Page 79 of Elysian

“And why he had Al dissecting and testing on various Hollow Plague victims,” I added.

“Centuries of various hosts.” Cassiel squeezed my foot. “He wanted your body for its immortality.”

“Why not the body of a Warlord?” I mumbled. It seemed such an easy solution. “Perhaps there will be answers in the grimoire.”

Cassiel remained silent. I settled into it. The conversation had eased the ache in my head until it was a faint pulsing.

He ran his fingers over the heel ever so lightly.

“What are you doing?” I pulled at my foot. He repeated the motion higher, closer to my toes. With a squeal, I yanked my leg away from his grip. He pressed the arch relentlessly and I snorted, laughing.

I gasped and kicked out. “Cassiel!” I screamed.

A chuckle left him. The sound was airy and light.

I grinned at him, hot and flushed. His smile was quite striking. He did not do much of it, so being faced with it rendered me mute.

Our interactions never felt this way. The air felt heavy with intention crackling between us. His lips quirked up which softened me more than anything else could have. The bloom in my belly trembled. I pulled myself up until I was closer, a hand’s length away from his face.

His gaze searched mine. The eerie red surrounding his pupil pulsed.

“You hurt me.” The whispered words hovered between us with tangible heaviness.

‘I know.’

The corner of his lips tensed, a small divot formed between his brows. I tucked my chin down as if it could protect my agonized throat, not wanting to fall into the sadness of considering what-ifs.

“When you brought me back to life, did you know this would happen?” I motioned between us, hoping he understood what I alluded to.

‘I have never saved someone from the brink of death. I see tethers when I access my necromancy. Your bond to life was frayed. When I reached for your life force, it was at the same moment the bond with your wraithling snapped. Magick has a mind of its own and in grasping you before death, it created our particular connection.’

A convoluted moment of chance, and not something that could be replicated.

“But I . . .”

He trailed off; the furrow deepened between his eyes. I peered into his conflicted eyes.

‘I believed saving you would bring your wraithling with you.’

As I absorbed his words, the tendril of resentment connected to Piper faded away. I had blamed him for not keeping Piper alive. As if he somehow had the ability, but had not cared to.

He lowered his head, turning his face away from me.

With this, I believed his sincerity. Cassiel had not lied. He tended not to, I realized.

He reached out, his pointing finger curled as he dragged it across my cheek, moving my hair out of the way. “You are fascinating.” Cassiel scrutinized my face as if drinking every bit of it.

“You are frustrating.”

His eyebrow rose.

“I have wondered one thing,” I started. I cleared my throat, the flush on my face worsening.

“Hmmm?” He rubbed the back of his finger along the crest of my cheek. I found myself swaying closer to him until my shoulders angled toward him, my torso following.

“That night, one of the first ones I lay chained to your bed.” I wet my bottom lip. His features smoothed out. Almost as if preparing. “Did you know I watched you touch . . . yourself?” I stuttered.

Shock splashed across his face, then a fiendish smile spread across his lips. He leaned forward until his mouth hovered over mine. The ferocity of his dark eyes held me captive.