Page 8 of Reign of Stars and Fire

His arms encircled me again. One clung to my waist, the other ran up my spine, between my shoulders, until his firm grip secured the back of my neck. A safe hold in a storm of a spinning mind with too many dreary thoughts.

“You, wife, sell yourself short.” He kissed the side of my head. “Listen to me, Saga. I don’t know how long this will last—”

“I think I’m asleep. Likely until . . . until I wake.”

He smirked. “I hope you are in a deep sleep; you seem tired, sweet menace. Which angers me, really, for I do not think you’re sleeping much at all. I’ll sulk incessantly if ever I find a way out of this, only to know you ran yourself into an early grave from too many nights without rest.”

I let out a broken laugh and shook my head. “Sleep has been the last thing on my mind.”

“So long as the things on your mind have a great deal to do with my mouth and the power it wields.”

A rush of heat ran up my arms. “Leave it to you to speak of your seduction skills when we face dire circumstances.”

“We should laugh our way through gore and violence, or we shouldn’t face them at all.”

Hells, I missed him.

Ari’s smile faded. “Saga, I don’t know . . . I don’t know how to leave this state. It feels as though I am trapped, but I also feel something is coming for me.”

A tremble in his tone hinted to his unease. Calista tried to send guidance. All I could do was hope the ominous sensation came from whatever twist of his path was careening his way. If it was something else, something final, if a single god tried to steal him into the Otherworld, I would climb the branches of their damn tree and drag him back.

“A sense in my gut tells me this is not some aimless sleep. But if finding answers for me puts you at great risk, then promise that you will stop. You will let me go.”

“Stop it.” I pounded a fist against his chest. “Stop saying that.”

“No, listen.” He clutched my face between his hands again. For the first time, I noted the tears in his eyes. “You must let me go if it puts you at risk, understand? An entire kingdom needs you. Do not risk them for my sake.”

“ButIneed you.”

He blinked and one tear rolled down his cheek. “Grant me this request, please.”

“No.”

“Saga.” He pulled me against his chest, holding tightly. His body trembled beneath my palms.

“What, Ari?” I tilted my head to meet his eyes. “What grand thing are you going to say that you think will be enough to convince me to give you up when I only just got you?”

His mouth tightened, but he didn’t respond.

“Listen to me, husband.” My hands went to his waist. “I know you, and I know your busy head and busier tongue are conspiring together to create some honorable speech about how you are more a detriment to me than a gift. You have likely thought up a list of reasons why this is all proof that you are a curse to the realms. Well, you can save your damn breath. I won’t listen.”

“I won’t lose someone else all so I can live with their blood on my hands.” His voice was sharp, and the way he looked at me with those wide, amber eyes, I wasn’t certain he expected to say anything.

A tug of compassion gathered in my chest. Ari released me for the first time and leaned against the rocky wall again. He dragged his fingers through his damp hair and stared off into the distance of our hidden place.

Gently, I slid my arms around his waist from behind. I pressed my cheek to the warmth of his back. Ari let out a long breath and covered my hands on his flat stomach with his own.

“I love you, you bleeding menace,” he said, voice rough. “Out of anyone, I cannot risk losing you.”

“Trust me, I know, you beautiful bastard.” I pressed a kiss between his shoulders. “Don’t you think I feel the same? I have never loved anyone, not the way I love you. I have given you half my heart, Ari, but with you, I’m whole.”

He adjusted so I was tucked against his side, then tilted my chin with the knuckle of one middle finger. “Did giving up the blood feather weaken you? Be honest with me.”

I refused to tell him the truth on this. If Ari knew my ability was cracked without him, he’d find a way to tear it out of his heart even while sleeping. I didn’t know how it would be possible, but his intensity about defending me would find a way, no mistake.

“I don’t know how much time we have here,” I said, drawing my lips along the line of his jaw. He shuddered and closed his eyes. I grinned against his skin. “And I don’t plan to waste it arguing when we are at an impasse. You are still being a fool, thinking you are a burdensome risk to me, and I am absolutely ignoring every word you say about it.”

It worked. Ari grinned and pinched my side.