Page 122 of The Evernight Court

My eyes closed and I felt like…nothing and everything at the same time. So light and so heavy.

Such a strange feeling.

“There’s no such thing as love at first sight,” I whispered eventually because this was the real world, and things like that only happened in fairytales.

Grey laughed a bit. “I went my whole life believing that there’s no such thing aslove—but even I get it wrong sometimes.” Stepping to the side, he came in front of me and took my face in his hands until I met his eyes.

Grey looked…happy.Even considering where we were and what we’d been through until just hours ago, his eyes sparkled and his face was soopen.I absolutely adored that look on him.

“Standing on top of ruins on a cursed Isle wasn’t how I imagined saying this,” he said with a mischievous grin. “But no matter where we are in the world, I’ll love you with my everything. I am forever at your service and your mercy, my queen.”

I thought for sure he was just messing around, but I heard the truth in his words, saw the look in his eyes.

And I was so, so sure I’d find itfunnyand laugh, but I didn’t.

Tears pricked the back of my eyes instead, and though I wasn’t going to let them spill, I felt the weight of them on my chest.

“What if I don’t believe you?” I said and not because I didn’t.

Ididbelieve him, and that was the problem. AfterBrandon and Mama Si and everything that had happened to me since, part of me wanted to question everything, even Grey. Part of me insisted I should never trust that someone could love me as selflessly as I believed love should be.

“That’s okay. I plan to spend every day of my life proving it to you,” Grey said without missing a beat, kissing the top of my head.

I laughed a bit, blinking back the tears. “And if it doesn’t work and you get tired of it?”

“Never.” There was no hint of doubt in his voice at all. “I will never get tired, even if I live a thousand years.”

I shook my head, squeezing him to me tighter. “You’re full of pretty words, Grey Evernight.” And unfortunately for me, I liked them very—verymuch.

Unfortunately for me, I believed them.

He chuckled. “They’re straight from my dead heart, baby.”

Laughter bubbled out of me. “How can you love with no heart then?”

He raised my head. “I love you with my soul. Look at me—can you see it?” Our eyes locked, and I could. I absolutely could see it. He’d looked at me like that at the castle, too. Long before this madness began.

“Yes, I see it.” As clear as the daylight I no longer even missed.

“I see it, too,” Grey said, slowly kissing my lips.

“My eyes are closed,” I teased, squeezing them shut.

I was smiling, but there was still that part of me that refused to give up. Even though a voice in my head whispered that I loved Grey, too, I couldn’t accept it yet, even if I knew it to be true. The fear of everything it meant wouldn’t let me.

“That’s okay. You went to find a mad dragon on a frozen mountain to come rescue me, baby. I saw it there.” And he kissed me again, this time deeply, slowly, with his everything.

I’d do it again, all of that and more,I thought as I kissed him back the same way.

“Absolutely right,” he muttered against my lips, when he’d taken all the air out of my lungs and I could hardly keep myself from jumping him. It wasn’t even fair that he could get to me so easily with just a kiss. “Valentine was right. Your blood gives me more life than I ever thought possible.”

I was still a bit dizzy from that kiss. “It does?”

“Look at me,” Grey said, stepping back just a little. “I was on the brink of death when you found me. And I took more than I would normally need from you, but it healed me within hours. Every wound on my body closed completely by the time I brought you to this cave. That doesn’t happen, not even to vampires. Not with normal blood.” And he seemed excited about it.

“My magic loved me being with you, too,” I said, and my cheeks heated up a bit instantly. “I feel it. It’s like heat in my stomach—I can tell it apart from the rest of me easily now.”

“Is it strong?” Grey said.

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