Page 15 of Skullduggery
‘But it hasn’t worked, has it? You’re no closer to fullycontrolling your magic, and you’re no closer to weaning yourself off spider’s silk. I’m not stupid, Daisy. I know what’s going on. I’ve seen the way you break into a cold sweat when you’re doing nothing to warrant it. I’ve noticed how you suddenly start shaking. But you’ve done everything I’ve asked and more and you’ve never hesitated. You, Daisy Carter, are the bravest, strongest, and most wonderful person I’ve ever met.’ He paused. ‘I’m not like you. I’m not as strong as you. But you make me want to try.’
My eyes widened. I swallowed hard, stood up and went to him. When I reached his ramrod-straight body, he turned and faced me. ‘We’ll look for Gordon’s little magical skull together,’ he said. ‘We’ll be more successful as a team. Anyway, you desperately need a break in your training. Miriam keeps telling me that the regime is as likely to kill you as save you. Even Otis has pulled me aside to scold me for giving you too much to do.’
I glanced over at the little brownie. A guilty flush stained his cheeks as he shoved his hands in his pockets and looked away. Hester nudged him. ‘Otis! You did that?’
He mumbled an answer. She flung herself at him and wrapped her arms around him.
‘You should take the rest of the day off, Daisy,’ Hugo said, drawing my attention back to him. ‘Get some proper rest. I’ll convene the Primes first thing tomorrow morning. We can take a good look at all the information Gordon has about the skull and come up with a plan.’
‘Are you sure about this?’ I whispered.
His hand reached up and cupped my cheek. ‘I am.’
I couldn’t help myself: I stiffened. ‘That’s the first time you’ve touched me since London,’ I said. Six weeks ago.
Hugo’s hand stayed where it was. ‘I know.’ His head dipped closer to mine. ‘Believe me, Daisy, I know.’
As his warm breath brushed my skin, something deep andnameless inside me quivered. I gazed into his eyes, then I muttered two words: ‘Fuck it.’
My mouth rose to meet his. For one heart-stopping moment, he didn’t react but then he groaned and curved an arm around me, pulling me closer and kissing me harder. He tasted of cinnamon and cloves, and the heat of his hard body as it pressed against mine almost made me gasp aloud. When his mouth left mine and he trailed a series of kisses down my neck towards my collarbone, Ididgasp. And I moaned. Then again, so did Hugo.
‘Um, Daisy?’
I barely heard Otis, and I certainly didn’t pay him any attention. My hands curved down until I was cupping Hugo’s gorgeous arse and then?—
Hester screeched in my ear. ‘Daisy!’
I stepped back, my heart hammering against my ribcage with more force than a dozen confrontations with Athair could invoke. ‘What?’
She pointed downwards.
Oh.
I swallowed hard. Hugo glanced down and his skin paled beneath his flush of lust. Not only had I finally managed to fill the bucket with water, but it also appeared that I’d filled the entire ballroom. We were standing in three inches of tepid liquid that was covering every inch of the floor.
‘If the two of you are going to keep at it and drown yourselves in the process,’ Hester retorted, ‘at least let us leave the room first.’
I thought of the three spider’s silk pills I’d taken a few hours earlier; the drug’s effects on my magic were diminishing day by day. Cumbubbling bollocks.
I drew in a ragged breath. ‘I’m sorry, Hugo. That was a mistake.’
He gazed at me with hot, blue eyes. ‘No, it wasn’t. It was worth every damned inch of water.’ He looked as if he meant it.
I licked my lips. When I realised I could still taste him on my tongue, something surged through me – and the water level rose another inch. Oops. ‘Just so we’re clear,’ I said. ‘I didn’t kiss you because I’m happy that you’ll help me look for Gordon’s skull.’
The corner of Hugo’s mouth crooked up and his dimple appeared. ‘I know that, Daisy. You kissed me because I’m irresistible and you couldn’t help yourself. I can’t blame you.’ He gestured to himself. ‘It’s hard to say no to this.’ His eyes dropped to my mouth, then they travelled lower.
‘Stop that!’ I protested.
‘Stop what?’
‘Ogling!’
‘Why? Is it making you melt?’ He grinned; he was back to his usual self. ‘You want mesobadly right now.’
He wasn’t wrong. I felt myself leaning towards him once more.
‘No!’ Hester yelled. ‘No more! No flooding! No tsunamis!’ She was right. I closed my eyes and stepped away.
