The Emerald Rose.
The Elders had entrusted it to Octavia. She had no idea where it came from or what it did, but she knew it was important.
“Who told you about the rose?” she murmured.
Flynn cleared his throat. “The people who have Amyla are part of an underground network of thieves. They had information that someone would be delivering the rose to the coast. I figured…”
His voice trailed off, and he fidgeted.
Octavia sighed, sensing she knew where this was going. “You were going to steal the flower and use the proceeds to pay for your sister’s release?”
He nodded mutely, his mouth twisting as regret and shame dueled on his face.
Damn it all. Why couldn’t Flynn just have been some no-good thief? Why did he have to have such a strong, noble reason for wanting to steal the rose?
A burdensome sigh left Flynn’s lips, and his shoulders sagged. “I’m sorry, Octavia.” His chin dipped, and his head hung low. “I should never have tried to steal the rose. Especially not once I… when we… connected the way we did.”
That was an interesting way to describe what had happened in the werewolf’s guest house.
“No, you shouldn’t have.” Dropping the rose back in her bag, Octavia groaned and ran her hands through her hair. At least, she tried. In reality, her fingers got stuck in her black curls. Fucking great. Of course they did.
Wiggling them free, she paced back and forth as best she could, using her walking stick for leverage.
She’d never encountered a situation like this in Firefall. Her first instinct was anger—to yell and tell him it was too late, that she couldn’t forgive him because he’d tried to steal the rose not once, but twice.
The difficulty was that she heard the ringing of truth in his voice. The pain lacing his words was real, and it pulled on Octavia’s heart strings.
“Damn it all,” she growled. “You were really just trying to help your sister?”
How could she hate him for trying to help his family? Octavia would like to believe that if she had someone in her life who needed as much help as it seemed Flynn’s sister did, she would do anything to help them.
“Yes, I was, but… I can’t. I won’t.” Flynn reached out as though to touch Octavia before seeming to think better of it. He dropped his hand in the space between them. “I can’t do that to you. Because…”
His voice trailed off, and he gestured between the two of them.
Octavia’s breath caught in her throat.
“What are you saying?” She thought she knew, but… how could this be?
“I wasn’t sure at first. Or maybe I was, but I didn’t want to admit it. I can’t ignore it anymore. I shouldn’t have ignored it at all.” Flynn’s piercing gaze met hers, and her legs knocked together at the intensity in his eyes. “There’s a connection between us.”
Octavia’s heart slammed at the witch’s words. Even now, her body thrummed from the witch’s nearness. The crashing of the waves behind them was nothing compared to the racing of her heart in his presence.
“We barely know each other,” she said, pointing out the obvious.
He nodded. “I know.”
“You lied and tried to steal from me. Twice.”
“I know. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I would do anything to earn it.”
His words made her heart beat even faster.
“This is ridiculous. Foolish, even.” Still, she stepped closer to him.
“Probably.” He approached her slowly.
There was a foot between them, maybe less.