Page 49 of The Warlock's Kiss

“A small price to pay.”

“But it’s not. It’s hurting you and it’s…I don’t know. I think it’s doing something tome.”

Merrick’s face paled, and he stepped closer to her. “What is it doing to you, Adalynn?”

Adalynn tilted her head back, frowning as she searched his eyes. “It’s like my body was making up for all those days that I’d felt good. The days I didn’t feel sick. Like I wasn’t really any better, and it was just building up, and when it hit a certain point it justburst. It really felt like this one wasit, Merrick. Like it was the end.”

He lifted his hands and cupped her face between his palms. A faint blue light had sparked in his citrine eyes—and it wasn’t a reflection of the firelight. “I am going to keep you safe here, Adalynn. And I am going to find a way to stop it. Totrulyheal you.”

Tears stung her eyes and blurred her vision. She blinked them away and smiled softly. Raising a hand, she settled it on his jaw and brushed her thumb over his cheek. The short bristles of his beard tickled her palm. “Thank you for telling me the truth about you, Merrick…but no.”

Confusion contorted his expression. “No? What do you meanno?”

“It’s hurtingyou, and that’s a price I’m not willing to pay. We don’t know how bad it will get, but this time was enough to prove that itwillget worse. No, Merrick. I accepted my fate. Knowing that Danny has a place here, with you, that he’ll be safe, will let me go on in peace.” Warm tears continued to stream down her cheeks, gathering on his hands. “I just want to live the rest of my life in happiness here, too.”

The crease reappeared between his eyebrows, deeper and more worried than before. He shifted one of his hands back, combing her hair behind her ear and trailing his fingertips along her scalp. “I will take that suffering if it spares you, Adalynn. I want you to have decades of happiness. Not mere weeks or days.”

There seemed to be more he wanted to say, Adalynn could hear it in the roughness of his voice, could see it in the gleam of his eyes, but he left those words unspoken.

She shook her head and took a step back, lowering her hand from his face and pulling gently out of his hold. “Ican’t have you suffering because of me.”

“That’s not your choice to make.”

“But itis. If you can tell me it won’t hurt you, that there’snorisk of harming yourself, that there will be no lasting effects on you, if you canswearthat to me, I’ll agree.”

He clenched his jaw and, after a few seconds, lowered his gaze again, shoulders sagging. “I have to try, Adalynn.”

She smiled sadly. “Thank you for giving me a little more time. Goodnight, Merrick.”

Adalynn turned and walked to the door before he could say anything more. She opened it and slipped out into the hall, closing it softly behind her. Her chest was tight, and she was on the verge of breaking down into sobs, but she held them back with deep, slow breaths.

After the Sundering had taken her one chance at beating her illness, Adalynn had accepted her fate. She’dacceptedthat her time was limited. Had accepted that she was dying.

Why was it becomingharderto accept as time went on?

Because of Merrick.

She didn’t know how it had happened so quickly, but she had feelings for the man—feelings that ran deeper than should’ve been possible after only a week. Somewhere in her heart, she felt like she’d known him her whole life. And it was obvious that he felt something for her, too. Why else would he endure so much to help her? Why else would heharmhimself to ease her suffering?

They were two lonely people drawn together in a dark, chaotic world. Why wouldn’t they seek comfort in each other? Why wouldn’t they give in to their mutual desire? It was too late not to get involved with him, and there was no reason for Adalynn to tell herselfno.

She sniffled, wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, and clicked on the flashlight before pushing away from Merrick’s door. She forced herself down the hallway.

I’m not holding back anymore.

Adalynn didn’t know how much time she had left, but she was going toliveit. She would live it with Danny, with Merrick, and take whatever happiness she could grasp. She was going to live wholeheartedly until the end.

She was going tolove.

When she returned to her room, Danny was sitting on the bed, wide awake.

“Did you see him?” Danny asked.

Adalynn closed the door and approached him. “Yeah, I did.”

“And? Is he okay? Areyouokay? What happened, what did he say?”

She turned off the flashlight, set it on the nightstand, and sat down beside Danny. “He’s fine. I didn’t see any blood, but he probably cleaned himself up already. I’m fine too. We…talked.”

---