A Thief of Nightshade(36)

Aubrey had to admit, though she’d criticized that very action in novels, it was romantic in the right context.

“How did you get back in?” She granted him a grin, enough of one to let him know that she at least somewhat agreed with him, and kissed him back. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more flattered she felt.

“I told Samantha I could show myself out, which I did, but it was much later than she’d anticipated and she was a little tipsy herself. I doubt she looked at the driveway again after she came in for the night.”

“Sam told me that you wouldn’t let Darin carry me into the house. I was mortified.”

He laughed and lay down beside her, propped up by his elbow. “I wouldn’t have let Darin touch you if his life depended on it. And just so you understand, I thought you were adorable that night. I’d been behind you in the gardens for a while. No, I wasn’t hiding. I actually called your name several times but you didn’t hear me. I don’t always stalk you, you know.”

She giggled, “It doesn’t sound that way. Not that I really mind, though. I like the idea of being sought after.”

He reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, then ran the back of his hand across her cheek. “Do you not feel sought after now?”

“That isn’t what I meant.”

“Mrs. Sellars, there isn’t anything in this world or any other that could keep my heart from belonging to you and you alone.

Don’t laugh, I’m not joking.”

“I don’t think you are.”

He placed his palm over her necklace. “No, but you don’t believe it.”

“Actions speak louder than words. I know you love me and I believe you mean what you’re saying. I’ve just learned not to trust words. I’ve come a long way since I met you. I have let you in, which is more than I can say for any other relationship I’ve ever had, friendship or otherwise. It’s especially important considering how little you’ve returned the favor. You have yet to tell me anything that pertains to your family. What about your childhood, what are your parents like? What were they like? Did you eat your lima beans when you were a kid? I don’t know, you’ve never told me.”

“I’ve never liked lima beans.”

She groaned and rolled out of his embrace. “Nothing could keep your heart from mine? How about total honesty? I’ve bared my soul to you, Jullian. You’re right; this isn’t a joke. It hurts to think you don’t find me worthy enough to know anything more than just the surface stuff.

And you wonder why I’ve had a hard time telling you simple things, like what stupid stunt I pulled to break my leg. Let alone sharing events with you that changed my life and the lives of everyone else in my family.”

He stood up and walked around to where she’d turned her back to him. “I don’t know how to tell you,” he said quietly. “And please, Aubrey, don’t relate my issues with your worth. You know

how much that terrifies me. It has nothing to do with you—nothing at all.”

She uncrossed her arms and took his hands in hers. “I didn’t know how to tell you, either. But I loved you enough to try the best I knew how. You haven’t even given me that much.” When he didn’t say anything in response, her gut tightened. It wasn’t anger she was feeling; she would have preferred it. She dropped her hands.

“I don’t blame you. It’s always easier to say you love someone than to show them.”

Avalar

When Aubrey came to, the first thing she saw was a clock, dimly as though it were at the end of a very long tunnel. As the gears came into view, she realized the clock was actually quite close and seemed to have rubber attached to its right side.

“What are you?” The gears moved strangely, pulling up on part of the rubber, very lip-like.

Her vision cleared and suddenly what she saw in front of her wasn’t a clock at all but a hideous combination of winding gears and human flesh. She screamed, scrambling back on her hands and backed up until she hit a damp wall.

The clock-thing, rolling around on one arm that had a wheel attached where a hand should have been and two very distorted legs, leaned closer. Half its face was mechanical; the other still seemed to be living. Jade green eyes peered back at her curiously. Moppish dishwater hair fell over its head and down one shoulder.

“It seems to me that since you are able to speak, it’s only polite to answer a question you must certainly know the answer to.”

She closed her gaping mouth.

Indignant, it twisted until it faced her with an entirely different side of its head, the back of it, actually, where it had another set of lips and eyes and a nose— this face was made completely of metal parts. It frowned. “I am called Cain. Now, what are you?”

She

looked

around

quickly,

discovering that on the far side of where she cowered were bars. They were both imprisoned, unless this creature was her warden. “Where are we?”

Cain turned his head around again.

“Now, that doesn’t sound like an answer at all. Allow me to clarify my question.

Are you human, Fae or Shade?”

“Tell me where we are first.”

Cain groaned, accomplished by a series of wheels clicking into place and pulling a metal string down his exposed throat. “We are in Koldavere, city of Goblins. The lower dungeons, if you must know specifically.”