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Eric didn’t answer me right away; instead he took a seat on the couch and pulled me onto his lap. I snuggled into him. As furious as I was with him, I wanted to be near him to reassure myself he was alive. “I thought you were dead.”
“I know, and I meant to die, but . . .”
“But what?”
“Sorrel, something happened right as I was going to drink the wolfsbane. My book spoke to me,” he whispered.
“What did it say?”
“I think it’s best if I show you.” He carefully leaned forward, still holding me while he reached for his book. He placed it on my lap. “Turn to the last page.”
I bit my lip, unsure. Something told me I might not like what it had to say. Whatever it was, I was grateful it had kept Eric alive.
“Open it,” Eric encouraged.
With trembling hands, I opened the cover. The book’s pages were made of onyx and contained silver writing. The first set of instructions in his book reminded me of something. “Did you render me unconscious?”
Eric gave me a crooked grin. “You left me no choice.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “You know, I have some neat tricks I can do too. If you don’t want to spend all day in the bathroom or covered in hives, you better keep your gifts to yourself.”
“How about this gift?” Eric’s lips brushed mine before capturing and then parting them.
I forgot about the heavy book in my lap and drank him in deeply. He tasted like cinnamon and felt like home. I ran my hands through his hair, making him moan.
His lips glided off mine and pressed kisses across my jaw and then down my neck, slowly and sensuously. His warm breath against my skin had me tingling and erupting in goose bumps.
“Eric,” I stuttered, “do you really love me?”
His lips paused on my collarbone. His hot breath cascaded down my chest. “I shouldn’t have told you that.”
I leaned away from him, hurt. “You lied.”
His head snapped up, and his blazing eyes met mine. “Sorrel, I didn’t lie. I do love you, but it was unfair for me to tell you while we both live.”
I placed my hands on his stubbled cheeks, happy he loved me but confused. “I don’t understand.”
“You will once you read the message.” He adjusted me on his lap, indicating it was time.
I would have preferred to keep kissing him, but the book called. Like truly called. It began humming loudly until I flipped to the last page. There, toward the bottom, in beautiful script, was written the last message.
You have proven yourself worthy of your destiny. Now you must help the daughter of the sun find her book. Only then can the curse be broken.
I about fell off his lap. My voice caught in my throat along with the air that was unable to escape.
Eric steadied me and patted me on the back as if to tell me to breathe.
A huge whoosh of air came out of me. “That’s impossible,” I stammered. “Maybe it’s not talking about me.”
Eric tilted my chin toward him. “Sorrel, it can’t be anyone but you.”
“I’m a Tellus.”
“Maybe. But why didn’t the book speak to you?”
“I have my mother’s gifts. And the Aelius book and their line were destroyed. Isn’t that why we have the curse?”
Eric leaned back against the couch and took me with him. “I know,” he sighed. “But the book never lies. Someone from their line had to survive.”
I bolted up and gripped Eric’s arm. “My father once told me that Princess Sorrel was cursed by her mother and she did her part to break the curse, just like I would. What if . . .” My heart thudded so hard it was difficult to say what I needed to. “What if the stories about Princess Sorrel were true and not just about me, like I’d always assumed? What if Princess Sorrel’s mother was the Aelius queen?”
Eric’s eyes widened. “What do you know about your father’s family?”
“Nothing, other than they came from France. I told you my father didn’t like to talk about them.”
“What if he couldn’t?”
“This is insane.” I rested my head on Eric’s shoulder.
Eric rubbed my arm. “I know it’s a lot to take in. Sorrel, you realize what this means?”
“Other than my entire life is not what I thought it was?”
“That. And . . . the Aelius queen meant for her family to be the one that survived. It is you who must live.”
My blood ran cold. “No,” I cried.
“Only one can survive,” he whispered.
I sat up and gazed into his aqua eyes. I saw myself in them. They reflected the love he felt for me. “I won’t let another person I love die because of me.”
He blinked his eyes several times. “You love me?”
I leaned my forehead against his. “I do love you. I think I was meant to love you. And I don’t care if we never break the curse. You will not die on my behalf.”
