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Delicious heat travelled to my centre when I realized he wasn’t denying he wanted me.

“Kissing you makes the evil come out in me,” I said in a low voice.

Brekt drew closer, the shadows under his hood deepening. “Should we continue our battle, mortal enemy? Here on the streets of the Aethar city?”

The way he said it was pure seduction.

“Yes.”

He took a step back.

Be bold , I thought, and followed. I reached for him, placing a hand on his chest, warm and hard. His hands came to my sides. “I want you to fight me against a wall again, with my legs wrapped around your waist.”

My chest squeezed, unsure about being so forward.

His fingers tightened, and his grip was almost painful. “Liv, say the word, and I will burn to kiss you again. I don’t care what magic you throw at me.”

I stood on tiptoes to kiss his cheek, pulling a shocked breath from him. “I wouldn’t risk hurting you. Not after everything. Not after seeing you fade on that field. I need to learn how to control the magic better.”

“You’re doing a fine job, Ikhor. I am here. I am thankful for that.” He grabbed the edge of his hood to pull it off, but I stopped him.

“Don’t. You’re recognizable. They will see your tattoos, and people would run screaming. Walk with me. Talk. I have a million questions.”

The hood dipped in a nod, and I wished I could rip the thing off to see his face. I was sick of seeing him only in shadows.

“Did you go see the others again?” I navigated us through the streets toward the university—I hoped.

“No. Last I reached them, they were in the Guardian City.”

Brekt walked close to me but kept space between us. His eyes darted around the street, tense energy pouring off of him.

Be bold , I thought again.

Brekt was here, and I prayed his discomfort was because he was walking in an Aether city and not because of me. I wrapped a hand around his, slowing him to walk next to me.

He jerked to a stop, staring at where our hands were joined. “Is this okay?” His thumb rubbed across my fingers. “To touch. I don’t know what’s too much, what triggers your magic.”

I studied my feet, the tips of my boots peeking from under my dress. “I connect a feeling to elements and use that to call forward the magic. I am shit at it. I have no control.”

“The magic chose an interesting host if that’s how all magic works,” he teased.

“It chose the most emotionally illiterate person in existence.”

His thumb continued to rub my hand. “That’s not true. You were just never allowed to display your emotions safely. You were already changing that when we first met. My being here means you’re learning to control it.”

I ignored the lump in my throat. Even after everything that happened—like becoming god-like enemies—he believed in me.

His hood turned in my direction. “You’re different, you know.”

I put a hand on my hair, hanging over my shoulder.

“Not because of the way you look. You used to hide what you thought and felt. You hesitated before every conversation. Now you wear it all on your face.”

I smiled. “You can thank Maev for that. She’s been influencing me. Ollo too, I guess.” I frowned, thinking of him.

He squeezed my hand. “You remind me of the dreams I used to have of you—of the strong-willed woman who kept me company while I slept.”

We turned down an open street. There were no speeders on the ground here. The airships drifted past overhead, and as Brekt looked up at them, his hood fell away.

My heart ached, finally seeing him in clear light with the sun high in the sky. His sharp jaw was clean shaven, his skin void of any shadows. When he looked down at me, full lips lifted in a smile. His dark eyes had so much warmth in them.

“The fire hasn’t changed between us,” he whispered, bending closer. His hand came to my face, and I leaned into the touch. His thumb swiped a tear away from my cheek.

Voices behind us had me reaching for his hood, drawing it back up. “I don’t want to be interrupted right now. So keep this on.”

“You’ve also become bossy, I might add.”

“And is that a problem?”

“Oh no.” His grin turned wicked. “I liked the woman who was wild, fiery and knew what she wanted. She was bossy, too,” he continued. “My dreams failed me when it came to understanding what the fires meant, but I think they were right in showing me who I would care for one day.”

People passed as we stood staring at each other.

“I wondered, after you died, how all your dreams came true except the ones of us together.”

Brekt leaned closer. “Because they haven’t happened yet. I will make sure to relive every one with you so you don’t miss a thing. Once we figure out how to stop you from incinerating me when I touch you, of course.”

My heart skipped a beat. “I’m not incinerating you now.”

“There is a current running through you, just like on the balcony. Only it hasn’t turned painful yet.”

I pulled my hand from him, but his grip tightened, stopping me.

A group of young women passed, shouting and laughing. It snapped me out of it. I needed to get Brekt off the streets.

“I am going to take you to see someone,” I said, hiding my red face in my hood.

He let go of my hand, only to run a finger over my cheek, down my neck to my collar. “Who are you taking me to if you don’t want my presence known? Am I going to have to fight someone?”

I made a face at him. “Not everything has to be solved with violence. No, I am taking you to find Maev. Then we are going to see her friend. I have questions for him that pertain to the legends of the Aspis and the Ikhor. I thought you might want to hear what he has to say.”

His delicious mouth curved again. “You want me to show myself to an Aethar? They will tell you the Ikhor must kill me.”

“Not if we hide who you are.”

“Are you okay, Liv?” He grabbed my hand to inspect it. “Your skin looks like it’s glowing, just like the painted images. Does the magic hurt you?”

I sighed. “I guess we should catch up. Walk with me. And I’ll tell you everything that’s happened.”