Cloud Piercer

Twenty Four

"Do you remember last year?" I ask.

A soft smile crosses his face. "When you and Samu went swimming in the lake despite my concerns?"

I swat his chest. "It was fun."

"It was freezing, the middle of the night, and really stupid."

The memory warms me from inside out. Casimir's eyes grow distant; I can tell he's thinking of it too. "We're going to find him," I say quietly.

"Sometimes I'm scared of what will happen to you if we don't."

"Don't say that. We will." I frown. "Don't you want to save him?"

His expression softens. "You know I do."

"But?"

"But not if it means losing you."

I step back, lifting my chin to meet his gaze. The truth is, I understand his conflicting emotions. Samu was important to him, too. But I try to place myself in his perspective—if saving Samu meant losing Casimir, would I still do it?

"If we make it in and we find him, I want you to promise me that you'll do whatever it takes to get him out." He opens his mouth to protest, but I cut him off. "Promise me, Cas. Promise me that no matter what you'll get Samu out of there. First and foremost."

He doesn't say anything, just stares, and it only adds fuel to the furnace of fear inside of me. Casimir will put me first, always, even when I don't want him to. His gaze draws over my shoulder, narrowing at the forest, mind distracted from the conversation.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Trina," he says, tone sour. "Don't go anywhere. I'll be right back."

I watch him as he draws away, weaving throughout the crowd before disappearing into the treeline.

"Lost your partner?"

I spin around to face Killian standing behind me. The top of his white shirt is unbuttoned, revealing his toned chest. He looks beautiful, and for the first time tonight, I find myself wishing I'd taken Cadence up on her offer of her mother's emerald dress.

Fighting the urge to reach up and fix the fallen flowers in my hair, I meet his eye. His posture is relaxed, but I don't dare fool myself into thinking he's like every other person at this festival. I know those hands are deadly.

"You weren't summoned with him?"

"No, actually," he says. "Trina tasked me with babysitting duties in his absence."

I narrow my eyes. "I'll be sure to be on my best behaviour."

"But misbehaving is much more fun." He stretches a hand towards me, grin wicked. "Shall we?" I stare at his calloused fingers as they stretch towards me. "Come on, it would be a shame to waste and evening when you look so pretty."

There's no teasing glint in his expression, no double meaning. He doesn't even seem to realise that what he's said is a compliment when he states it like it's a fact, but warmth pulses to my cheeks.

Killian detects my hesitation and takes my hand before I can protest. His fingers engulf mine, touch gentle but firm. I try to calm my racing heart as I place both my hands on his shoulders. His rest lightly on the small of my back. I glance up at him, ensuring there's a significant space between our bodies.

There's no denying that I'm attracted to him, nearly everyone in Veymaw is, and I have been since he's arrived. But attraction is all that it is. When he first came here, he was just a handsome stranger with an ambiguous story, nothing more nothing less. What's dangerous about the present is that now I want to know more.