I hum in question, my mind too cloudy to string words together. He smiles, and my heart dips. “That you’re divine, Viola.” He kisses the corner of my mouth. “I don’t think I’ll ever let you go.”
My body tightens, the ache between my legs bursting into a quivering moan. He watches me as I catch my breath slowly, chest rising and falling. My fingers brush away the stray strand of black hair from his forehead, and now more than ever, I wish for eternity with him.
“I did promise you all my lives.” I roll my hips against him. His pupils flare, and something dark flashes across his eyes. His hands grip my waist, pulling me into him. Once, twice, and then one last time. His body shivers as he lowers himself onto me. He presses a final kiss to my lips. Then he rolls over to my side.
My head rests against his chest, against his racing heart, and I smile. If I could carry anything to the Underworld, it would be this feeling. Forever.
“Did you mean it when you promised me all your lives?” He kisses my temple, his knuckles brushing up and down my arm.
“Mm-hmm,” I murmur, sleep already pulling at my eyelids. I could get used to this, the safety of his arms, the soft caress of his breath, and the steady beat of his heart.
“Good.” He pulls the quilted blanket on top of us, holding me closer. I don’t know if I imagine the next words, but I swear he says, “I promise you all of mine, too.”
Priya, Viola is Alyria’s daughter. Be warned that a Corvi relic even accidentally pulling magic from an aspier as powerful as Scar will kill her. I come to you in earnest—she must seal her Aspieri magic and return Scar to DOTS.
LETTER FROM OVERSEER RODRIC PALTRO TO PGM PRIYA PARRISH, DECEMBER 1939
forty-two | sylas
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1939
I wake to an empty bed. Was last night a dream? I run my hand over the sheets. Still warm. Slowly, I come around. The shower is running. Viola is here. Viola is safe.
Not bothering to cover up, I make my way to the bathroom. She stands, her eyes closed, water running down her tangled hair, down her back, down her legs. I don’t think twice, and I walk in.
“Something doesn’t make sense,” she muses, washing the soap out of her hair. “If Willow brought back Rafael Grimm all these years ago, where is he?”
“Grimm?” I ask mindlessly. Why is she talking about Grimm when all I can think about is the arch of her body against mine and how much I want to press her against the cold marble of the shower. “Grimm is gone, Vi. Willow might have released his ghost, but he could’ve been picked up by a conduit or even became a wandering ghost. I don’t think he’s involved,” I tell her, trailing my finger along the curve of her hip.
“Ysenia mentioned Willow released him, and Delaney confirmed it.” She doesn’t acknowledge my hand, washing the minty soap off her body.I pull my hand away. Maybe last night was the only one she was willing to give and today is a whole other story.Sylas, you idiot.
“Why’d you stop?” Viola glances at me over her shoulder.
“I thought…”
“Stop thinking.”
I wrap my hands around her waist, pulling her into me. She laces one hand with mine, throwing the other one around my neck. The water runs over both of us. I kiss along her shoulder to her neck, pressing my body into hers.
“Sylas,” she breathes out. My name belongs to her and only her.
“Sylas,” a different voice yells. Three loud bangs pull us apart. Viola frowns at the door, then reaches for a towel, handing me a second one.
“Sylas.” Beau’s voice is urgent, in my room.
“Sorry.” I kiss Viola, making quick work of the towel around my waist. I wonder if this is a glimpse into our lives together, always having to borrow time, always running to put out fires.
“Sylas, for Haal’s sake.” Beau raps on the door with an unusual impatience.
“What, Beau?” I shut the bathroom door behind me, stalking to my wardrobe with my brother tailing me. “Give me a minute.”
“I’ll wait for you outside,” he grumbles, walking out into the living room.
Raiku slithers up my leg, settling in his usual position around my wrist. Railesza takes her sweet time. By the time she coils around my forearm, I’m already dressed in uniform.
“Mrs. Carver…” Beau hesitates the moment I step out of my room, handing me two of my daggers as we walk past the sofas and cross over to the kitchen counter.
“What did you find?”