Page 48 of Heavenly Bodies

She felt water drip on her shoulder and turned in disbelief as Enzo sat down beside her. He was slick with water; it ran off his bare chest in rivulets. He was far too close to her, his wet trousers brushing her legs as they dangled in the water.

‘Enzo,’ she said, a little out of breath. ‘Do you ever wear a shirt?’

He pushed wet curls back from his face and rested back on his elbows, an indolent smile on his face as he reached over and picked up a cup of wine from beside Leo. ‘I don’t hear any other women complaining.’

She muttered a prayer.

‘How drunkareyou?’ she asked, looking at him dubiously.

‘Pleasantly drunk,’ he said. ‘But still sober enough that I’ll remember your conversation with Leo in the morning.’ His grin widened.

She observed him for a moment, searching for a glimpse of the man from the night before, vulnerable and afraid. But with his curling lips and eyes sparking, she came up short. Sliding a look at Leo, then back to Enzo, she said, ‘Can we talk?’ She edged closer, her hand resting on his as she lookedat him in earnest. She noticed how warm it felt, the droplets of water on it wetting her palm. His eyes flew to her hand, his nostrils slightly flared. Then he met Leo’s gaze, some silent order passing between them before Leo stood and disappeared into the fray.

‘This isn’t going to be an apology,’ she warned, and Enzo muttered a prayer under his breath. ‘But…I stayed. Which means that I clearly want to be your…tentative ally?’

Enzo frowned.

‘I mean, thatiswhat we are. We have a common goal, a common enemy. So I suppose, what I’m trying to say is…’ She sighed. Why had she drunk so much? ‘I think I need you.’

A look passed over Enzo’s face, and was masked too quickly for Elara to decipher it.

‘You helped me face my fear. I’d like to work together again. And it will be different now—because I’ve chosen to stay.’

He looked at her for a long time, long enough that her skin started to prickle, before he replied. ‘In an unfortunate turn of events, I need you too,’ he said. ‘So, tentative allies—I suppose that’s what we are.’

Something eased within Elara, something she hadn’t realized she’d cared about.

He leaned in closer, blocking out the rest of the revel.

‘I had an interesting dream last night,’ he murmured, so low that only Elara could hear.

‘Did you?’ She turned her head, gulping her wine to the dregs.

‘Yes. You didn’t happen to be dreamwalking, did you?’ His breath was a lethal caress on her jaw.

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ she breathed, staring straight ahead so that her eyes wouldn’t betray her.She could see him out of the corner of her eye, fixated on her.

She felt a warm hand touch her chin, moving it to face him. His eyes searched hers, and she willed cool indifference into them.

‘You’re a terrible liar.’ He gave a playful smile, his touch light as he grew close enough for their lips to touch. ‘Thank you.’

Her mouth worked, and his eyes flicked to her lips then drew back to her eyes.

She pressed her lips closed, giving a small nod. She went to turn away, but his hand held her close. ‘There’s something else I need to tell you,’ he slurred. She frowned as Enzo looked around, seemingly making sure nobody was in earshot, before leaning in closer to her. ‘The Borderland Fires…I didn’t—’ He sighed a heavy breath. ‘I warned the village before it happened. My father gave the order, and I knew I had no choice. But I made sure everyone got out first. Then I incinerated it. It had to look real.’ He breathed in deeply. ‘The women, the children, they’re all alive and safe, living in the Goldfir Forest on the Helion side of the border. Leo goes to visit them from time to time with food and supplies.’ That wild earnestness was in his eyes again. ‘I just— I needed you to know that.’

Elara looked at him, searching, her mouth agape. Between his nightmares and what he had just confessed—thetreasonhe’d just revealed—she was speaking to an entirely different person.

‘I believe you,’ she said finally as relief crashed through her. ‘Thank you. Thank you for saving them.’

He gave a curt nod, releasing his grip on her before knocking back what remained in his goblet in one gulp. Thankfully, Leo and Isra returned then, the latter throwing herself to the ground, out of breath.

‘Wonderful for you to grace us with your presence,’ Isra said, passing her own bottle to Enzo.

‘Careful,’ Elara warned. ‘That stuff is lethal.’

Enzo raised an eyebrow, his eyes fixed on her as he took a sip. He swallowed it, grinning. ‘Lightweight,’ he whispered.

She swirled the water below her with her toes, absent-mindedly listening to Leo and Enzo as they exchanged stories of their childhood. Isra butted in now and then to correct them or grumble about the torture she’d endured at their hands.

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