Page 31 of Fire in Stone

“Elex, please…” I gripped his neck, ignoring the pain in the muscles of my arms from flexing them so hard. “You’ll drop me.”

His other arm was as tight as a vise around my middle. But was it enough?

“I won’t let you fall,” he said firmly. “But you don’t trust me, do you? No matter what I say.”

“I don’t trust many people.” I carefully adjusted my position to test his one-armed grip around me.

“Doesanyonehave your trust?” He called my bluff. “Name just one person?”

I huffed. What right did he have to interrogate me about personal things like that?

“Fine.” I gave up. “I don’t trustanyone, okay? Not a single person in this entire world. And you know what? I’m better off that way. Because every time I’ve put even just a tiny bit of faith into anyone, they would go ahead and blow it. So, no. The only one I rely on is myself. And yes,” I kept going, because once the dam broke, it was impossible to stop the flood, “I feel extremely uncomfortable being with you up here. I wish I had my own seat, without you invading my personal space, and a seatbelt instead of your arms, no matter how strong or capable you may be.”

Maybe now he felt like dropping me right then and there. Though I believed I knew him enough by now to hope that he wouldn’t. Besides, he needed me to lead him to the portal, didn’t he?

Flustered and riled up, I didn’t know where to look. It’s not like I could storm out of the room and slam the door behind me. I couldn’t even huff and turn away. With our bodies locked chest to chest like that, his eyes were unavoidable. And once they caught my shifting gaze, they didn’t let go. The intensity in them demanded attention.

“Since just words aren’t enough, I’ll give you mypromise, Amber,” he said it so seriously it felt as if he were making a vow. “I promise that for as long as you fly with me, I won’t let go of you. I’ll never let you fall. I also promise that I won’t kiss you again until you ask me for a kiss yourself.”

A chill rushed through me at his words, prickling my skin with goosebumps. Then a sudden swirl of warm shimmer puffed up my hair.

“What was that?” I looked around.

“Magic,” he replied simply. “My promise to you is now sealed. If I kiss you without your consent, I’d die a horrible death. Letting go of you while flying would result in the same terrible fate for me.”

“Really?” I gaped at him in disbelief. “Why would you promise something like that? I didn’t ask you for anything that dramatic.”

There was no need for him to die over something as small as a kiss.

But it’d be anuninvitedkiss, I remembered. That made a difference, didn’t it?

“I can’tmakeyou trust me,” he explained. “But I can help you stop being afraid around me.”

“I’m not afraid. I…”

But Iwasfrightened. It was impossible not to be after everything I’d witnessed. Elex was a stranger from another world, and he held terrifying powers. I felt wary, worried, and uneasy. And I had every right to feel that way around him.

“Relax, Amber.” He wrapped both his arms around me again, simply holding me to him. “Rest and enjoy the flight. As long as we’re up here, there’s nothing you have to worry about.”

I carefully lowered my head to his shoulder, thinking about the promises he’d made. He promised not to drop me. That was good. It meant he was confident in his abilities to hold on to me.

He promised not to kiss me… But how much was this promise worth?

There were much worse things than kissing. And all of them could be perpetrated without any kisses at all.

However, his earlier apology sounded sincere. He regretted frightening me and earning that kick in the nuts. He also paid attention to my feelings, which was more important to me than his promise.

“Thank you,” I said quietly.

My position in his arms felt a bit more comfortable. He hummed softly, petting my back in a soothing motion.

“Just to make it clear,” he said unexpectedly. “My promise not to kiss applies only to me.”

“What do you mean?” I lifted my head.

“I mean that ifyouever feel like kissingme, you can do that at any time.”

I exhaled a laugh. “What makes you think I’d take that chance? Why even mention it?”

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