Page 87 of Somewhere down the Ley Line
He snorted. “No.”
Isolde nodded, looking at Mia’s back up ahead. “And… us? Is that something serious?”
Felix caught her arm, pulled her sideways into him and turned her to meet his eyes. “After all that impressive and, frankly, very sexy defiance yesterday, you still let Garren get to you?”
She fought to keep the smile off her face and tried to glower at him. “No, I –”
“Might I also remind you,” he continued with a smirk, “that you were the wily temptress in all of this? Dragging me out into the rain to steal my innocence?”
She stifled a laugh and rolled her eyes. “I suppose, but…”
Felix cocked his head. “But?”
Isolde stared down at her boots, biting her lip. “But it is, right? Serious?”
He hooked a finger under her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Isolde. Listen to me. I will follow you down into the ninth layer of hell, if that is what it takes. If that is not serious enough for you –”
She didn’t let him finish but launched herself against him so suddenly he staggered backwards, catching her in his arms. Her lips pressed against his in a kiss that was all heat and want, erasing any thoughts from his mind that weren’t about her and how good she smelled, felt, tasted. Her magic flared around them, entwining them, drawing him closer.
He did not know how long they stood there. All Felix knew was he was silently cursing all kinds of things. Clothes, the open landscape, the glaring absence ofroomswithdoorsandbeds,and finally their bloody companions and their blatant unwillingness to leave them alone.
“Um…” Leif’s voice sounded from up ahead. “Luella – I mean, everyone else – says to please, um, stop that and continue walking or we will never make it to the Nexus.”
Felix reluctantly broke away from Isolde and glared.
Leif held up his hands in an apologetic gesture. “Sorry! We drew sticks, and I got the shortest one…”
Isolde laughed. “It’s fine, Leif.” She grinned at Felix. “Come on, lowlife. We have places to be.” She took his hand in her own and dragged him along behind her.
Felix shrugged with amused indignation at Leif, who rolled his eyes and followed.
Luella and Garren continued walking at the sight of their approach, but Mia fell back. “So,” she said breezily as she joined them, “are we going to talk about it?”
Felix raised an eyebrow. “About what?”
Isolde looked curiously at Mia. “Do you mean your magic? I was wondering if anyone else noticed.”
Mia nodded. “I have never been unable to get a man to stand down from an ego-charged fight before. Something about you is different.” She narrowed her eyes.
“Wonderful,” Felix muttered. Hehadnoticed, and he didn’t particularly want to talk about it.
“It could be some kind of innate resistance,” Isolde mused.
“I was thinking more along the lines of fey ancestry,” Mia deadpanned.
Isolde giggled. “It would explain the temper.”
“And the bone structure.”
Felix sighed. “Are you two done?”
“Certainly not,” Mia replied. “We’ve only just started. I want to test this.”
Isolde lit up. “Oh! Yes, please do.”
Felix groaned. “Why are you encouraging her?”
“Because it’sfascinating,”Isolde said excitedly. “What if it’s something to do with me?”
