Page 101 of The Rebel's Prize

Octarus took her hand and stretched his other to Chloe.

Sophie, watching intently, gave Chloe a small smile of encouragement.

"Ready?" Elarus asked.

From near the door, Chloe heard Valentin clear his throat. But if he was about to interrupt, then she wasn't going to let him. There was only one person who could make the decision to try this or not. If she held Lucien's memories, then she wanted more than anything for him to have them back. Every messy second of them. But only if that was what he wanted, too.

"Lucien?" Chloe said. "This is up to you."

He smiled at her, the grin half bravado, half determination. "It's not even a choice. Elarus, do your worst."

The sanctii snorted. Chloe had a moment to brace herself before magic roared through her in a rush of sound and light that left her uncertain of where or who she was.

[Stay.] Octarus's voice came sure and strong in the middle of the storming magic. [Hold.]

How could she hold against the strength of this magic? Goddess forfend, if this was what a sanctii's true power was, then perhaps the Anglions were right to be scared of them.

But she was no Anglion to quake in the face of magic. She was the daughter of a master mage, trained by master mages. Latest in a long line of Illvyan magic, of those who'd built the empire and the magic that protected and sustained it. A daughter of men and women cloaked in raven black and wielding power. She would hold.

And she would give the man she loved whatever he needed.

She gave herself up to the magic, laying down any defenses she could think of, seeking only the security of the link of the bond, which somehow sang to her even in the storm of Elarus's power. She held tight to that and let the rest rush through her, let Elarus take whatever she needed.

At the edge of awareness, she heard Lucien cry out and the storm vanished. She sucked in a breath, trying to ground herself back in her body.

"Well," Sophie said, her voice shaky, "that was certainly something."

Chloe opened her eyes slowly, not sure she trusted herself to respond. The first thing she saw was Lucien, green eyes blazing up at her.

"Something indeed," he agreed, smiling. "Chloe, love, let's not do that again. Two bonds and whatever that was seems like enough for one lifetime." He glanced sideways at Elarus. "Just as well that Silya wasn't here. I'm fairly certain she wouldn't consider this balance."

Chloe stared at him a moment, then began to smile. "You remember Silya," she said, not quite daring to hope it had worked.

This time his smile was wicked. "I remember everything." He tugged at her hand, and she bent down and kissed him. Hard. Light sparking through her again, joy echoed and returned through the bond that now felt clear and strong and sure. Lucien's hands twined in her hair, pulling her closer.

After a minute or so, someone cleared their throat.

"I think," Imogene said, amusement clear in her tone, "perhaps we should give them a minute or two alone before we decide what happens next."

* * *

It took longer than a minute, both of them too lost to find the willpower to stop kissing. Eventually Lucien wrenched himself away, lust fogging his senses, aware that they couldn't go any further. Part of him roared in frustration. Chloe's eyes were wide and dark, her face flushed, her breath coming fast, and he wanted nothing more than to pull her fully into bed with him. But he was all too aware of the audience just outside the door. Not to mention the small matter of Deandra and Istvan.

Fuck. Duty won. By the thinnest of margins.

"No one's done anything to Deandra, have they?" he asked. Assaulting a Truth Seeker was a capital offense. With the emperor in his current state of mind, Lucien wouldn't have been shocked if Aristides ordered her immediate execution upon learning what she'd done.

"No. She's still in the cells. Istvan, too. As far as I know, no one has talked to them since Deandra—" She broke off, biting her lip.

He pulled her close again, and she took a shuddering breath, her face pressed into his neck. "I'm fine," he murmured soothingly. "Elarus fixed me."

She nodded and sat up. "I know, it's just—"

"I know. But right now, we have to focus on the case. We have all the time in the world for each other." He felt his smile go lopsided. "Not that that's enough."

She laughed, still sounding slightly shaky, and slid off the bed. "No. But case first. Then we can hide away at Terre d'Etoi and ignore the world."

"I like that idea. So, find me some clothes."

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