Page 177 of Unbound

He studies me for a long moment, then sighs, running a hand through his dark hair. "Has anyone ever told you you're incredibly stubborn?"

A small smile that tugs at my lips. "You may have mentioned it before.”

Raith's eyes don't leave mine as he seems to come to a decision. "Midnight. That means we still have a couple hours.”

"A couple hours for what," I ask, my pulse quickening at the hunger of his gaze.

"Good," he says, his voice dropping to that low register that makes heat pool low in my belly. "Because I've been thinking."

"What about?" I ask, though I suspect I already know the answer.

His fingers brush mine, sending that familiar spark of magic between us. "We've both been training hard today. I feel pretty filthy."

"Okay," I manage, despite the sudden dryness of my throat. It's not what he's saying, it's how he's saying it. It's the way his eyes are practically devouring me.

"Come on. We can get cleaned up together." His hand finds mine, intertwining our fingers. "Follow me."

"Where are we going?"

"Showers. You waters have the best ones. I use them after hours when nobody's there. They'll be empty at this hour."

My heartbeat races so fast it feels more like one solid, uninterrupted beat by now. Gods, is this really about to happen?

We descend into a dimly lit chamber. Moonlight drifts in through narrow windows, casting silver streaks across the large circular pool in the center. Above it, enchanted clouds hover near the ceiling, permanently drizzling room temperature water into the bathing pools. There are wet footprints on the stone like others were here not long ago, but I see no signs of movement in the pools.

"We're alone," Raith says, his voice echoing slightly in the empty space. He pulls the latch over the door with a half smile. “Just in case.”

“If you’re about to turn into a siphon, I’m going to be super, super pissed with you.”

Raith shakes his head. “Sexy bear.”

“Good,” I say, smirking at the silly passcode.

He moves closer, something in his expression making me forget to breathe. There's a vulnerability there I rarely see—a crack in the careful armor he maintains.

"What is it?" I ask softly.

He moves to the edge of the pool and holds his hand out, palm upward. A small flame dances across his fingers, illuminating his face with a golden glow. A miniature reflection of the flames is mirrored in his eyes as he watches the spell.

"I dream about you," he says suddenly, the flame in his hand flickering higher. "Not just... wanting you. I've been having dreams. Your memories, I think."

My heart stutters. "What?"

"The tether, I assume. He takes a deep breath. "I saw the storm, Nessa. The one that took your father and brothers."

Ice fills my veins, and I step back, nearly stumbling on the slick stone floor. "You saw that?"

Jolts of ugly panic shoot through me.

He knows. He knows what I did. He knows I failed my own family and got them killed. He knows I'm?—

"Hey," Raith's voice is soft as he releases his spell to cup my face and shake his head. "I can feel what you're thinking. And no. I felt it. The fear. The rain. The waves crashing against the cliffs. The thunder you couldn't control."

My throat tightens. I feel naked already, more exposed than if I had shed all my clothes.

"You think I'm a monster," I whisper, the words barely audible even to my own ears. I feel the power inside me churning and reaching out into the room. The normally silent clouds above the bathing pool rumble with the low sound of thunder.

Raith's eyes never leave mine. "No," he says, his voice rough with emotion. "I think you were a child who didn't understand her power." He reaches for me, fingers brushing my cheek with unexpected tenderness. "It wasn't your fault, Nessa."

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