Page 105 of The War of Wings
“I should be going as well,” she said, though it was clear it was an excuse.
Miles shifted on his feet. “Let me walk you to your quarters.”
“It’s okay,” she said, nodding toward the corridor. “I have guards waiting for me.”
Miles nodded, staring down at her. The look that passed between them was so intense, I could almost see the words they’d left unspoken. I felt like an intruder on this moment, but I kept my eyes on them, in case Malosym’s power was to rear its ugly head.
He took a cautious step toward Cielle, and when she didn’t object, he took another. “Can you promise me one thing?” heasked, his voice so quiet, I almost didn’t hear it. She stared up at him through dark lashes, her eyes gleaming in the last light of day. “Whenever it happens, I don’t want you anywhere near that battlefield.”
Her lips parted, as if she hadn’t been expecting his request. Her head shook almost imperceptibly. “I don’t want to promise you that, Miles.”
His dark eyes closed, a grimace passing over his features. He knew he had no right to ask that of her, and he wouldn’t push it further. When his eyes opened again, he slowly lifted one hand, a thumb hooking beneath her chin. I wasn’t breathing as I watched. “Just…promise me you’ll be careful, then. Please.”
Her brows tilted up. I couldn’t tell for sure, but it almost looked like she leaned into his touch the slightest bit. Finally, she nodded. Miles’ step backward was stiff as his hand fell to his side.
“Maybe you can meet me out here again tomorrow evening,” she said, her lashes lowered.
“Maybe,” Miles rasped. “Goodbye, Cielle.” And he watched as she made her way through the courtyard, back toward the castle. Saints, the pain on his face… I felt it in my own chest.
Cielle was almost to the corridor when Miles called out after her, “The first question I wanted to ask was why you didn’t marry Prince Rayner?” She stopped, turning back to look at Miles. “You could’ve played in the Royal Orchestra of Zidderune.”
With eyes so full of longing I could see them from where I hid, her mouth turned up in a soft smile. “You know the answer to that, Miles.” She turned back again, and just before she took the first step inside, she added one more thing. “And you can tell your brother he doesn’t need to hide in the bushes next time. Nice to see you again, King Belin.”
My eyes closed, my face scrunching in embarrassment. “Likewise, Princess Cielle,” I sighed from where I was still folded between the branches.
Miles stayed frozen in place as I crawled out of the dirt, dusted myself off, and stretched out the crick in my neck. “Thank you,” he said quietly, his eyes still glued to the place she’d disappeared. He stared for a long moment before he finally spoke again. “I’m ready.”
“Ready for what?”
“It’s time, Cal. I can’t do this anymore.”
My heart stumbled in my chest as I stared at his profile. “Now?”
“Yeah.”
No. This wasn’t happening. Not now. He still had time, surely. “No, Miles, just–”
“It wasn’t just me and Cielle sitting on that bench, Cal. It was me, Cielle, and this evil inside me. It was me, Cielle, and Malosym, and I refuse to let that son of a bitch anywhere near her.” He swallowed hard as his jaw flexed. “I can’t stay, Cal. If I hurt her, if I ever…” He turned to me, his eyes flooded with tears. “I’m losing myself.”
My lungs were devoid of air as he spoke, a cold feeling creeping in. “But…the Occulti. They’re in Heaven.”
“I’m not going to Heaven, Cal.”
“Of course you are.”
He didn’t respond, and his silence made me want to grab him by the collar and shake him. Land a punch square in his jaw. Scream in his face. Tell him he was a fucking idiot.
“Please,” he whispered, desperation cracking his voice.
What was he supposed to do? Stay and be some sort of extension of Malosym’s power with no idea whether he was leading the enemy right to our doorstep? What choice did he have?
What choice did I have?
“Okay,” I said with a nod, my hand landing on his shoulder and my heart landing in my stomach. “Okay, I understand.”
“I have one favor to ask.” His jaw worked back and forth. “I want to fly one more time.”
A sad smile pulled at my mouth as I stared back at my brother. “Let’s get the drivas ready.”
