Page 74 of The Unseen Hour

“My father always said that to be a good leader, one must serve others,” I said.

“I think I shall like him quite a bit. We’ll have a lot to talk about, assuming he doesn’t challenge me to a duel for the way the two of us have been living down here.”

Orion raised one brow, smirking at me.

I just laughed, and when Orion winked at me I dissolved into a full-on fit of giggles.

I’d already explained my father to Orion, telling him almost as much about the head of Scops as myself. Orion was well aware that Father would be only too thankful to anyone who helped rescue him and keep his daughter safe, regardless of the means.

“Even my brothers will be won over by you,” I promised him.

Ambrose might not be, but the longer I stayed here, the less I cared. Didn’t I also deserve to be happy? Was I really willing to fall back in line once I returned to Emrys, simply because it was expected?

Orion moved even closer.

“I doubt that. Not when I’ve spent a good portion of your time here with my lips on your neck.”

I gasped as he leaned in, his breath teasing that sensitive spot at the curve of my neck.

“Ry,” I breathed.

His arms went around me, and I leaned into him.

“Starlight,” he whispered, his breath sending pleasant shivers down my spine. “When we do get back, will you travel with me? Seeing Shades from all over Rayus isn’t enough. I want to take you to Mejje, Tang, Sez, anywhere you’d like to go.”

“Like the pirate in your books?”

“If that’s what you want.” He trailed kisses down to my collarbone, then gazed at me with a look that was almost reverent. “Everything down here was dull and lifeless until you arrived. You breathed life into me again. I want you to have the things you dream about as well; the things we both dreamed about before we came here.”

It wasn’t exactly a proposal, not in the marriage sense, but it was a commitment. He wanted to stay with me.

“We’d make a ghastly scene,” I warned him.

He just laughed.

“Oh, I haven’t been gone so long that I’ve forgotten that. Let them all talk. We’ve seen and experienced things that most people in Emrys wouldn’t believe, even knowing about the hour.”

It was harder and harder to imagine that I would let a bunch of prideful nobles’ opinions cow me, after this place.

“There’s no one I’d rather see the world with,” I told him truthfully.

He smiled, leaning back in to kiss me again.

His tongue was sliding across mine when I saw a bright flash, even from behind my closed eyelids.

Lightning struck the ground in front of us, and we leapt apart.

CHAPTER 33

We’d been waiting for Death to reappear for weeks, but I had to force a glare off my face. Deities had no respect for privacy.

The lightning sizzled, and the hairs on my arms stood on end. I had the strangest urge to reach out and grab the light, even though I was quite certain it could spear me through as easily as regular lightning.

It certainly gave off enough heat.

Death stepped forward, and the stunning deity threw back her hood, silken hair falling over her shoulders. Once again, she wore a mask over the top portion of her face. This one was silver, made of metal.

“I did say I would return soon.” Death flashed her dazzling smile at us both.