Page 29 of The Necromancer's Prisoner

Alistair flashed back to the whispered conversation he’d overheard on the tower’s staircase. He’d assumed Iggie was simply praying to his deceased parents or speaking aloud to himself. Now that he understood the truth, his heart felt as if it was about to snap in two. “Iggie…”

“I just want them to know that I’m okay.” Iggie glanced toward Marlon and Cynthia, setting his jaw. “Wherever their real souls are, I hope they can hear me. That they know their sacrifice wasn’t in vain. Whenever things get hard or feel hopeless, that’s what keeps me going—the thought of how much they gave up for me. Even if I don’t deserve it.”

That last bit came out in a choked whisper, and before Alistair could process what he was doing, he’d scooted forward and tugged Iggie into a tight embrace. At first, the necromancer went still, as rigid as a frozen slab of ice. Then, he gradually melted into Alistair’s touch. His head fell on Alistair’s armored shoulder while his arms looped around Alistair’s back as best they could with Alistair’s breastplate in the way.

Even past his armor, Alistair relished the contact. It was precisely what he’d longed for…no matter how much he knew he shouldn’t. “Don’t ever say that,” he whispered into Iggie’s ear. “Don’t eventhinkit. You’re not evil, no matter what some misguided members of the Order might claim. There’s nothing at all wrong with you.”

“But I got my parents killed! I steal everywhere I go. I’m a…amurderer!”

“Have you killed anyone since that night?”

Iggie shook his head, and Alistair released a pent-up breath. He hadn’t thought Iggie capable of that, but it was still a relief to have confirmation. “Killing the people who murdered your parents and were about to do the same to you hardly seems like the act of a deranged lunatic. Neither does borrowing what you need to survive. I don’t exactly condone theft, but it sounds like you had no other choice. And as for your parents,theymade their choice, not you. Because they thought it was worth it. Thatyouwere worth it.”

Iggie shuddered in Alistair’s grasp. “I want to believe you.”

“Then do. After all, Iama paladin. And everyone knows that paladins never lie.”

Iggie managed a gurgling half-laugh, half-sob that tore at Alistair’s heart. He sat there holding the necromancer until Iggie’s trembling body stilled once more, his breathing resuming its regular rhythm. Tentatively, Alistair rubbed a hand up and down Iggie’s back. Iggie’s breath caught, and Alistair paused, worried he’d gone a step too far.

“Please,” Iggie whispered. He shifted in Alistair’s arms so that their faces were a mere hand’s length apart. His eyes were storm-roiled oceans, sucking Alistair into their tempestuous depths. “Don’t…don’t stop.”

His heart pounding in his chest, Alistair reached up to stroke Iggie’s cheek. His fingertips traced the sharp line of Iggie’s jaw, and Iggie shuddered, his stormy eyes darkening still further. Despite the haggard exhaustion weighing down Iggie’s face after the events of the past day and their recent discussion, the necromancer was still the most alluring thing Alistair had ever seen.

Once the blizzard outside passed, the two of them would continue onto Singer’s Rest. Alistair would return to his responsibilities as a Knight and decide what to do about the troubling truth Iggie had told him concerning the Order as well as the abomination threatening the village. Tonight, however, there was no paladin or necromancer—only two men, huddled together against the cold and the storm and the harsh world outside.

Closing his eyes, Alistair gathered his courage, leaned in, and pressed his lips to Iggie’s.

thirteen

Ignatius

He’skissingme.TheDark-cursed paladin iskissingme.

Iggie froze as Alistair’s lips brushed against his own. In that moment, he found himself incapable of anything but staring. His racing thoughts quieted, his pain and grief from the past hour forgotten in the captivating caress of the paladin’s kiss.

Alistair must have noticed his hesitance because he suddenly paused, his lips stilling. He took an uncertain breath and started to pull away. That’s when something in Iggie finally snapped. Grabbing the paladin by his armored shoulders, he yanked him flush to his chest and gave himself over to the shared heat of their conjoined mouths.

The kiss was far from perfect. Their teeth kept clacking together, and Iggie was pretty sure he’d gone from acting like a lifeless rock to showingtoomuch enthusiasm as he practically slobbered all over Alistair’s face. Yet, somehow, it was everything he hadn’t allowed himself to admit he’d craved.

A paladin and a necromancer…

Laughter bubbled up within him, a heady mix of desire and near hysteria as his brain struggled to comprehend what was happening. He felt Alistair’s frown against his lips and reluctantly let the kiss end as the paladin pulled back.

“What is it?” Alistair asked. “Is something wrong?”

Iggie shook his head, a manic grin plastered over his face. “Notwrong,per se. I was just thinking about how absurd this is.”

Confusion furrowed Alistair’s brow. “What do you mean? Are you saying you don’t want to do this? I thought—”

“No.” Iggie reached up to stroke Alistair’s lightly stubbled cheek. He was sowarm, even in the drafty cave. Iggie tried not to think about why in case it conjured more unwelcome memories. “It’s not that. It’s just…what would your comrades in the Order think if they—”

Alistair pressed a finger over Iggie’s mouth, silencing him. Goosebumps erupted across Iggie’s skin as the paladin leaned in, his breath ghosting over Iggie’s cheek. “No more talk of the Order. For tonight, we’re Iggie and Alistair—two lonely men attempting to escape the past and future both.”

For tonight.

The words twisted Iggie’s insides into knots. Of course, this fleeting feeling couldn’t last. Happiness never did for him. Still, if all he got was one blessed night, then by the Dark, he’d do his best to enjoy every moment of it.

Shoving aside his whirlwind of thoughts, he surged forward, reconnecting their lips in another passionate kiss. Had he been stronger—or Alistair not built of sturdy muscle—he would’ve tackled the paladin to the stone. Instead, Alistair allowed Iggie’s slighter frame to carry him down, armor and all.