Page 115 of Of Sins and Sacrifice

“I won’t let it.” He shakes his head.

“What can you do?” I let out a dry laugh.

“More than you can imagine, Minnie.” He stares at me, the green in his eyes deepening. “I can love you.”

Thud. Thud. Thud.

My heartbeats echo in my ears, as does another sound.

Love. The wordloveis on repeat in my mind, becoming louder and louder until it claims every corner of my consciousness.

Love. Whatislove?

I knowofit. But I do not knowit.

I love my brother. I love my parents—to an extent. But love, the type of love that he is implying, is foreign to me.

“What is love?” I ask in a small voice. At his confused expression, I rephrase my question. “How does one…love?”

Slowly, the corners of his mouth tip up until a brilliant smile claims his lips.

“I will teach you.”

“I—”

“Give me the remaining time you have left in this world. If by the end of your exile I do not teach you how to love, you may leave and never look back.”

“What?”

“Give me until your powers come back. You’re here anyway.”

“On a mission,” I protest. “I must vanquish the greed demon.”

“And we will. Together. I would never allow such evil to hurt innocents.”

“But—”

“Two months, Minnie. Give me two months. If I cannot teach you how to love, you may leave and forget all about me and your time here.”

“But how could I forget if anything happens and I?—”

“I will not touch you,” he interrupts. “Let me prove to you that I am not after your virtue. Only your heart.”

“You’re touching me now,” I whisper.

“I will not touch you…inappropriately. Unless you ask for it.” He winks. “You have my vow.”

I bite on my lip as I gaze into his eyes. The mere fact that I am contemplating this is madness. Yet every time I attempt to refuse, to tell him that what he proposes is insanity, my throat clogs up until no sound comes out.

Would it be so bad to admit to myself that I’m…curious?

I am not indifferent to this male. That much I know. Yet do I dare accept his challenge? The risks are enormous. If anyone should catch me, the entire Aperion would shun me—perhaps even sentence me to death. The mere idea of the death of an immortal should make me say a resounding no.

But I don’t.

I don’t say no. I don’t say yes.

I just lie there, at his mercy. My arms have fallen by my sides. His palm still cups my cheek, his body angled toward me.

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