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Or maybe that was just the combined pounding of our hearts.
“I love you,” Caleb said again. I could never get tired of hearing that. Or saying it back.
“I love you.” I trailed my fingers along Caleb’s back.
“I’m so glad you didn’t stab me with that ice blade when we first met.”
I laughed, that moment feeling like a lifetime ago now. “I am too. We’ve been through a lot, huh?”
“And I have a feeling we’ve got even more to get through. I think we should reunite those paintings and destroy them once and for all. Before the Crimson Ring can use them to bring back Niazatos.” Caleb picked his head up from my chest, eyes locked with mine. “I’ve been thinking of a plan.”
“Same here. We can do it.” Saying her name was surreal. It tasted like blood and dirt, tainting my mouth, squeezing my heart like a python intent on crushing me.
Caleb nodded, a finger swirling around my chest. “I’m confident I can sneak us in. Claire and Ashley have been teaching me everything I need to know. I think I can handle it.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to put you in a bad position. I know how—why—you disliked your powers.”
He smiled and kissed my chin. “Thank you. I appreciate it, but I think I’ve come to terms with everything that happened. I miss my brother, more than anything in this world, and I miss my parents too—the version of them that I grew up with, the ones that wouldn’t kick me out of the house. But I can’t change the past. I can’t bring my brother back or reunite my family. But I can take control of my own fate. I was given a curse on Pulse night, but I was also given a gift. And I have to use it.”
“I’m proud of you. I am.” He nestled back into me, head lying on my chest, his body heat mingling with mine. “We’re going to do it. We’re going to save the world together.”
“Perfect,” Caleb said. “But first, can we enjoy this moment? I never want it to end.”
“Neither do I.” I laid my head back on a pillow and found myself smiling up at the canopy of leaves. “Neither do I.”
The sunlight was our alarm clock the next morning. We had stayed out on the turret all night, cuddling and fucking, laughing and talking. If I had to describe the perfect day, it would have been yesterday. Reuniting with Caleb, finding the painting, and making him mine again all in the span of twenty-four hours, it was beyond a whirlwind. My head spun in the best way possible. I even woke up with a huge grin on my face, Caleb gently snoring in my arms.
It was perfect. Caleb was perfect.
We were perfect.
And we also had a job to do.
Today was the day. We decided we couldn’t waste any more time. We had to get the paintings to the other two and destroy them before the location of the lock was revealed. That meant we had to go back to the Center of Betterment and make it into their Ruby Room, which would get us to the Glass Auditorium, where we hoped they had the other paintings. And we had to do it all by remaining undetected and not tripping any alarms.
Should be easy.
The morning zoomed by as we prepared. Caleb practiced weaving his threads of mana, creating an illusion that didn’t require any cheap masks or wigs. He tested it out first, turning himself into a five-foot-five man with an acne-dotted face and a haircut that appeared to be done by his archnemesis.
“Can I get someone who’s a little more… attractive?”
“Yes, absolutely.” He worked the same combination of blue threads over my body and swished his hand. I turned to look at myself in the bathroom mirror.
I burst out laughing. “Asshole,” I said, touching my toucan-sized nose and protruding beer belly. My shirt looked to be stained with said beer, my jeans also desperately needing a wash. And instead of a terrible haircut, Caleb had left me with no hair at all.
Damn, his illusions really had improved.
“What?” Caleb asked innocently. He laughed as he walked around me, back into the bedroom. “I had to use these two guys. They’re real people. I’ve been watching the Center these last few days and noticed these two walking in and out. They are probably members, so no one’s going to blink twice while we walk past them and straight to the Ruby Room, where I can use this key card to get us in. But first, let’s pack up the painting.” He opened the carry-all satchel that had been on my dresser and fit the painting into the black velvet pouch. He tied off the top and squeezed the bag down to pocket-sized. He dangled it in the air and gave it a little shake.
