Page 78 of Ties of Deception

I looked up to see his grin. “You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to hear those words.” A thread of caution entered his voice. “Do you remember everything, then?”

I nodded and sighed dramatically, freeing one of my hands to press it to my forehead. “Every last agonizing conversation where you refused to give me even the briefest of kisses.”

He smiled, but the caution remained in his eyes. “I was worried that when you remembered what happened…that it was my touch that killed you…what suffering you went through for me…I was worried you wouldn’t want things to go further between us. Especially after you were framed for the poison...”

His arms relaxed as if to put me down, but I refused to lower my feet and wrapped my arms around his neck again. I snorted. “I went through all that so that thingscouldgo further, Ethen. I chose that path—you know that. Ava tried to choose on my behalf by keeping you away when I was dying, but she was wrong to think she had any right to go against my wishes. And this time, Ava gave Constance the poison so she could frame you and you’d leave. I know Ava thought she was protecting me both times, but she was in the wrong, not you.”

He sighed, but his eyes didn’t leave mine, and a vulnerable hope burned through them. “I guessed as much. After Ava visited your rooms that last time, she went missing. She fled somewhere, which made me suspect she was culpable for bringing the nightstar to Atos. I doubt she’ll return to the Unseen Lands now—she’ll be in too much trouble.”

I took the news with mixed emotions, resting my cheek against Ethen’s chest. Ava had been a faithful friend for almost all my previous life and treated me in her own home when I was ill—not to mention, she’d come all the way to Atos to warn me. But she had gone too far again and again. The friendship hadn’t been good for either of us. It was best that we parted ways.

I glanced up and gave Ethen a fresh smile, pushing Ava and difficult thoughts from my mind. “Well, now, things between uscango further, which brings me back to what I was saying about the lack of kisses in my previous life.”

He raised his eyebrows in an earnest expression, then he removed his arm from under my knees, making me fall to my tiptoes, my arms still around his neck. His hands moved down to the small of my back, and he pulled me tight into him. “I’ll make up for it. I promise. All twenty-two years of missed kisses. Now that you’re immortal, I’m never, ever going to let you go. And knowing you, you’ll manage to Bless the whole world, and I want to see every second of it.”

I gave him an unimpressed expression, pulling his head close to mine. “I expect you to make up for them properly. Kisses on top of the kisses I would be getting anyway.”

He chuckled, the sound breathless as if he couldn’t believe this was real. His eyes were round, drinking me in. “I’d better get started now. If you add any more to your demands, we won’t have space to breathe.”

I swallowed, watching his eyes travel down to my lips. My stomach flipped in response. “I don’t want to breathe.”

He opened his mouth to give a response, but quickly gave up, closing the space between us. And he kissed me just as I had craved for a lifetime. No pulling back this time. No guilt or worry. The barriers were finally gone.

It was all worth it.

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