Page 59 of Midnight Sun
The sounds of fighting still echo from the roofless walls of the hovel, and Jamie hopes with all of his heart that Finn will be okay.
Peter grabs Jamie’s hair and yanks. Jamie yelps, half in surprise and half in pain.
“You are expected to answer me,” Peter snarls.
Jamie fights to keep a dazed expression on his face. He doesn’t even know which question Peter is referring to, but he needs to make Peter believe his enchantment worked.
“Yes, sir. I’m sorry. I–We will always be together.”
Peter frowns, but doesn’t comment on Jamie’s slip. He picks up a book and a dagger from what looks like a little altar instead. Jamie’s heart is beating frantically.
“Let’s find out how many undead warriors it takes to slay a Viking,” Peter grins.
“Is this magic? Wow, this is amazing. How do you do that?” Jamie gives his voice a dreamy quality, trying to sound as if he’s awed, not appalled.
Peter stops skipping through the book, looking at Jamie. He grabs Jamie’s hair again, forcing him to crane his neck and look up at Peter.
“Just so that we’re clear, I don’t think you can break this enchantment. You’re pretty, but not particularly clever, aren’t you, pet?”
Jamie senses movement in the doorway. The noises of fighting have died down. He relaxes in Peter’s grip.
“I don’t need to be clever if you already are.”
The smile that spreads over Peter’s face looks immensely pleased.
“I love you, James. And I was patient with you. But even my patience has limits. If you try to oppose me, if you try to leave me, I’ll kill you.”
“I would never do that.”
Peter whirls around as he too senses that they aren’t alone anymore. But it’s already too late. Jamie surges forward and throws himself against Peter’s legs, trying to push him off balance with all the weight he can manage in his restricted position.
Finn’s blade, slick and blackened with blood, slips through Peter’s chest with barely a sound.
“How?” Peter rasps.
“You’re not the only one who knows magic,” Jamie spits. “And there isn’t a spell in the world that could make me fall in love with you.”
Finn withdraws his sword with a precise movement, and Jamie recognizes the killing intent for what it is when blood gushes from Peter’s wound. Peter collapses to his knees and then onto his side. Finn kneels down next to him and rummages through Peter’s pockets until he pulls out a metal key. Finn doesn’t seem to mind having to touch a dying man and he makes no move to stop Peter from bleeding out. Jamie should be shocked at Finn’s ruthlessness, but he feels only intense relief.
Finn shuffles over to him and immediately starts loosening the shackles. He inspects the chafed flesh of Jamie’s wrists with an unhappy expression before he looks up and brushes gentle fingertips over Jamie’s face.
“Did he hurt you?” Finn asks at the same moment as Jamie says: “Are you hurt?”
Jamie throws his arms around Finn’s neck and pulls him into a desperate kiss.
“I’m good,” Finn says softly when they separate long moments later. “You?”
“The only thing hurt is my pride,” Jamie sighs, and buries his face against Finn’s neck. “How could I fall for his bullshit for even a second?”
Finn tilts Jamie’s chin up and looks him in the eyes with a burning focus.
“Because he enchanted you. And because his words probably made sense even without the spell.”
Jamie feels himself blushing. He didn’t want to believe Peter, but his words made sense on some level. He had never thought about it that way before, but now that Peter has told his poisoned story, Finn’s role in this whole disaster seems suspicious, to say the least.
Finn smiles ruefully. “It’s theHuldufolk'sgift. Weird coincidences follow me around. I’m always at the right place at the right time. It’s probably disconcerting, only it doesn’t feel that way for me. I’m used to it.”
“You didn’t have to find me inThe Worshipor on the flight,” Jamie says. “You were just there.”