Page 69 of A Dagger of Twisted Starlight

“Good, good.”

I left through the arching doorway and walked through the spacious living room, glancing out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the peaceful desert landscape. It had been two weeks since we had left the castle and hunkered down here. Without the tracking app, we weren’t hit with any more surprise attacks. It only proved what we had already figured out.

Cassius’ father was involved with allof this.

I reached the bedroom, entering just as Blake stretched out under the sheets with a big yawn. He sat up, the sheets pulling down to his thighs, smiling through the sleep that still clouded his senses. “I knew I smelled bacon.”

“I know it’s your favorite,” I said, bringing him his plate.

He smiled at me, looking so damn cute with his bed head and bright amber eyes. The curtains were drawn, so my bedroom was washed in morning sunlight. It had a very different vibe than the bedroom back in the castle. This one was all light wood paneling and potted succulents and beige carpets placed on top of each other. An antique mirror stood on clawed legs next to a dresser made from Joshua trees that had toppled over.

I got into bed with him. I enjoyed these quiet morning moments. Normally, I only had a protein shake for breakfast and called it a day, but Blake made me want to go the extra mile.

“How’d you sleep?” Blake asked me.

“Great. I dreamed that we were on a beach somewhere. Dolphins jumping in the water and the two of us naked in the sand. Fucking like rabbits.”

Blake smiled at that. He slept in his briefs, which I noticed looked extra full. “Sounds like a great dream. Maybe we should make it reality one day.”

“I definitely think we should.”

“Have you ever had sex on a beach?” Blake asked.

“Never.”

“So I’d get to take your virginity for something, then. Fun.”

“Very,” I said, leaning in for a nibble on Blake’s ear. “You’re so fucking special. I can’t tell you that enough.”

“I feel the same about you.”

There was something I wanted to talk to him about. Something I’d been thinking of recently, but I wasn’t quite sure how he’d take it. I felt like now would be the moment to broach the topic. “I think Claire was able to nail down exactly where the lab is. If so, the next few days are going to move fast. We’re going to have to go in like a lightning storm. We can’t give them any more time with that dagger.”

“I know, it’s going to be wild.”

“But speaking about the next few days: Blake, I want you to take a step back from all of this. I want you to stay here, protected by one of my siblings. You’ve been through so much already, and I don’t want to risk anything happening to you.”

Blake’s expression shifted, the warmth from our earlier conversation fading into something more serious. “X, I appreciate that you’re trying to protect me, but I’ve been with you every step of the way so far. I can’t just sit on the sidelines now. I need to be there, with you.”

I felt a knot tightening in my chest. I didn’t want to argue, but the thought of him being in danger again was tearing me apart. “Blake, it’s not just about you being there for me. It’s about keeping you safe. If something were to happen?—”

Blake cut me off, his voice firm. “I’m not just your boyfriend—I’m your partner. That means I stand by your side, no matter how dangerous it gets. You can’t just ask me to step back because you’re scared of what might happen.”

I stared at him, torn between wanting to shield him from harm and respecting his determination. “But this mission… it’s going to be dangerous, more dangerous than anything we’ve faced so far.”

“And that’s exactly why I need to be there,” Blake insisted. “We’ve been through so much together. We’ve faced death and come out on the other side. I’m not going to back down now, and I don’t want you to try and make me.”

I could see the resolve in his eyes, the same strength that had drawn me to him in the first place. But the fear of losing him gnawed at me, making me second-guess everything. “I just… I don’t know if I can handle it if something happens to you.”

Blake softened, reaching out to take my hand. “Nothing’s going to happen to me. We’ve got each other’s backs, remember? We’re stronger together.”

I sighed, knowing deep down that he was right. “I don’t want to make a mistake that could cost us everything.”

He squeezed my hand, his touch grounding me. “We won’t make a mistake. We’ll go in with a plan, and we’ll come out together.”

Before I could respond, there was a knock on the door. Claire’s voice called from the hallway. “Hey, you two, we need to talk.”

Blake gave me a reassuring look before we got dressed and joined the rest of the family in the living room. The atmosphere was tense, everyone aware of the gravity of what we were about to undertake. The sunlight streamed in through the large windows, casting long shadows across the room.

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