Page 55

I forced myself to focus, to help her figure this out. Our people needed this. The gods needed this.

Daphne was taking in measured breaths. Three seconds in, three out.

I circled her a few times, before stopping behind her. I trailed my hands over her shoulders and arms, hovering an inch above. My hands were scavengers, starved for any ounce of Daphne’s skin they could find.

Even the static forming in between us felt like finding an oasis in the middle of the desert. The thread that had kept me rooted to her for so many years snapping taut felt like a cold drink of water.

Daphne swayed on her feet, leaning toward me before snapping back up. “Why are you stalling?”

I leaned down to her ear. “Just letting you get used to me.”

Daphne’s breath caught and I felt like a fucking victor. I still affected her. And that felt like a win, even if everything else was a mess.

Pulling myself away from her, I walked over to the racks and grabbed the wooden practice sticks.

No way in hell was I chancing an accident with swords. There were few things that sent cold terror running through my veins like the thought of Daphne hurt. And by my hand…

Wooden sticks it was.

I dragged my hand down each of her arms, grabbing her hands to wrap them around the wood. “Here.”

I felt Daphne’s hand tighten around the stick under mine. She breathed in deep through her nose.

“I might hurt you,” I said, keeping my hand on hers.

Daphne scoffed and standing that close to her, I could practically feel it move through her chest. “Not likely.”

I chuckled. “There it is. That fire.”

At that, Daphne’s elbow shot toward my torso, and I caught it in my hand, unable to resist passing my thumb over her skin.

“Don’t act like you don’t want to,” she said, twisting out of my hold.

“Want to what, Daphne?” I asked as she stepped forward.

“Hit me,” she said when I matched her stride.

I let out a sound somewhere in between a scoff and a laugh. “I do not want to hit you. I would never hurt you.”

I mean that was fucking ridiculous. There were a large number of ways I wanted to lay my hands on Daphne, but never,neverto hurt.

“Fine,” Daphne said. The word was practically a scoff. “Punish me, then.”

I laughed again. She was giving me a little slack, a sentence just on the edge of innuendo, but I was taking chances wherever I could. “Oh, that I definitely want to do. But not here.”

“Come on,” Daphne growled, stomping her foot impatiently.

“Fine,” I said, leaning down to speak next to her ear again. “Let’s go.”

I stepped a healthy distance away, enough to have room to swing but stop them if she missed the block.

I stood still, letting her adjust before I went for it. The first strike was high on her left side and her stick moved up at the last second, stopping mine inches away from her shoulder.

Daphne reset her stance and I struck again. She spun on her heel, turning to block me with her dominant hand without losing balance.

Another, this time near her knees. She shoved both sticks down in a cross and knocked me out of the way before I ever got close to hitting her.

“Good,” I said, not missing the flush on her cheeks.