Page 6 of Deadly Little Games (Four Ways to Fate #2)

6

I laid in bed next to Ringo, tossing a small decorative crystal from a shelf in the guest chamber into the air. I caught it, then tossed it up again, watching the splinters of overhead light shining through it.

“It’s just that, you have to want to kiss someone, you know? It’s too weird doing it just to test magic.”

Ringo puffed up his fur around him, sinking further into his pillow. “You kissed Mistral to seal a bargain.”

The crystal thunked into my palm. “He kissed me .” Just the thought of the whole situation made me cranky. Mistral couldn’t just go around kissing me, doing more with me, then pushing me to kiss other people.

I gripped the crystal and sat up in bed. “I’m going to find Mistral.”

Ringo buried his face into the pillow, not giving me a reply.

I stood with a huff, leaving the crystal on the bed as I went for the door. I went out into the hall, looking both ways, but I didn’t see anyone. Not even any tiny goblins loitering on the stone ledges of the walls.

I strode toward Mistral’s chamber, preparing to knock, but on second thought I simply threw the door open… and was met with an empty room.

I heard footsteps and turned to see Gabriel heading my way.

I put my hands on my hips. “Where is he?”

He stopped several paces back, giving me my space. “Resting. He must not be disturbed.”

My anger flared, and I took a step toward him. “What’s going on? You guys know everything about me. This isn’t fair.”

He narrowed his dark eyes at me as he closed the space between us. “Your quarrel is not with me. And it is not for me to share someone else’s situation.”

I had to crane my neck awkwardly to look up at him. Once upon a time him looming over me with that dark look would have made me flinch away, but not now. “But you both would rather guard your secrets than help me with Crispin tomorrow.”

He leaned down toward my face. “We are trying to help you Eva. But you would rather run in blind than lower yourself to kiss me.”

My jaw fell open and my breath whooshed out of me like I had been punched. He had obviously gotten the wrong idea. “It’s not about not wanting to kiss you.”

“It is not an issue,” he muttered. “You will do as you choose. But do not say we are not trying to help you.”

“And I wouldn’t be lowering myself to kiss you,” I continued. “I would obviously be raising myself, because you’re so gods damned tall.”

His eyebrow twitched at my ridiculous attempt to lighten the situation. I was still pissed, but now felt a little bad because I was pretty sure I had hurt his feelings.

“And what if it works?” I pressed. “What if we kiss and awaken new magic in both of us? Are you going to expect more from me?”

He lowered his chin. “I would never do that.”

I realized I had once again offended him. “You can’t blame me for thinking it with the position I’m currently in.”

He took a step back and let out a heavy sigh. “I suppose not. Now, I will escort you back to your room. You will not see Mistral until morning. Please do not ask me about it again.” He turned and started walking back toward my room.

I hurried after him. “Just like that, you’ll let the issue of the kiss drop?”

“It is not an issue. If you do not wish to do it, that is your choice.” He reached my door, turning to open it.

Wanting to see his face as he spoke, I stopped him with a hand on his arm. Where our bare skin touched, a slight glow emanated.

Gabriel stiffened, looking down at his arm, then at me.

With my heart suddenly thundering, I used my grip on his arm to balance as I stood on tiptoe. The moment our lips met, power flared between us.

I expected a chaste kiss, nothing more, but then he lowered his hands to cradle my face, pulling me closer. His tongue dove into my mouth, and I twined my arms around his neck, lifting myself to better accommodate his height. His large hands moved to my waist, making me feel tiny with the way they engulfed me.

The magic increased, pounding against my skull as arousal tightened my body. It wasn’t the same as with Sebastian—there was no thrill of darkness to it—but there was another sort of thrill, like the deep, resonant heartbeat of the earth, echoing in my bones.

His hands moved lower, cupping my butt to lift me before he turned us so my back was pressed against the wall. He drank me down, like a steady tower against the crashing waves of wild magic.

There was so much inside of me. So much that I never realized was there.

He broke the kiss, looking down at me with heat and maybe a touch of confusion. “Eva,” he whispered.

Struggling to catch my breath, I slid down until my feet hit the floor.

He stepped back so I wouldn’t be completely squashed against the wall. “Eva, I—”

I gripped the knob of my door and slipped inside, shutting it behind me, then leaned against the wall. My entire body felt like it was burning, and not in a bad way—

But the magic. It made it too hard to think. I could have just as easily ripped his clothes off right there in the hall. With my back against the wall, I sank to the floor.

Ringo hopped down from the bed and scurried over to me, his large eyes wide with concern.

I buried my face in my palms and shook my head, trying to calm my racing heart. “I don’t know what’s happening to me, Ringo.”

I felt his soft little paw on my wrist, the light touch releasing my tears.

I wasn’t even sure why I was crying, but it probably had something to do with my entire life being turned upside down.

And maybe something to do with the fact that in all likelihood, things would only get worse.

I wandered out into the hall with Ringo the next morning, surprised no one had woken us. I had grown oddly accustomed to waking up with Gabriel standing over me, for one reason or another. But today, nothing.

Finding Mistral’s chambers still vacant, I wandered further down the hall until I found the goblin himself. He held a plate in each hand, and I smelled maple syrup.

He reached me and handed me a plate. “I thought you might prefer to eat in your room, unless you’re no longer upset?”

