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"And the others," she argued.
"Fine," I muttered, knowing this was a fight I wouldn't win. "But not the kid. If she gets into any of this, it could have disastrous consequences. End of the world shit. Or end of her shit."
"Understood," she murmured, pushing the door shut behind her and slowly walking into the room, eyes scanning, searching, devouring the space.
"And don't you touch anything either, Halwen. Your hand could melt off if you touch the wrong thing."
She winced. "Eek."
I couldn't believe she'd just said the word eek. She didn't even make the sound; she spoke it like a word. I battled to keep the smile off my face as I searched the final box up here, utterly charmed by my mate and struggling to understand why. She was everything that should have irritated me, too mouthy, too opinionated, too brash and violent and fierce. And yet I loved all those things about her. Loved that she challenged me and gave me shit and matched me in every possible way.
"Can I touch this?" she asked as I jumped off the chair. She pointed to a bronze compass in dire need of polishing.
"If you want to grow metal spikes all over your body," I replied with a smirk.
"Pass."
I watched her survey the room, greed entering her eyes. Gods, we were so alike. I felt the same way when I was in here. I wanted all of it. I wanted more. More power, more weapons, more magic that could, in untested theory, give me an edge if Cronus ever challenged me. I should have known he never would, should have known he'd wipe me out of existence and save himself the trouble of a fight.
Haley reached towards a jar with a red leaf cutting inside it, its purple veins glowing in a pulse that made it seem alive. I snuck my arm around her waist and pulled her back against me, a metaphorical fist driving into my stomach at the feel of her against me.
I nearly lost her. I nearly fucking lost her.
"I wasn't gonna touch it," she muttered, surly.
I smirked. "Sure you weren't."
I ducked my head and dragged a deep breath into my lungs, her scent of orchids and blood filling my senses until my chest threatened to cave in. I'd really believed the pearl had failed, that she'd been ripped away forever.
"Are you sniffing my hair?" she asked.
I scoffed. "You're delusional."
I expected her to keep teasing me, but instead she said, "Wynvail, you're not a thing, and you have no master. Stop calling yourself shit like that; it's not true, and I don't like it."
I paused, my hand spread across her stomach. "Why?"
She turned, my palm skimming her side until it settled at the small of her back. I flexed my hand, liking touching her like this. Touching Halwen was as dangerous as collecting powerful objects; I always wanted more.
"You're my mate, Wyn," she said, her voice hardening—until my eyes fluttered and I sucked in a breath before I could take control of it. "What?" she breathed, settling her arms around my waist, fingers linked behind my back.
"The first time you called me that," I said, glancing at the shelves and cabinets instead of looking her in the eye, "it felt like I'd won. You believed the fake shit I sold you, and accepted me as your mate, but you only called me that because you thought we'd lived a whole life together. By the time I started giving a damn about you—"
"What?" she pressed, her eyes rapt on my face, almost hungry for every word I spoke.
"Well, you hated me at that point. You saw me for the poison I really am, and I took every insult you threw my way as if it was a term of endearment. I wasn't supposed to care about you."
"You care about me?" she murmured, a deep furrow of genuine confusion between her brows.
"I'm thoroughly enamoured with you, you idiot," I replied, irritated she didn't know. "I love you. I have since you fought me in the arena, it just took me a while to realise it. When you almost got crushed by the Labyrinth, I figured it out. When you saved me from that hippocampus, there was no going back. I don't just love you; I'm in love with you."
Haley's stormy eyes were wide, fixed on mine with an expression I couldn't read. Was she horrified? "You love me?" she breathed.
I'd said it now; I had to own it, no matter how disgusted she was by my feelings. "I do," I replied, unapologetic.
She dropped her hands from my back and slammed them into my chest, shoving me so hard I knocked into the table behind me. Potion bottles and jars rattled. "You absolute fucking bastard! You—you've known for days and you didn't tell me?"
"Remind me when we had a moment to spare on heartfelt conversations and confessions of love," I drawled, worried I'd picked up that plant because I swore spikes formed all over my heart, pointing inward at the fragile organ.
