Page 77 of Fate's Sweetest Curse
The thought was there and gone in a flash as Noble leaned into me. The kiss deepened for one hypnotic moment, a slick drag, and then we were breaking apart.
When he looked into my eyes again, he wasn’t masking his expression with cool neutrality; his features were plain, apologetic. It felt like a gift to get the real him.
“Can we agree on one thing, moving forward?” I asked.
He inclined his head in a wordlessgo on.
“Can we forget the lab rules?” He opened his mouth to protest, but I spoke over him. “We don’t have to be best friends, or even talk all that much, I just…don’t want it to feel so cold.”
He nodded. “I can do that.”
“I’m supposed to be working with you on Gildium, anyway. It’s against Phina’s wishes for us to ignore each other.”
“True.”
I gave him a single nod, then stepped back.
“Do you want me to walk you out?” he asked, seeming to remember the new protocol of researchers coming and going in twos.
“I think I’ll harvest some Hylder while I’m here,” I said. “Willa can escort me out later.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
“Alright.” He regarded me a moment longer, eyes flicking over my features like he wanted to memorize every detail of this moment. Then his jaw ticked, and he said, “I’ll see you around, Peach,” before walking down the garden path and disappearing around the bend.
Earlier, I’d wondered what the harm was in getting our feelings out in the open. Well, now I knew. My heart felt like it had been cleaved open, an axe splitting wood with a swift crack. To learn that my feelings were not unrequited was both a relief and utter torture.
28
Weapon Play
Hattie
When I arrived at Castle Might for sword practice a couple days later, there were two figures already in the training yard: one huge and golden, the other dark, chiseled, and forbidden.
I was already moving slow after a series of sleepless nights of tossing and turning and fantasizing anddreamingabout Noble—so acute that even self-pleasure did me no good—but when I saw Oderin and Noble sparring, I halted in my tracks.
They were dressed similarly in dark trousers and white shirts, their foreheads already glistening with sweat. The day was muggy from all the recent rain, hot with the hint of impending summer. Out in the intense midday sun, I was already roasting in my tight pants and sleeveless tunic. My temperature kicked up further as I watched the two men train.
It was embarrassing to realize howeasyOderin had been going on me during our sessions, because this was…something else. They both wielded dull practice swords, the metal glinting in the bright sunlight. The clash of steel rang out in the empty yard, echoing off the surrounding stone buildings. Their movements were quick, accurate, graceful—a deadly dance of aggression.
Noble was a force, lunging and striking with brutal precision. He wielded his hefty blade with two hands, swiveling from a solid core, his strength coming from his center the same way Oderin was always lecturing me about. I had thought Oderin was nimble on his feet, butcompared to Noble, he lagged, fumbling his footsteps to keep up. The way Noblemoved—it was a study in bodily control. Masculine power.
Though he hadn’t become a Mighty Knight, Noble must’ve kept up with his training. It explained how utterlysolidhe’d felt against me in the gardens.
Fucking Fates. We’d managed to work rather amiably over the past few days, sharing jokes and frustrated grumbles as we experimented with binding Gildium and Hylder, the materials smoking, bubbling, repelling like oil and water. But seeing him likethis? This wouldn’t help our congeniality in the lab—this would only fan the sparks of attraction still sizzling between us.
And whywashe here?
I thought back to our conversation that night—his fury over my bruise. Was that it? Overprotective male ego?
My lust morphed into anger, and I stomped up to the edge of the training area. “What are you doing here, Noble?”
Noble’s eyes cut to me, and his flow faltered.
Oderin’s did, too. “How do you know—?” He broke off, clearly making the connection. He raised a knowing eyebrow at me, evidently thrilled by the unexpected development thatNoblewas the man I’d told him about.