I took the plate, looking down at a fluffy stack of pancakes. I never would have taken Mistral for a pancake person, but he had an identical plate in his other hand. It made me smile.

“It’s fine. It was just a long day yesterday. Where is Gabriel?”

Mistral studied my face as he answered, “His horse is gone. He is somewhere out in the Bogs.”

I sucked my teeth. Had he run away because of me? As the night wore on, I had regretted cutting him off so abruptly. But everything had just been so overwhelming.

I moved my plate away from my messenger bag as a little blue paw tried to snatch one of my pancakes. “Should we eat outside? I could use some fresh air.”

We were near the study, and Mistral gestured toward the open door and the balcony beyond.

We ended up seated on the low stone wall with a rather perilous fall below us. If I lost my balance, would I be able to shift in time to save myself, just like I had shifted to save Braxton?

I wasn’t betting on it. At least not until I’d had a chance to explore things further. I lowered one leg enough that I had a foot on steady ground, my knee coming close to brushing Mistral’s.

Mistral was silent as I took a bite of my pancakes, closing my eyes as a cool breeze tickled my face. I took a deep breath of rain-scented air, then gazed out across the forested land. “I didn’t realize how much land you have here until Gabriel told me last night.”

Mistral followed my gaze. “It has been my home for a long time, and I am grateful for it.”

The silence stretched on between us as I ate my pancakes. He seemed better than he had the previous night, but there was still an edge of exhaustion dragging at his features.

“I think I’ll be okay today with Crispin. I don’t think I’ll react to him, and maybe he can help me learn something. I know you guys don’t trust him, but he did manage to realm travel relatively recently. If anyone can help me figure it out, it’s probably him.”

Mistral finally looked at me, his gaze sharper than before. “Why do you believe your magic won’t react to him?”

I turned my attention back to the distant greenery, combing over the thoughts that had plagued me all night. “I think—” I hesitated, trying to come up with the best way to put it into words. “I think I have to feel something for the other person involved. To have the… reaction.”

“And you feel something for Sebastian?”

I glared at him. “It doesn’t have to be a positive emotion. He irks me, but he has also saved my life several times. It’s complicated.”

Mistral nodded, accepting my vague explanation. “Just be careful. He’ll use you if he can.”

“Obviously.” I fought the urge to touch his long white hair as a soft tendril lifted in the cool morning breeze. I knew I should still be irritated with him, but it was difficult with the nice morning, pancakes, and him being so pleasant. “You didn’t seem bothered by the idea of me kissing Gabriel.”

He tilted his head. “Should I be?”

“Most men would be.”

He was silent for a time, his untouched plate of pancakes balanced on one knee. I was about to break the silence when he finally spoke. “You know, it’s not just for power, nor for the possibility of realm travel.”

“What’s not?”

He met my eyes solidly. “My interest in you. It’s not just about that.”

“What is it about then?”

One corner of his mouth curled up. “Are we fishing for compliments?”

I smiled. “Absolutely.”

He laughed, setting his pancakes aside. “I will admit, initially I was simply intrigued by a woman of celestial blood who would so easily agree to a bargain. Especially a woman who already had a contract with a devil. I thought you were either stupid, or you knew something that the rest of us didn’t.”

I narrowed my eyes. “And what do you think now?”

“Impulsive, perhaps. But not stupid. And kind. I tricked you into multiple bargains, and you showed me kindness and compassion.”

I lifted my brows, caught off guard by his honesty. “You do realize you showed me the same, right?”

“Perhaps you bring it out in me.”

I set the rest of my pancakes by our feet where Ringo was huddled in my bag. It didn’t take him long to reach his blue paws out for the fluffy gooey mess. I was going to have to throw my bag into a washing machine later.

With my hands free, I scooted a little closer to Mistral. “So you’re saying you like me.”

He laughed. “Yes, Eva. I’m saying I like you.”

“Because I kind of got mixed signals when you told me to kiss your closest friend.”

He smirked. “And that is precisely why I asked you to kiss him. He is my closest friend. I trust him with my life, and yours.” He leaned close and lowered his voice. “And I’d much rather have you kissing him than a devil.”

I watched his face for any hint of discomfort, but it wasn’t like he could lie to me. He meant every word he said. “So you’d be totally okay with it?” I thought back to my moment with Gabriel the previous night. I wasn’t sure if Gabriel had told Mistral, or if he would.

“As long as you don’t entirely choose him over me,” a half smile softened his words, “I would be quite interested to see how Gabriel might affect your magic.”

He smoothed a finger up my wrist, making the magic flare between us. My whole body went tight, suddenly aching to be touched. My voice was breathy as I asked, “And what do you think would happen if you and I were together again?”

“There’s only one way to find out.” He leaned closer, maintaining his hold on my wrist.

I wanted nothing more than to find out right then and there, but, “I have to meet Crispin this morning.”

He used his other hand to push my hair aside, then grazed my neck with his lips. Goosebumps prickled across my bare arms. “Return to us afterward,” he whispered in my ear.

A lump formed in my throat. Us , not him . I wasn’t sure if I was ready for anything else, but I nodded. I wouldn’t mind a repeat of my time with Mistral, and after what he had just admitted…

Maybe it could be more . Maybe it was more. But I would be foolish to think that way. I couldn’t let myself develop feelings for a guy who wanted nothing more than to go home to another realm.

Especially when I planned on being the one to help him do it.