. The river rapids broke my wing—”

Her brow furrowed in a worried expression. “It was broken? How bad were you hurt?”

She didn’t need to know all the gory details. He wasn’t looking for her pity, just for her forgiveness.

“I couldn’t fly. The royal hag had to heal me. I had to see you. But since I couldn’t get to you myself, I manipulated the king into inviting thesalamandrasto the Bozyr Peak instead. ”

Her eyebrows shot up almost to the edge of the cloth on her head. “It was you? How did you do it?”

“That was the easy part. The king likes to brag. He brags about everything, including his parties and celebrations. He claimed they were the best in all of Nerifir, with even the poor from the Sanctuary invited to join. I said I wished to see that. And he grabbed onto the chance to impress. Little did I know about all his cruel ways to entertain.” He heaved a sigh of regret. “I’m sorry—”

“That’s all you have to say.” She rose to her toes and slipped her hands to the back of his neck, bringing him closer. “Now I understand. And I forgive you.”

Then, she kissed him. She finally kissed him.

His heart plummeted into the hollow of his stomach, then soared to heights it’d never reached before.

Grabbing her under her arms, he lifted her up, then walked to the wall, all the while keeping his mouth on hers. Now that he got to kiss her again, he wasn’t going to stop. Ever.

Her back to the wall, he wrapped her legs around his middle. She moaned, raking her fingers through his hair. Her clothes were in the way. He tore at the ties of her robe then her shirt, needing to touch her skin.

Tearing her mouth from his for a moment, she panted. “Wasn’t it supposed to be just a kiss?”

He growled, re-capturing her mouth. A kiss was never going to be enough. A million kisses wouldn’t, either. He needed her, all of her, now and always.

Always.

The realization struck him like lightning. There was no other future for him but with her. It didn’t matter where or when, as long as she was with him. Together.

“Amber…” He searched her eyes. “If returning to the human world is what you want, then I’ll take you there.”

“What?” She stared at him in shock.

He was shocked, too, hardly believing the words that were coming from his mouth, but he stood by them, nevertheless. “I’ll carry you back to the portal right now. I’ll take you to the human world.”

“Elex…What are you talking about?”

He felt drunk. His head was spinning. Maybe he wasn’t well. Maybe he’d lost his mind. But he would do anything to see her happy again. Anything for just one smile of hers. Even if that meant to leave Dakath for good.