Page 295 of Alchemised
He was silent a moment. “So if we kill the Undying, that weakens him.”
“In theory, yes. Would destroying the talismans affect the phylacteries? Does that kill the Undying?”
Kaine shook his head. “No. He can make another, but they’re—only slightly more intelligent than necrothralls then.”
“There must be some way, though. We’ll figure it out.”
He looked at her, his expression beginning to clear and sharpen again. “If the Undying are the source of Morrough’s power, that means this won’t be over until they’re all dead.”
She knew instantly what he was trying to prepare her for. “No. I’ll find a way to reverse it. If it’s possible to bind a soul, surely it can be unbound.”
“Helena …”
She shook her head. “You already thought I couldn’t save you once. You should give me more credit.” She cleared her throat, refusing to have this conversation.
She stood, dressing quickly. “I have to take this information back to Headquarters.”
She didn’t really care about reporting to Crowther, though. She wanted to begin reviewing the array that Wagner had sketched. She needed to do research.
“Wait. I have something for you, although I hope you won’t need them again.” Wrapped in oilcloth were her daggers.
She’d been sure they’d been washed downriver.
“How’d you find them?”
“I had spares made. It took long enough to find a metallurgist with a resonance for your alloy. I figured a few extra sets might be wise.”
“Thank you,” she said, touching them fondly and then putting them carefully in her satchel before she began to fix her hair.
“I hate your hair like that,” he said, startling her.
She looked up. “I could crop it instead.”
He looked so offended that she laughed.
“I have to keep it out of the way when working, and I’m always on call for emergencies. It’s practical.”
He looked unconvinced. “I want to see you more.”
Her fingers stilled. She could see the hunger in his eyes. Possessive. Ravenous. He would drag her from the war and hide her the instant she let him. The conflict was visible in his eyes.
Want. Want. Want. She felt it like her heartbeat.
If he couldn’t hide her, he would hoard her to himself as much as he was able to. She’d fallen for a dragon.
“I’ve always been on call for you,” she said. “If you call me, I’ll come here as soon as I can.”
He shook his head at that. “No. We can’t use the Outpost much longer. There’s plans for repairing it under way.”
Her heart sank. “Oh. Then how would we—”
“The Resistance doesn’t watch the skies,” he said. “Now that Amaris is older, it’s not difficult to fly to the East Island at night. I’m sure there’s a rooftop somewhere. I’ll find something before next week. If the ring activates only once, it’s not Resistance-related. Signal back when you’re there, and I’ll come for you.”
She lifted her left hand. She’d feared the refraction effect might eventually wear off, but it still held; she could barely see the ring unless she focused. It was so light, she almost forgot about it at times.
“I thought you said if I ever burned you—”
He captured her hand and pulled her close. His other hand slid possessively up her throat, fingers tilting her head back, and he kissed her, long and deep, before he drew away to meet her eyes.
