Page 63 of Held

But Briar didn’t move away.

She reached out, not daring to touch. She still hadn’t touched the stub, even when she was treating the rest of his wounds. She couldn’t bear to see what she’d done.

“Do…” Briar swallowed. “Do Skullstalker wings grow back?”

Wick’s silence was answer enough.

Briar laughed. What else could she do? She had been asking as a joke, mostly. But the reality of it struck her again, making her eyes burn and her throat close up.

“I’m sorry,” she said, still trying to smile. “I’m— Gods, Wick, I can’t tell you how fucking sorry I am.”

Wick twisted, tugging her carefully into his arms despite her protests.

“I would tell you to cut off the other wing if it meant saving you,” he said.

Briar couldn’t look at him. His eyes were so earnest, even huge and black and full of fire. They were the loveliest eyes she’d ever seen. She had no idea how she had grown so attached to them like this.

“Why?” she burst out, wiping angrily at her cheeks. “I’m—I’m just?—”

A thief,she thought.A liar. A trickster with a blackened heart and open legs.

“I’m just a mortal,” she said instead. “You’ll live the rest of your impossibly long life not being able to fly because ofme.”

He took her face in her hands, his claws gentle as he rubbed her cheeks. “Your two hundred years are worth more than thousands of mine.”

“Don’t say that,” Briar snapped. Then his words sank in. “Wait, two hundred? We live for eighty years,maybe.”

Wick blinked. The fire in his eyes flickered with surprise.

“Eighty?”

“Less, for someone like me!” Briar grinned mirthlessly. “Thieves don’t have high life expectancies. I’m shocked I made it this far.”

Wick’s hands tightened on her face. His mouth worked wordlessly, struggling against something important. Then he steeled himself.

“I would find a way,” he said. “There are spells, ancient and difficult, but they are there. I have a brother who can show us how to extend your life. If you wish.”

Briar’s mouth fell open, shocked. Was he really offering what she thought he was offering?

“You want…” Briar wet her lips, dazed. “You want alife? With me?”

Wick nodded eagerly.

Briar let out a disbelieving laugh. Her eyes were filling with tears once more, and she couldn’t stop it.

For a moment, Briar let herself imagine nights with him—more than they had lined up on their journey. A lifetime of nights huddled up in his arms, listening to his slow heartbeat. He would be a cool balm in the summer, and a blanket tuckedbetween them during the winter. They could buy a place near a waterfall?—

Briar squeezed her eyes shut, forcing the ideas to stop. She couldn’t think about this right now. Not without bursting into tears and becoming utterly useless.

They would break their respective curses. Then… Briar would think about it.

“We should sleep,” she said, lying back down in the nest. “Lots of walking tomorrow.”

Wick said nothing. But his big arms closed around her, making sure her robe was tight around her body before settling in for the night.

Eighteen

Wick had never been more relieved to hear a waterfall.

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