Page 123 of Heimlock

Hesitating, I churn the words in my mouth, swallowing hard. “A fight to the death.”

Hand freezing in front of her open mouth, Kyrielle stares. Calmly placing the food onto the plate, she says, “You did what now?”

“Challenged him to a death dive. Where two Dragons go high in the sky and try to push the other one down to the ground. If one isn’t killed in the air, whichever one lands first is executed by magyck.”

The flushed color drains from her face. “Take it back.”

“No.”

She jerks her head back in disbelief. Like I’ve dealt a physical blow. “What do you mean ‘no?’” She tosses the plate onto the coffee table angrily. “You said you wouldn’t do anything to make me sad. And you dying, plummeting to your death, is definitely going to do that.”

“I can’t take it back,” I say calmly, even though my chest vibrates from the rapid pumping of screaming blood. “Dragon magyck seals it the moment the words are said. There’s no undoing it. It must happen. Whoever refuses will die regardless.”

“No!” She raises a hand to her mouth, tears already falling. “Find a way, Trinte.”

“There is none.”

Kyrielle reels her fist back and punches me in the chest.

“Ow!” I exclaim, rubbing the sore spot. “That almost hurt.”

“I’m going to kill you if you die, Trinte Gleanscale.” Her face is puffy and red. Aching at my selfish decision, I wrap her ‌in my arms, feeling the sobs violently shake her body.

My fault.

“I’m sorry, Firefly. I wasn’t thinking. But it’ll be okay. I’ll survive.”

She wipes tears and snot on my shirt. “How do you know?”

“Because Fynn and I used to practice doing it when we were younger and far less aware of our mortality. It’s been a while, but I’m not inexperienced.”

“Not the same,” she wails.

I stroke her hair, unable to stop smiling. This is what it feels like to be loved. She might not be comfortable saying it yet, but I’m fairly certain she feels it, too.

“Baby girl, please stop crying. He’s older, but I’m stronger. Before Fynn did what he did, I had my father pinned down.”

“But is he a better flier?”

“I don’t know anymore,” I admit. “But I’m strong.” Kissing her forehead, I say, “Plus, I have something to live for. He has nothing.”

Kyrielle curls into my lap like a sphinx kitten, snuggling into my arms. My heart might literally burst from the amount of love it contains. If you split me in half, you’ll find a hollow spot being slowly filled by her happy sighs.

I play with her hair, staring off into space while she processes. I should also process it, but for now, I just want to enjoy this intimacy. Either I die, or I don’t. I’m going to make every second count until we find out together.

“Can I stay tonight?” she says quietly.

“You can stay every night.”

“Maybe not every night. You’re kind of a bed hog.”

“I’ll get a bigger bed.”

“I like your version of solutions.”

“That’s me; Trinte the Solution Finder.”

“I don’t like all of your solutions.”