Page 96 of The Immortal's One
“Well, that was subtle,” I joke with an awkward chuckle.
“Bella’s never been good at being discreet.” Des smirks, his eyes slowly tracing over me. The warmth of his gaze heats my skin. “Is Eshe making you a dress or a suit of armor?”
I glance at the metal needles poking through the fabric and huff out a laugh. “Both? Honestly, considering I’ll be in a room full of Immortals, some who could be part of the rebellion, armor might be a good idea.” I shrug.
It’s meant to be a joke, but the thought of being surrounded by people who want me dead makes my throat tighten, straining the words.
Des’s expression hardens. “I won’t let anything happen to you, Darcie.”
The intensity in his voice catches me off guard, and my heart squeezes. “I believe you.”
For a moment, we stare at each other. I don’t know what to make of his expression. He seems determined, but there’s a trace of something… else. Resignation? Maybe a flicker of sadness?
“I have a plan,” he finally says, breaking the silence.
I blink, clearing away the disoriented feelings coursing through me. “You do?”
He nods, his jaw set. “I do.”
“Well, let’s hear it.” I try to step down from the platform, but my foot catches on the skirt. Before I can right myself, my arms flail back in a futile attempt to keep my balance.
“Careful.” Des lunges forward, gripping my arm to steady me and help me step down.
“Thanks,” I exhale, acutely aware of how his fingers linger against the fabric covering my arm.
When he lets go, I miss the warmth of his touch.
Stop it, Darcie, I chastise myself.
“So…” I take a breath and push the unusual sensations to the back of my mind. “What’s your plan?”
Des stares. “What?”
“Your plan?” I raise a brow. “For the ball?”
“Oh. Right.” He takes a deep breath. Then… he lays it all out.
At first, I nod along, encouraged by his calm demeanor. But when he gets to the crux of his plan, my jaw hits the floor. Des sees, but he doesn’t stop talking until he’s shared all the nitty gritty details of his ludicrous idea.
Only then does he stop talking, watching me as he waits for my response.
“Well?” He tilts his head to the side. “What do you think?”
I gape like a fish out of water. “You can’t be serious.”
He frowns. “Why not?”
“Why not?” I scoff, my tone rising in disbelief. “You want me to—” I pause and glance around the empty room, lowering my voice to a whisper. “You want me to kissAdirat the ball?”
The thought of that war-hungry Immortal being even remotely involved in this plan makes my stomach turn. Something about him doesn’t sit right with me. He’s the last person I want to rely on. Not to mentionkiss.
But Des’s confidence doesn’t falter. “I do. But it doesn’t have to be in front of everyone. We only need a couple of lesser Immortals to see the kiss. When they do, the gossip will spread like wildfire.”
And I’ll be the one burned.
I shake my head, trying to make sense of both Des’s planand my unease. “I don’t understand how this is going to work,” I admit.
Des repeats the details he’s already shared. “Adir will ask you for a dance at the ball. Once the dance is over, he’ll escort you to a semi-private area to talk. That’s where he’ll kiss you.”
