Page 92 of The Thief
"Stay with me tonight," I whisper against his mouth.
"Just to sleep?"
"Just to sleep. But stay."
"Always."
We climb into bed together, and I curl against his side like it's the most natural thing in the world. His arm comes around me, pulling me closer, and I can feel the tension leaving his body as mine relaxes against him.
"Freddie?"
"Yeah?"
"Tomorrow, when we start planning how to end this war, I want to be part of it. Really part of it. Not just someone to be protected."
"You sure?"
"I'm sure. This is my family now. My fight too."
"Then we fight it together."
"Together."
I close my eyes, letting his warmth and solid presence chase away the fears lurking in the shadows. Tomorrow, there will be plans to make, enemies to face, choices that could change everything.
But tonight, I'm home. Finally, completely home.
And that's worth fighting for.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
freddie
A scream tears me from sleep like a knife to the chest.
Alastríona's thrashing beside me, caught in the grip of whatever nightmare has claimed her. Her face is twisted with terror, tears streaming down her cheeks as she fights against enemies only she can see.
"No," she whimpers. "Please, no. Don't take him. Don't take them."
I reach for her carefully. I don't want to startle her awake too violently. "Alastríona. Hey, it's okay. You're safe."
Her eyes snap open, wild and unfocused. For a moment she doesn't recognize me, sees only another threat in a world gone mad. Then reality crashes back and she collapses against my chest, sobbing.
"I'm sorry," she gasps. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."
"Shh. It's okay. Just a dream."
But even as I say it, I know it's not just a dream. It's everything she's been holding back since arriving in Dublin; all the fear and uncertainty finally breaking through the walls she's built around herself.
"Tell me," I say, stroking her hair. "What did you see?"
"You." Her voice is barely a whisper. "I saw you die. Saw them all die. Henry, Denis, everyone. Because of me. Because I brought this war to your doorstep."
"That's not true."
"Isn't it? Marcus said people died because Dad kept me separate from the family. What if he's right? What if everyone would be safer if I just disappeared?"
She's shaking now, the kind of bone-deep tremors that come from terror and exhaustion. I pull her closer, try to anchor her with my warmth.
