Page 103 of Crucible
I’m speechless.
What do you say to a person you’ve only known a few days but who vows without one ounce of irony or whimsy that he’ll follow you into death?
“Stalker.”
Seth smiles at my response, but it’s small and fleeting as he pulls me closer while I look around.
“Where’s Thorin and Khalil? They were here, or did I hallucinate that too?”
“It wasn’t a vision,” he tells me as he rubs my back. “They’re scouting for a way home.”
“You mean theydon’t know?” I sit up, but without Seth’s warmth, I’m immediately cold. I force myself to stay put andnotuse him as a human blanket even though I know he won’t mind. I’m sitting on his lap while he continues to lie on his back, and I have a feeling it’s the only reason he doesn’t yank me back down with him.
“That storm did a lot of damage, Sunshine. It will be tough finding a safe path back, and they won’t risk you until they’re sure.”
I stare at the opening of our little snow cave and the sunlight that makes the packed and hardened snow gleam. Khalil and Thorinbuiltthis for me—had risked their own lives to keep me safe and alive until the storm passed. It’s a full minute before I’m brave enough to ask. “Are they mad?”
“Livid, baby.” Seth thinks about it and then says, “Actually, I think we’re both in the doghouse. It’ll be fine. We just need to get you home, and then you can start making it up to us.”
My stomach sinks while pussy tightens at the thought of it—two warring reactions that I’m careful not to give myself away.
“Maybe tie you to the bed so this doesn’t happen again,” Seth muses.
I chuckle nervously. “I can’t tell if you’re joking or not.”
“I’m not.”
“Oh.”
“If it makes you feel better, they’ll probably tie me up too, so at least we can keep each other company.”
“Why?” When he doesn’t answer, I take a stab in the dark. “Because you came after me?”
“Because I came after you withoutthem.”
That’s when I remember Seth was alone when he found me. Thorin and Khalil must have caught up with us after I passed out in his arms, which I don’t even remember doing.
“Well, maybe all the hot air they blow around when they return will warm us up.” Seth laughs, but it sounds forced. My suspicions are confirmed when he sits up and lifts me off his lap to set me down on the sleeping bag next to his.Okay…His green eyes are piercing as he props his arms on his bent knees and studies me like he’s figuring out what to make of me. “What…” Looking away, Seth drops his head to stare at the ground between his bent knees. “Oh, God,” I say when realization slams into me. “You’re mad at me, too, aren’t you?”
“Nah.”
“Seth, don’t lie to me.” His face is pinched as if he’s debating whether he wants to have it out with me or let me get away with putting us all in danger. “It’s okay. You can tell me. I’m a big girl. I can take it.”
“It’s just…” He shoves his fingers through his dark hair, blows out a breath, and then stares at me through hurt eyes that weirdly make me want to die.“I don’t get you, Sunshine. Even less than I did before. You agreed to be my girlfriend, and then you ran. What am I missing? Were you serious, or was it another lie?”
“I…”
Seth squints when I take entirely too long to answer. “Okay, I understand.”
He gently pushes me aside and then tries to leave the snow cave. I should let him go, but for whatever reason, I grab his arm.
“Seth…youassaultedme.” He flinches, but I dig in. I won’t let him run from this any more than they let me run from them. “And you’ve done nothing but count the hours until you can do it again. Don’t you dare try to make me feel guilty for a little whitelie when you know it wouldn’t have made a difference. You’d still hurt me even if it were true.”
“It wasn’t a little white lie tome.”
“And you hurting me is no small thing to me!”
“Stop fighting us, and we won’t have to,” he says tightly.
