Page 116 of The Stars are Dying

Climbing the ladder, I searched all the spines, trying not to get distracted by so many intriguing titles. I didn’t succeed when one in particular caught my attention:

Daughter of Dusk and Dawn.

Taking one extra book wouldn’t do any harm, would it?

I plucked it out, tucking it under my arm as I kept climbing. When I reached the very top I realized Nyte hadn’t been exaggerating about the height.

There it was, in brilliant gold metallic text.

The Book of Bindings.

It took several tugs to pry the heavy tome from its long-forgotten wedged position on the shelf. In my arms the surprising weight shifted my balance, and my heart leaped up my throat, making me clutch the ladder tighter. The fall was sure to hurt, even to break bone if I landed wrong.

Once again, I found myself climbing a few more steps until I was looking over all the tall shelves. Instead of heading back down, I thumped the book on top of them and then braced to lift myself onto the wide width of the bookcase, uncaring of the dust creating dark smudges on my purple dress. My legs dangled over it, and I grinned at the exhilarating vantage point.

“Beautiful.”

Nyte’s silvery voice was barely a whisper that touched my chest. He was nowhere near, sitting opposite me atop the parallel bookcase. When his compliment registered, my cheeks stained pink. I averted my gaze to plant a hand on the book.

“You know, most would find comfort on the ground,” he said, reclining back on his hands.

I shrugged, glancing at the vast expanse of the library. “There’s something peaceful about the height. Private and secret. Not a place to hide, but to explore thoughts without distraction.”

“And what are your thoughts right now?”

I heaved open the heavy book. “You should know. You only exist here because of them.”

“Not entirely true. And I would never violate them,” he said, closer now, and I jumped at his presence beside me. “I would never read your deeper thoughts without consent. If it gives you further peace, you would feel me if I tried. The temptation to answer your loud surface thoughts I can’t deny when it’s like you want me to hear you. Unless Iput effort into blocking you, but I’m not that morally bound.”

I didn’t tell him I believed him, instead swallowing over my dry throat. “How do you do that? Creep up on me when I don’t will it at all.”

“Sometimes you do but don’t realize it. But your mind can also bend tomywill.” Nyte shifted closer again, until he could drop to a convincing whisper against my ear. “Believe what I want you to believe, and you are oh so willing.”

As though I had something to prove, I reimagined his place, and when I found him once again opposite me his wicked smirk was delighted.

“But there are far more exciting things I would like to watch you bend for me,” he continued.

My mouth dropped open; his deviance only spread wider.

“Once you free me, of course. I’m sure we could both make it convincing like this, but it wouldn’t be nearly as satisfying.”

I flipped through the pages fast as if it could fan away the heat crawling up my neck. “I would rather break.”

“Oh, Starlight, that’s the best part.”

I shut the book, loud enough that it resounded for a few beats before I stared Nyte down. “I think I’ve changed my mind about thisbargain.”

“No, you haven’t.”

“You’re insufferable in my mind. You’d be intolerable if I couldn’t banish you with a thought.”

“Has anyone ever told you how attractive your anger is?”

I huffed a humorless laugh. “You haven’t seen a fraction of my anger.”

Even from this distance I thought his gold eyes flashed like the first rays of sunlight. He disappeared again, only to reappear by my side, leaning in close, and in my shock I gasped, shifting around until I was reclining, and my back met the wood in an attempt to keep some distance.

Nyte hovered over me, strands of dark hair curling into his eyes. “Show me,” he said in an alluring gravel tone.

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