AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I don’t know the people,” he interjected.
“You know your aunt. You made me a bet, knowing that you had an advantage. What else aren’t you telling me? Do you already know who has the amulet? Do you know what it’s for? Has this whole mission been a sham?”
He placed his hand over mine on the mattress. I wanted to pull away, but I didn’t. I couldn’t. His touch was reassuring. It was nice. I liked it more than I should, more than I would admit.
“I don’t know anyone or anything, Lily. Not about the mission. Not about the amulet. Screw the bet. You win, all right?”
“No,” I said. “I don’t win if you just give it to me.”
Except I would have my office back, my position as senior librarian back. That’s what I wanted anyway, wasn’t it? So why was I fighting him on this?
“I have to earn it.”
“You’ve earned it a thousand times,” he said. “I already got what I wanted out of the position. When this is over…I don’t know that I’m staying with the library anyway.”
“What do you mean, you might not stay with the library? What else would you possibly do?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” he said. “I can’t…not until my work is completed.”
“Ourwork,” I said. “I’m going to find that amulet.”
“I hope you do.”
I stared at him and tried to read his scowl. But he didn’t scowl. He just looked at me and squeezed my hand. It was like we were having two different conversations, and I had no idea what his was about.
“I’m so confused, Silas,” I told him.
“I’ve been off kilter since I met you, sweetheart.”
Our bickering had always fueled me. Having a rival had pushed me to work harder, to prove I could beat him. And now, our paths had changed somehow. We were a team, but not. It was more like instead of butting heads, we were heading down a path together, running parallel. Only I was afraid that we might be running toward different goals.
“You can’t quit the library,” I told him.
“Why not?”
“You can’t,” I said again. I couldn’t imagine what my life would be without him. I didn’t want to. Nowthatwas crazy.
I scooted closer and laced his fingers in mine. I dropped my gaze to his beautiful mouth. I couldn’t think of anything I’d rather do than kiss those lips, climb onto his lap, and show him why he needed to stay.
All the reasons not to kiss him fled my mind. I leaned closer so there were only a few inches between us. It had felt right, spending the night together last night. It felt right being here together now. So why did I keep getting in the way of myself?
I wasn’t going to do it anymore. I was going to claim what I wanted…and what I wanted was Silas.
I grazed his lips with mine. He put his hands on my hips and pulled me closer. I tasted the cinnamon of the cake on his mouth as I deepened our kiss. A pleasant warmth radiated through my chest, a blossom of wonder and unexpected happiness. This was happening. It was actually happening.
A horrible coughing sound came from the floor.
I whipped around and found Fernando hacking.How had I forgotten he was here?Mortified, I pulled away from Silas, then climbed down to the floor next to Fernando.
By his feet were black stones. No, they weren’t stones but burned chunks of wood from the fireplace he’d played in last night.
“You can’t eat ash,” I told him.
He smiled at me, rolled onto his back, and patted his tummy. “Feel all better.”
One of the black hunks unfurled. It was a piece of paper.
“Lily,” Silas said. “You have to talk to me. Tell me what you’re—”
