Page 100 of A Tower of Half-Truths
“Despite all that, Conor insisted…on becoming intimate.” He took a deep gulp of air. “I tried to turn him down again, but that time…he…”
An ache settled in Mavery’s chest, like a vise slowly squeezing her heart.
“You don’t have to continue,” she whispered.
Alain turned his head. His eyes glistened with tears that he was rapidly trying to blink back.
“Thank you, but I’m afraid the story doesn’t end there,” he said, then lowered his head again. “After that night, I couldn’t remain with him, but he’d threatened to report me to Kazamin if I ended our relationship. And so…”
“The research trip.”
He nodded. “I assume Wren filled you in on the details, save for therealreason why I sent them away.”
“You felt trapped, and you thought that was your only option.”
“Precisely. To Conor’s credit, he never revealed my intentions to the others. Perhaps he also wanted some time apart.” He paused. “Perhaps we both got what we wanted, thanks to my stupidity.”
Alain’s body shuddered as he let the tears fall at last. Without hesitation, Mavery threw her arms around his shoulders, pulled him into a tight embrace.
“His death was an accident,” she whispered. “You can’t blame yourself for what happened.”
She brushed back his rumpled locks of hair, wiped away tears that had slipped down his cheeks. Before tonight, Mavery had hoped Conor’s death had been quick and painless. Now, as white-hot fury kindled in her stomach, she hoped the bastard hadsuffered.
“Er, Mavery?” Alain said, looking at the floor.
Beneath her bare feet, tiny branches bearing green foliage had sprouted from the floorboards.
“Huh,” she said. “I can’t even remember the last time that happened.”
Alain watched the branches with amusement. Then, his eyes widened. He pulled out of her embrace and looked away.
“What’s the matter?” she asked.
He mumbled something beneath his breath. His gaze darted back to her feet as he flushed pink from neck to forehead.
She realized how, from knees downward, her legs were on full display. The rest of her was covered only by the thin cotton of her sleeping shift. It was little more than a shapeless sack that did nothing to reveal the contours of her body, but this was still the most exposed she’d ever been around Alain.
She’d spent a good portion of her adult life sleeping in shared quarters with strangers—a lifestyle that seldom allowed for modesty. And so, until this exact moment, she hadn’t given her state of undress much thought. And neither had he, evidently.
“Sorry about that.” She tugged the fabric over her bent knees, though she only succeeded at covering up a single inch of skin. “I didn’t even think—”
“Don’t apologize.” Alain cleared his throat, though the flush in his cheeks lingered. “I did, after all, tell you to make yourself at home. I certainly can’t fault you for following instructions.”
She laughed, relieved that something had offered them a bit of levity. But, like all good things, it didn’t last for long. Now that hisnervousness had passed, Alain’s expression darkened again.
“When Wren and Lorcan informed me of what happened at the temple, the first thing I felt wasn’t sadness, not even guilt. Those all came later, and it’s what drove me to confine myself to this apartment for months on end.
“No, the first thing I felt was…relief.” He turned to her. “What does that make me?”
Mavery cupped his face between her hands.
“Human,” she whispered. “It makes you human.”
And then she embraced him again. At first, he remained frozen on the spot, his body tense against hers. But Mavery didn’t let that deter her; she continued to hold him. His heart beat so rapidly, she could feel it thrumming through her own chest. Slowly, his tension began to ease. He wrapped his arms around her, letting them come to rest against the small of her back.
“Thank you,” he whispered. His breath was heavy and warm against her hair.
“Of course. Now, I think we’re both long overdue for some sleep.”
