Page 144 of Mountain of Mirrors and Starlight
“Aren’t you scared?”
“Terrified,” he admitted. “I still like it, though. Don’t you?”
“No,” she said, “yes.I don’t know. Apparently, I can both hate and like it.” She paused. “Not you, though. You I only like. It might be easier if I didn’t, but…”
“Not as much fun?”
“How can you sound so cocky in your present state?”
“You think I’m cocky?”
“You definitely have your moments.”
“Am I supposed to pretend I’m not attractive? Would you prefer me demure, princess? Swooning in your presence?”
“I would prefer you at full strength, back in the palace, where I can safely rip off all your clothes.”
Caer’s throat bobbed.
“That silenced you, I see.” She angled her face towards him. “I don’t suppose… your magic is tapped out right now, is it?”
Caer shook his head. “I’m tired, but… I can still feel it, you know?”
“I do,” she said. “Sleep, if you’re still tired.”
“But you—”
“Will stay here until you’ve nodded off and scoot back to my own bed.” She nodded a few feet away. “Right over there. Not far.”
“Right,” he said. He squeezed her tightly, and then his arms loosened. “Ais?”
“Yes?”
“I think I’m falling in love with you.”
IthinkI’mfallingin love with you.
She’d wanted to tease him, to play on the word ‘think’, to smile and say, “Why, you’re not already there?” but the words hadn’t come. Her delight couldn’t be feigned.
And thankfully, before he could wonder at her silence, he’d fallen back to sleep.
His confession haunted her most of the night and well into the morning as they packed up to leave. She didn’t know why it hovered around her like a ghost, why she felt more dread than pleasure. Hadn’t she said almost the same, just the night before?
But it was harder hearing it from him. Everything was growing stronger and less reversible by the day.
She caught his eyes over breakfast, but he’d only smiled at her.Say you didn’t mean it,she wanted to say.Say it was the effects of the potions Flora plied you with. You are mortal. Lie to me.
Because one of them needed to. One of them needed to be able to pretend this was little more than friendship with a side of attraction if they were to survive this.
You can’t have me forever,she told whatever force held her in its snare.You can’t. I have much to do after we say goodbye. I am more than what I feel.
Beau sidled up to her as they mounted the wargis. “Caer seems to be doing well.”
“Flora’s skills and a bit of faerie magic seemed to have worked wonders.”
“So it appears.” Beau chewed his lip. “And how areyoudoing?”
“I wasn’t hurt.”
