Page 43 of Ivy & Bone

No, don’t think about that. Just focus on him.

Prue’s eyes strayed to his horns. What did they feel like? Did they hurt, protruding from his head like that? Could he wiggle them, like some people could wiggle their ears?

Prue almost laughed at the ridiculousness of her thoughts, but the clarity in her mind meant the distraction was working. The muscles in her arms strained as she tugged, trying to hoist herself upward.

With their combined efforts, Prue was able to push off from the cliff’s rocky edge, launching herself into Cyrus. The two of them fell backward, sprawled together in a tangle of limbs. Prue found herself atop him, with his back pinned to the ground.

A pained groan burst from Cyrus’s mouth. “Thanks for that,” he croaked.

“Sorry,” Prue said with a wince, realizing she nearly impaled him on rocks. She scrambled to get up, but Cyrus gripped her elbows, stopping her.

“Be careful,” he said, his voice earnest and full of warning.

Prue stilled, her lips parting as she gazed at him. Her pulse still thundered in her ears, every part of her trembling, but now that she was safe, her thoughts swirled in realization.

Cyrus had just saved her life. Without him, she would’ve fallen off the cliff.

He’d intentionally goaded her earlier, taunting her with his claims of being a god who deserved respect—because he knew her irritation gave her confidence.

I am a god, Prue. Now take another step.

He’d found a way to reach her through her fear. To coax her courage back to life.

And when it hadn’t worked, when she’d still managed to slip and fall, he had caught her. As if it was the most natural thing in the world.

As if they weren’t enemies.

“Why did you do it?” Prue breathed. With her chest flush against his, she could feel his own heart pounding just as rapidly as hers.

“Do what?” His eyes were guarded, indicating he knew what she was asking.

“Save me. You could’ve just let me die.”

Cyrus’s breath hitched. An unreadable emotion stirred in his gaze. He moistened his lips, then swallowed. At long last, he said in a husky voice, “No, Prue. I couldn’t have.”

Before she could respond, he was shifting, easing her off him as he sat up. He rolled his shoulders back and stretched his arms, flexing his back muscles.

“Are you hurt?” Prue asked.

“No, just bruised. I’ll live.” He wouldn’t meet her gaze as he climbed to his feet, then extended a hand to help her do the same.

I’ll live, too, Prue thought. Thanks to him.

A knot of emotions tightened in her chest. Gratitude was strongest, but it mingled with unease and apprehension, confusion and utter shock. Why had he done it? Did he expect her to owe him some kind of favor now? Was there an ulterior motive to rescuing her?

Perhaps he only needed her to get him to the Book of Eyes so he could return home. Or perhaps the binding spell or Polina’s pomegranate tea had forced him to save her. Those thoughts made more sense than any other alternative.

Cyrus looked at her expectantly. “Shall we continue?”

Prue nodded quickly, her steps more certain with her hand linked with his. “Yes. The sooner we get off this mountain, the better.”

HEAT

CYRUS

After the incident at the cliff’s edge, Prue and Cyrus found a steady pace, a collaborative rhythm as they climbed. Cyrus wasn’t sure if this was due to Prue’s confidence in herself, or her confidence in him. In truth, he hadn’t expected to dive for her when he found her plummeting to her death. He hadn’t even thought about it—it had been instinct to grab her.

Perhaps that was what bothered him the most. Why was it instinctual to save her life? If he’d let her die, his problems would’ve been solved.

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