Page 53 of The Sorcerer's Thief
I’d gotten lost in dark thoughts again. Easy for me to do. Cricket’s sitting up, expression full of concern, reaching for me. I summon a clean tunic to my body to cover the worst of it. The fabric over my flesh helps. A barrier between the world and my pain.
If it bothers Cricket, he doesn’t say. Nor does he reach for his clothes, only me. I go to him, and he welcomes me with kisses.
“I’m awake now,” he says. “Shall I put my mouth to good use?” He raises his brows and licks his lips.
Laughter helps divorce me from my darker mood. “Insatiable, are you?”
“Generally? No. For you? Yes.” His warm hand lands on my neck and drags me in for another kiss. “But it can wait until morning if you’re ready for sleep.”
“I think I am.”
“Me too.” He sits up excitedly. “Oh! Except, well, I’ve been thinking?—”
“Uh-oh.” This does not seem like “ready for sleep.”
He grins and flicks my knee. “It’s nothing bad. I’ve been thinking I shouldn’t hoard the coin for myself any longer.”
His words slam into my chest like a punch. “What?”
“I’m not giving it to you, mind. But there’s no reason we can’t share it.” He climbs off the bed, plucks one of his boots from the floor, and draws out the coin.
The coin we’re going toshare.
The one I need to steal.
Oh, Cricket, not now. Not when things are so wonderful between us. Don’t make me ruin everything.
“I’m going to help you.” He crawls back onto the bed and practically into my lap, shiny gold coin in hand.
My pulse races. “What do you mean?”
“With your mission. I’m going to help.”
No, no, Cricket! Don’t involve yourself in my mess.“I don’t want your help.”
“We’re a team now. Teammates help each other.” He places the coin on my knee—the same spot he flicked a moment ago when we were still lovers—and holds his hand over it. “You’re not going to take it and run off, right?”
Breath seizes in my throat. “Right,” I lie, and my heart seizes next.
He lifts his hand, leaving the coin on my knee.
He’s going to regret that.
And I’m going to regret this.
Cricket’s sweet smile melts me into a puddle. “I trust you.”
You shouldn’t.
Chapter 17
Cricket
Julian looks me straight in the eye. “I’m sorry.”
My stomach lurches, and my heart sinks.
He snatches the coin.
