Page 70 of Cruel Destinies

He offered me a reassuring smile, then nodded once before going back the way he’d come.

Flustered to a disorienting degree, I stood in place for a long moment, unsure which way to go.

The military wanted to see what I could do. They were about to be gravely disappointed. I had only just started manipulating light, and my water manipulation was sloppy at best. As for my siren voice, I’d only used it once on purpose. I had to do my absolute best this evening.

What would it mean for me, for Caesar, for the world, if I failed?

***

Five-thirty.

I had watched every single minute pass since the start of the hour. As Caesar advised, I spent the afternoon practicing. As Caesar specifically advised against, I had stressed about it the entire time.

Maybe I wouldn’t have been so worried if Caesar hadn’t seemed worried. Anything that upset Caesar didn’t bode well for anyone. This was a big deal, and I couldn’t afford to mess it up.

But I couldn’t focus. The fact that monumental issue was left unsettled between me and Tobias was eating me up. Tobias was such an emotionally skittish creature that I feared he’d retract his offer if I didn’t accept it soon.

Which I was totally fine with. Yep. To-ta-lly fiiiiiine.

As I watched the zero on the clock turn to a one, I knew that I’d never be able to focus on the upcoming presentation if I didn’t at least talk to Tobias. I simply could not perform with that hanging over my head.

I left the mer training room and bolted for the gym, some unknown sense telling me that Tobias would be there. When I entered the gym, I looked all around for him, but he was nowhere in sight.

Just as I began to doubt my new and confusing ESP, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the display of the sim room revert to a blank wall. Sure enough, the door opened, and Tobias emerged, glistening with sweat and gripping a towel around the back of his neck on either side. Did he always have to look so lickable?

My heart galloping, I practically sprinted toward him. When he looked up and saw me coming his way, that same hopeful glint I’d seen earlier returned, and a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

I grabbed his wrist and pulled him back into the sim room, closing the door behind them.

“Okay, if we’re going to do this, there have to be some rules,” I said.

“Rules?” he asked, even as his face split into a grin.

“Yes. Rule number one: no more tantrums. You don’t get to angrily explode at me when I do something you disagree with. It’s going to happen. I have my own mind, and I will not be told what I can and can’t do. If we disagree on something, you have to calmly talk to me about it like a normal person. Got it?”

He shrank slightly under my authoritative tone, his grin fading into an adorable smirk. He nodded. “Okay. I can do that.”

“Good,” I said with a satisfied nod. “Rule number two: no more ghosting me for any reason. If you go even one day without some type of communication with me, that’s unacceptable. I understand that you’re a little emotionally stunted, and it’s perfectly okay for you to need time to process your feelings sometimes. If that’s the case, just tell me you need some space, and I’ll be fine with that.”

He nodded again, still smirking. “That sounds reasonable.”

“Great. And rule number three—well, not a rule exactly—but basically you get one chance,” I continued, getting off a little on being the one with the power in this relationship for once. “If you ever break either of the rules even once, that’s it. I’m not coming back. There are no third chances.”

I watched his throat bob as he understood the gravity and irrefutable truth of my warning.

“Those are my terms,” I said when he didn’t respond. “Do we have a deal?” I extended my hand in an offer to shake on it, like we were having a business discussion.

His lips spreading back into a grin, he took my hand, and before I knew what was happening, he pulled me against him and pressed his lips to mine.

I melted against him, happily relinquishing my brief moment of authority over to him as I opened my mouth for him.

Bliss! This was pure, unfiltered bliss. Knowing he was mine and I was his, in the midst of all the serious, life-threatening danger that surrounded us, made me happier than I’d been in months.

My joy consumed me, filling my limbs and spreading out through my fingers. Suddenly the fluorescent lights on the ceiling shattered with an alarmingpop. Oops.

In the darkness, our lips parted and we laughed heartily, still clinging to each other.

When our laughter subsided, his hand caressed my cheek, and even though I couldn’t see him, I could still feel his eyes on me.

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