The magic-blocking metal had been stopping Nikhail’s fae healing, and it would’ve killed him if they hadn’t gotten every single piece out.
Theclinkof each bloody shard hitting the bottom of the glass jar would forever be seared into River’s memory. She’d always carry the fear that had coursed through her veins as the doctors had dug through Nikhail’s insides, trying not to touch his vital organs, as they searched for every last piece of metal poised to kill him.
It had been the worst kind of treasure hunt, and she’d had a front-row seat. Her heart had ached the entire time they’d been in the operating room, threatening to shatter into a million pieces if Nikhail didn’t survive.
His piercing amber eyes seemed to follow her every movement, as if he couldn’t pull his gaze from her any more than she could stop looking at him.
“River.” Her name sounded like a prayer, and gods help her, something within her softened.
She paused mid-step. “Yes?”
He pushed himself up on his elbows, even though moving was definitely not recommended yet, and patted the mattress. “Please sit.”
If Nikhail were a regular patient, she would never consider taking him up on the offer. Sitting on a patient’s bed was completely out of bounds. But then again, if he were a regular patient, she wouldn’t be here with him hours after her shift had ended.
No, whatever she and Nikhail had was far from regular. River had accepted this long ago, even though they could never be more.
And so, even though River knew it was a bad idea on a multitude of levels, she crossed her arms and delicately perched on the edge of Nikhail’s bed. Her back was ramrod straight, and her shoulders were back, the posture having been drilled into her from the moment she could walk.
Waterborns were poised. Waterborns were graceful. Waterborns did not slouch, nor did they relax.
A long moment passed before something warm brushed across the back of her hand. A jolt of awareness spread through her as Nikhail tugged on her fingers. He lifted them from the crook of her arm, his soft touch verging on reverent as he slowly uncrossed her arms for her.
Why was she letting him do this? Why wasn’t she hopping off the bed and running in the other direction? Why wasn’t she saying anything? She was certain he would stop if she asked him to.
It would’ve been the right thing to do… but River wasn’t ready to do that. She wasn’t ready to get up, nor was she ready to leave.
Gods help her, but even though Nikhail was an awful patient,shewas the one toeing a dangerous line.
It was one thing to seek him out for help with her magic. That had been an emergency. It was another thing entirely to allow him to touch her like this. Like he cared about her. Like she was more than just his best friend’s little sister.
Her curse pulsed in her veins, reminding her that this was a bad idea. That she was a danger to everyone, including Nikhail.
He finished uncrossing her arms, but instead of releasing her hand, he trailed his fingers down herarm.
Every touch, every whisper of his skin against hers, had her wishing for more.Needingmore. Her body strained, urging her to get closer to him, and a soul-deep need roared to life within her. She’d been ignoring it for years, but it had always been there. An ember, burning low in her soul since the day they first met.
She sucked in a sharp breath, shaken to her core. Who knew a single touch could be so powerful?
And he… he was still touching her. He ran his fingers down the length of her arm. All she could do was watch, her breath caught in her throat, as he got to her hand and laced their fingers together.
They fit so perfectly. As if they were always meant to go together. As if they’d been designed that way. What did this mean? Was he just touching her to help her stay calm, or did this mean more to him?
She had no idea, and for once in her life, words were escaping her.
A sane person would pull away and break this connection, but apparently, River had lost part of her sanity when Nikhail showed up at her hospital, bleeding out, because she didn’t do that. Instead, she tightened her grip, shifting to get a better look at him.
“How did you get shot, Nik?” She tried asking the question sternly, but it was rather difficult with him holding her hand.
This was a platonic touch, right? It meant nothing. It had to mean nothing. But the problem was, it didn’tfeellike nothing. And that was something she would have to examine.
Later.
“I was… investigating something when things turned sideways,” Nikhail said.
River snorted incredulously. “Sideways? Such an interesting term to describe nearly dying.”
The corner of his lips twitched as if he was barely holding in a smile. “Well, you know how it is. All in a day’s work.”