Page 79 of Crown of Smoke

Flint reaches up to push his bandage off his eyes.

“No, don’t,” I say.

“I need to see you.”

His brothers don’t move to stop him. “He gets what he wants right now,” Phoenix says to me. “We washed his eyes out, so it should be okay now.”

His eyes are red and swollen, though I’m not sure if it’s from the mace or the fighting. It probably doesn’t matter. It all looks really bad.

“You should be in a hospital.”

“No.” His lips twitch up slightly, and he rubs a tendril of my hair in his fingers. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

“Mother fucker…” Blaise snaps, shaking his head. “Not funny.”

“Come on.” Phoenix pushes Blaise out of the room. “Let’s give them privacy.”

“It was a little funny.”

I shake my head. “You need medical attention.”

“I’ve had all that can be done.” His eyes close, and my heart rockets to my throat.

“Flint!”

“Didn't think you'd come."

"Of course I came." Tears blur my vision as I carefully take his hand. His skin feels clammy, his grip weak.

"Need to tell you…" He winces, struggling to form words.

"Shh, don't try to talk."

“I love you.”

“You need your—what?”

“That was my last thought. Or nearly last… I wanted to tell you.”

I’m suffering from emotional whiplash. One minute, I’m scared to death. The next, I’m filled with emotion at his words.

“I’m sorry I lied…” His fingers tighten slightly around mine. "You deserve… I wanted to tell you who I was… am…"

"You need to rest."

"Wanted you to see me. To call my name… Flint. I'm Flint. Not Flynn…” He closes his eyes again like he needs to rest from the Herculean effort he’s exerting to talk to me.

“Flint,” I say, not sure what else to say.

"Everything else was real," he whispers. "How I feel… about you. Wasn't part of the plan, but…"

“Shh. You can tell me this later.” I stroke his hand.

“Can never be sure there will be a later.”

“You’re too stubborn for there not to be a later.” Dammit, he'd better fight. He'd better live.

"Hampton Kean… destroyed everything." Flint's voice grows fainter. "Had to stop him… before he hurt anyone else I love."

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