Page 30 of Edge of Wonder

“You said to save them for the living. You’re living now. Fair game.” He wrapped the strands of my hair around his hand, pulling deliciously tight, before tucking them over my shoulder. “I think you’re good. No more spiders. But maybe you can show me some more of those evasive moves in case I ever encounter one.”

My eyes narrowed. “I don’t know. It takes an exceptional amount of skill to move like that. It’s not something you can teach.”

His hands settled around my waist. “That’s too bad. It’s the one area I lack in my training.”

Yup—this was a bad idea. But I didn’t want to stop. We had a connection. It was inescapable, even with our complicated past and even murkier future.

There was hardly any light, but I saw the moment his expression changed. My head tipped back as his eyes blazed into mine. Then his gaze lowered, lingering on my mouth in a way that made time slow.

One second, then two.

I held my breath, afraid even a whisper of air might break the spell drawing him closer.

Closer, still, until my eyes slid closed, and I waited for his lips to move over mine.

But—wait.He froze, his whole body tensing. My eyes snapped open. The pressure from his fingers eased as he released my waist and took a rigid step back. Air rushed in between us, filling the void, and I almost shivered from the raw chill. The extra distance seemed to clear his head, his features sobering.

My gaze refocused over his shoulder, and I saw something that made my heart sink.

His bag was packed.

It sat just inside the doorway. He was leaving again, and if I hadn’t paraded in front of his door, he might have left without saying goodbye.

“Alice, we can’t—”

“You’re leaving tonight?”

He cleared his throat, but there was still a raspy tone in his voice. “Yes. I’m going to the inn. Tomorrow, I’ll collect my payment and head to the next job.”

Disappointment settled inside my chest. Of course, he was leaving. He’d been running from me his whole life. What did I expect? A change of heart? He’d have to have one first.

Some of my bitterness returned and sarcasm laced my tone. “I don’t know what to say. I mean, I guess I should thank you for bringing me back to life, but then again, you did abandon me here. Whether they locked me in a magic tower or stranded me in this decaying cottage, you weren’t coming.”

He visibly swallowed. “No. I wasn’t.”

I already knew the truth, but it was still hard to hear.

“Am I supposed to wish you the best or be glad I’m never going to see you again?”

“I don’t know, Alice.”

My chin trembled, and I clamped down on my jaw. “Me either. Just go.”

I looked away as he collected his bag. He hesitated for a moment before his footsteps moved past me down the hall. This time, I didn’t rush after him. I didn’t beg him to stay. And when the front door closed behind him, I knew he wasn’t coming back.

Chapter 11

Sebastian

An iron gate groans beneath my hand as I push open the bars and enter a dense forest of thorns. The spiked branches twist into the sky, shrouding a series of overgrown trails in shadow. Each one leads further into the barbed maze.

Which one to choose?

Thorns tear at my clothes as I navigate the middle path. The choking vines thicken, and somewhere in the dark, an unseen creature gnashes its teeth.

I thrash my way through as brittle bones crunch beneath my boots, and piles of skulls peek out from a blanket of mist. Their gap-toothed grins seem almost gleeful at the ruin lying in wait.

My heart pounds inside my chest as desperation burns through my body, searing all thoughts but one: she’s alone in this massive labyrinth of death.

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