Page 166 of The Eighth Isle

Their silhouettes were completely black against the bright sky, and though I knew them both by memory, it was much more logical to assume that this was only a dream.

Until…

“I know, I know. I’m supposed to be dead.”

It washisvoice. It was Valentine’s voice and his words andhim.

He turned to me, a small smile curling one corner of his lips, and it washissmile. His face.

I ran.

A miracle my legs held me when I was so weak still, weaker than before. Weaker than when Fessa had been going on and on about what it meant to be a siren.

Valentine jumped to his feet just in time to catch me.

I locked my arms around his neck, and I wasnevergoing to let go because it was him. His scent and his body and his hair—Valentine Evernight, the strangest man I knew, fucked up in the head, completelysenseless.

He was laughing as I squeezed him with all my strength until my muscles were sore. Until my own limbs protested, and I had no choice but to let go.

“You…you d-d-died! You fucking prick—youdiedfor me!” I stuttered. “How dare you. How fucking dare you!”

I slammed my fists on his chest and I was so weak he hardly felt it. He grabbed my face in his hands and came closer until his eyes were all I saw.

“I didn’t, Sunshine. Look at me—I’m alive. I’m right here,” he said, over and over again, and I still didn’t believe it.

His eyes were dark, no brown left in them, and the bags underneath were nearly blue. He looked pale, paler than usual, and the hollows of his cheeks were more pronounced, like he’d lost weight. Like he wasexhausted.

“What the hell happened, Valentine?! Where were you?” My voice shook and broke a couple of times, and I held onto his forearms for fear I’d fall. For fear he’d move away and disappear again, and I’d have no choice but to believe that he was really gone.

“I was…away,” he said, bringing his forehead to mine. “I was healing.”

Laughter bubbled out of me, even though a few tears escaped the corners of my eyes. “Youprick!” Here I was, thinking he wasdead, thinking he was gone because of me, and I’d had to carry all that guilt.

Did he not realize how tired my shoulders were?! Did he not realize how much I loved him?

I had to tell Grey. I had to tell Reeva and Mama Si and the whole damn world right now.

“I know, Sunshine, but you’re okay,” he said, eyes closed as he sighed, as if he’d had air in his lungs. “All is well. You’re okay, I can feel it.”

Squeezing my eyes shut, I held onto him and I breathed, and I told myself thathewas okay, too. I could see it. He was standing, and Shadow was on the railing still, watching us curiously, like he couldn’t tell why we were holding onto each other like that.

Until I was no longer breathing so heavily. Until my heart no longer beat so fast.

We leaned away to look at one another, and he smoothed my hair behind my ears and smiled.

He was smiling.

“Where were you, Valentine?”

“I was in the woods.”

“But why? What happened? Did you fall unconscious? Did you?—”

“I came after you,” he said, shaking his head. “I saw you and the siren, but I was weak and my legs didn’t work, so I was dragging myself with my hands. I didn’t get there in time and you opened the box.” He closed his eyes. “Then the fire started.”

“My God,” I whispered. “Did it hurt you?”

“It knocked me out. When I came to everything was done. I saw you and the others. You were all okay.”

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