A hand landed on her shoulder. Warm, but not hot. Firm, but not tight. Steadying.
Without meaning to, she leaned over and pressed her cheek against Nikhail’s hand. His warmth ran through her, his touch grounding her in a way that nothing had since the Winter Solstice. River was so focused on how good his touch felt that she didn’t fight him as he wrapped his other arm around her.
Wordlessly, Nikhail pulled her away from her father’s room and down the hall. Tucking them into an alcove, he drew her against his chest. River’s arms dangled at her side, but she allowed herself the comfort of resting her forehead against his beating heart.
Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew they shouldn’t be doing this. Standing in the hallway where anyone could see them—whereRykercould see them—wasn’t thesmartest move. She knew that, but she couldn’t make herself move.
River had always wondered why people let themselves get caught up in bad situations. Couldn’t they just… stop? But now that she was in one such situation, she realized it wasn’t that simple. She knew this was unwise, but when Nikhail was comforting and sturdy and everything she wasn’t, pulling away felt impossible.
Seeing her father in this state had hurt her more than she’d realized, and now all those thoughts she’d pushed down, all those worries about his health, were rearing their ugly heads again.
A long moment passed before Nikhail’s thumb brushed her damp cheek.
“Hey, River.” His low voice was soothing as he placed his finger under her chin, lifting her head until her eyes met his. “I’ve been looking for you.”
River tried to smile, but it felt more like a watery frown. “I had to see my dad,” she explained.
Nikhail’s gaze slid to the open door down the hall, then back to her. “How is he?”
Her lip ring was cold as she chewed on it. “I… don’t know. He seems okay. The nurses say he’s okay, but… I don’t know,” she repeated, feeling helpless. “Something feels off.”
And wasn’t that just the worst part of this? The Stillness, with all its life-stealing tendencies, didn’t follow any recognizable patterns. It wasn’t predictable.
Now more than ever, River was feeling the pain of not knowing. Of wondering whether each day would be her father’s last.
“Oh, princess.” Nikhail’s arm tightened as he pulled her closer, resting his chin on top of her head. “I understand.”
There was no space between them, no room to move. Her breasts were pressed against his chest, his arm banded around her back as he drew circles with his thumb, and his scent flooded her.
For several long moments, they shared the same air. There was nothing sexual about the way Nikhail was holding her, yet this moment felt far more intimate than the kiss in the solarium.
Their chests rose and fell in unison, and peace flooded River’s veins. For those few moments, nothing else mattered. Her magic quieted, her worries about her father dimmed, and she simply… rested in his strength.
They remained like that until the sound of crashing dishes, followed by Tertia’s stern voice, reached them.
Even though it pained her, River was the first to pull away. She glanced down at her watch. Seeing that they had an hour before the rehearsal dinner, she took a deep breath.
She’d made avoiding this conversation an art form, but she couldn’t put it off any longer. It wasn’t fair to Nikhail to keep stringing him along. He needed to remain untouched by her storm so he could find someone else, someone he could love the way Ryker loved Brynleigh. They’d live a long life together, and they’d be happy.
And River? She would be alone.
Forever.
It would hurt, but she’d get over it because he would be safe.
Selfishly, she wanted to hold Nikhail’s hand one more time before he let her go forever. She wanted one more memory to cherish on long, cold nights when the curse was loud, and she was alone.
With that in mind, River slid her fingers into his and looked up at him, her heart breaking at the adoring way he gazed at her.
“Can we talk, Nikhail?”
CHAPTER 28
A Cursed Confession
Nikhail sucked in a breath, studying his lovely water fae.
River’s beautiful brown eyes were wide as she waited for his answer. As if there was any question as to what he would say. Didn’t she know he’d give her anything she asked for?