Page 93 of Stealing the Star Stone
“Yeah, there are two ‘one another.’”He waved a strip of paper at her.“And they don’t make sense with what’s left.”
She tapped her chin with a book’s spine and studied the words.“What about, ‘To understand one another is to become one another?’”
He grinned.“That could work.Okay, that leaves ‘That is creation.That is union.To be known, and to be seen.’”
“The first two have a finality to them.They’d be at the end, right?”She gave him a shrug.“Besides, even if we figure out what it means, how does it help us?”
“I don’t know, maybe touch them in order?With our joined hands, with the stone, or with the egg?”He jumped to his feet.“I’m guessing here.”
Her smile was sweet.“And doing a fantastic job, too.”She touched, stroked, then kissed the first pillar’s words.Nothing happened.“Okay, so not that.Or we have them in the wrong order.”
He lifted the bag to dig out more items and blinked at the number carved into the base of the pillar.It was caked with black soil and barely noticeable.“Look!”He knelt and brushed aside the dirt.“I was right.This one’s first.”
They moved through the temple and dusted off the symbols.
“What’s it say then?”she asked, wiping her hands on her ass.
He shifted to the center of the temple to take them all in.“To understand one another is to become one another.To be seen, to be known—that is union.That is creation.”
She squealed, bouncing on the spot.“Since it talks about union, let’s try touching them together.”
He laced his fingers with hers and pressed them to the first words.They lit with a muted hum.Giggling, they ran between the pillars in order then faced the altar.
Excitement pulsed between them, and if they’d had the time, he’d kiss her, especially when she glowed with such joy.
Grating rumbled beneath his feet.He fought the urge to step back, worried the bottom would fall away and swallow them whole.
The altar split in half and spiraled outward.In the center a stone rose on nothing but air.When it was high enough, the grating returned and the altar reformed.
“I’m not ready to test the stones.”She squeezed his hand still clasped in hers.“What if this one speeds up the timer again?”
“Then we leave this moon, get married, and learn to live like this.”Which I’d love to do with you, Nova-honey.
Her panic faded, and she drew him into a hug.“I suppose that wouldn’t bethatbad,” she said.She pressed a kiss to his temple then pulled away, dropping the bag between them.“Let’s do this.”
He stole another kiss.It was meant to be swift, a mere brushing of lips, but she crushed him to her and deepened it.His heartbeat deafened him.Breathing became inconsequential, and only the taste of her mattered.When he broke away, desire zinged along his veins.
He studied her as he rummaged through the bag, then dropped it at her feet, their stone in hand.“Ready?”
She splayed her fingers on it and reached out to the other.He did the same.
A low humming started on both stones and grew louder, making his palms tingle.
Between them, a light began, growing brighter until it was blinding.
“Is it going to shatter?”she whispered, peeking at him through her narrowed eyes.
Before he could answer, the colors swirled in the stones’ depths.
Both shot up then spun around each other, whirling so fast they blurred.He snatched her against him, needing her warmth to calm him.This could end so badly.
Or it could go well.
His chest swelled.An explosion of heat poured outward from there to his shoulder, down his bicep, stopping at his fingertips.He held up his hand and blinked at the disappearing tattoo.
“It’s…working,” she said, showing him her palm.Tears traveled over her cheeks and dripped off her chin.
“You’ve been amazing, Nova,” he said, stealing a fleeting kiss.
