Page 63 of The Rebel and the Rose
The provost vaulted ahead, clearly eager to be rid of them.
Ransom hung back, falling into step with her. ‘Well played, spitfire. Who knew you could be such a darling?’
‘It’s called common decency. Try it some time. Your people skills are appalling.’
‘I’m better with corpses.’
She rolled her eyes. ‘If you threaten our first and only lead, we’ll never find another one. Do you want to find the prince or not?’
‘You meankillthe prince.’
‘Right. Same thing.’ She scurried ahead, passing under thestone arch and turning left towards a set of doors that led into the east wing of the Appoline.
‘Is it?’ he said, striding to keep up.
She stopped abruptly, letting the others slip inside ahead of her. Turning to face him, her eyes grew wide and searching. ‘You tell me, Dagger.’
Ransom stilled, angling his body towards hers. Shadows pooled around them, blotting out the world. ‘Are you having second thoughts, Seraphine?’
Biting her lip, she raised her gaze, the bronze fleck there glimmering. ‘Right now, I’m having…otherthoughts,’ she said, in a low, breathy voice.
Ah. His gaze dipped from her eyes to the bow of her lips. The cut on her mouth was a faded pink line. He wanted to press his lips against it. ‘I’m all ears, spitfire.’
‘Good,’ she murmured, sliding her hands up his chest. ‘Because I need something from you. Ratherurgently.’
His heart gave a deep, insistent thud, as if to say,Anything.
Her eyes gleamed as gold as sunlight as her fingers dipped beneath his open collar, lightly tracing the shadow-marks there.
Magic met magic. Dimly, he was aware of the Shade leaving him. More overtly, he didn’t give a shit.
He stifled a groan, every nerve ending in his body firing under her touch. That thread in his chest was so taut, one tug would yank his heart right out. ‘I need something too,’ he said, hoarsely.
You. Now.
Always.
She smirked.
He leaned in, desperate to taste that smile, but she was already side-stepping away.
He turned, blinking at her in confusion.
‘There.’ Her smile grew. ‘Muchbetter.’
Ransom looked down at himself, noting the distinct lack of shadows at his feet.Ah. The brazen spitfire had shredded his power. She had put a muzzle on the attack dog, who had been too busy drooling over her to notice.
‘We’re in a hallowed place of learning,’ she said, in an entirely different tone. One he did not particularly enjoy. ‘So stop threatening everyone like a slack-brained brute and start acting like it.’
He bit back a curse. ‘I knew it was too good to be true.’
She arched a brow, pushing past him. ‘Eyes on the prize, Dagger.’
They are, he thought to himself as he stalked inside after her.
Chapter 15Seraphine
Stepping into the library at the Appoline was like straying into a dream. Vaulted ceilings crowned stone walls hung with beautiful oil paintings, each one depicting a venerated Saint of Valterre. Arched stained-glass windows looked out over the courtyard below, their generous sills lined with velvet cushions.
