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It’s how she justified dragging her fingers through his hair and pulling his mouth down to hers.

THIRTY-TWOGIDEON

IF GIDEON WERE BEINGhonest, part of him secretly hoped it was Rune who’d escaped him down in that mine. Which should have disturbed him. It would make her his enemy, not to mention a murderous, evil witch. But a girl who could outwit him thrilled Gideon too much to deny.

Her kiss felt the same. Like the first taste of something forbidden. Heady and delicious. Awakening all his senses at once.

When her teeth grazed his bottom lip, a wicked heat surged through him and he reached for her waist. So soft. He wanted to sink into her softness. To bury himself in her.

As if she felt the same, Rune wrapped her arms around his neck and arched against him.

It wasn’t supposed to feel like this. Nothing was supposed to feel this good. Thisright. As if there was nothing to be ashamed of. As if—just maybe—he could be worthy of a girl like her.

A voice that sounded like Alex hissed from deep inside him:People like Rune don’t end up with people like you.

It was like a bucket of ice water dumped on his head. Sucking in a sharp breath, Gideon wrenched himself away from her, stumbling back.

What the fuck am I doing?

Alex was right, of course.

More importantly: Alex was in love with Rune.

In Gideon’s hasty retreat, Rune lost her balance, went under the waves, and came up spluttering.

His body buzzed at the lack of her. As if Rune in his arms was the only true thing in the world, and until she was there again, everything was wrong.

He shook his head, trying to expel that feeling.

“Gideon …I’m so sorry. I thought—” Her wet hair stuck to her cheeks, her throat, her shoulders. She swallowed hard, wide-eyed and trembling. “I thought you wanted to.”

What?

She shook her head fiercely. “I’msuchan idiot.”

Kicking away from him, she swam for shore, her strokes punching through the waves, propelling her away from him. But not before he recognized the humiliation in her voice.

I thought you wanted to.

She’d completely misunderstood.

“Rune!”

Either she didn’t hear him, or she was ignoring him. Because she only swam faster.

Gideon started after her. He needed her to know that he’d very much wanted to.

Still wanted to.

He watched her reach the shore and stumble out of the water as the tide pulled at her legs. Rune’s naked form gleamed in the lantern’s light, which glowed on the sand. Even in his rush to stop her, he couldn’t help but admire her.

Maybe she isn’t a witch.He couldn’t see a single casting scar marring her smooth skin. And damn, did he look.

It made him hesitate. He forced himself to remember Alex. The brother he’d betrayed by kissing Rune tonight. How could he go after the girl Alex loved and kiss her again?

But if she was a witch and Gideondidn’tgo after her—if he didn’t make it clear that he definitely wanted to kiss her—Rune would end this charade of a courtship, and he would lose his best chance to catch the Crimson Moth.

Gideon needed to catch the Moth, for all their sakes.