Page 150 of Fate's Sweetest Curse
Emotion welled in my eyes, throat, chest, filling me with watery relief. A choked, jubilant cry escaped me. I wanted to fall into his arms, collide with his solid frame, but I didn’t know how fragile he was—how careful I ought to be. I sank to my knees in front of him instead, cupping his cheek with my good hand. “You’re awake,” I said, tears pouring down my face even as I laughed with glee. “Fates, you’re actuallyawake.”
“Came back just for you,” he murmured against my temple, pressing a kiss there.
I pulled back to look into his eyes, green eyes, so bright and keen andopen. “How are you feeling?”
His brow furrowed with a troubled expression. “Hattie, I—”
“No apologies,” I said. “How are you?”
“Groggy,” he replied. “But strangely fine.”
“Are you sure?”
Noble slid his hand along my neck, into my hair, gripping my nape like he might never let go. “Come here, would you?”
Then his mouth was on mine, his soft lips claiming me, making me forget about everything before and everything ahead—bringing me, blissfully, intonow. With him. I stretched up from where I knelt, wrapping my uninjured arm around his middle, sliding my hand under the hem of his shirt to feel the warm, solid strength of his back.
He was awake.
He was alive.
He was—
I broke our kiss. “Wait, what did you say?”
53
Hattie’s Conundrum
Noble
Noble cupped Hattie’s beautiful face in his palms. “You said you need a new last name?” he asked. “Take mine.”
A tear tracked down her cheek—herflushedcheek. He took that as a positive sign. “You say that like it’s simple.”
He offered her a soft, hopeful smile. “Itissimple, isn’t it?”
Moments ago, Noble had awoken to two familiar voices arguing. He hadn’t followed at first, but as consciousness had returned to him, he’d begun to catch on. After all, it wasn’t a new argument—just new circumstances.
Even if his father was right abouthername, nobody would be looking in the Census Ledgers of Fenrir forNoble’s. And unlike nine years ago, their connection to Castle Wynhaim was diminished; unlike nine years ago, they didn’t have status or his potential Mighty Knighthood standing between them.
It was not a perfect answer, but it had potential.
“But our history…” Hattie said. “We’ve spent the past few months trying to hide how we know each other because of what could be inferred.”
“In a city, being associated with me matters,” Noble reasoned. “But somewhere remote…somewhere like Waldron…” A smile teased his lips. “You saw it yourself. Nobody knew who I was. Nobody recognized my name.”
Hattie placed her palm over his heart. “Are you sure you’re in your right mind?”
Noble didn’t know how long he’d been asleep, nor did he remember much from his rampage, but he knew he loved her. “Is that a yes?”
Her cheeks tightened with a smile, tears welling in her eyes again. Unable to help himself, he pressed another kiss to her perfect mouth, absolving her of the need to answer.Yet.
Love wasn’t the issue at hand, of course. Love couldn’t guarantee that his proposal was a viable solution to her problem.
Noble glanced at the shadow looming a few feet away. “What do you think, father?”
Noble hadn’t seen General Asheren in nearly a decade—not since their argument after he failed to become a Mighty Knight. New wrinkles creased Kalden’s brow, more silver threaded his beard, but otherwise, he appeared just as steely as always.
