“You’re up early this morning,” she said as she rested her cheek against his chest and he tightened his arms around her back. “I heard the shower running.”
“I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“It’s okay.” Her lips curled against him. “As long as you let me sleep at least a little later.”
His chest tightened. “Maelea, I need to talk to you about later.”
She eased back and looked up with a furrow between her perfect eyebrows. “Why doesn’t that sound all sweet and sexy like I want it to sound?”
Because she was smart. He let go of her when she stepped back. “I told you yesterday that I only have six months to find Atalanta.”
“I remember.”
“I’m running out of time. If I don’t go now I could find myself in trouble.”
Understanding dawned immediately in her eyes. “I’ll go pack.” She took a step around him. “How long should I—?”
He snagged her arm, turned her back to him, awed by the fact she didn’t even hesitate. “No.”
“What?”
He reached for her other hand, laced his fingers with hers. Tried like hell to find the right words and knew he never could, so he just said what he’d already decided. “I don’t want you to come with me.”
Confusion crossed her face. “Why not? I thought you needed me? I thought last night we decided—”
He tightened his grip on her hands. “I do need you. More than you will ever know. Which is why you have to stay here.”
“Gryphon—”
“Just listen to me. I used you. At first it was to get out of the colony. And then when I realized how you calmed me, I used you so I could think clearly. I was even willing to use you in spite of what might happen to you along the way, but not anymore. All that time at the colony, after Orpheus brought me back, when he’d lost Skyla…I didn’t understand what he was going through, how he could hurt so bad after just finding her. But now I do. I can’t lose you like that, Maelea. I won’t put you at risk.”
“But you need me if you’re—”
“I need you alive. I need to know you’re safe. If Atalanta has any idea what you mean to me, she’ll use you against me. She’ll hurt you, and I can’t—won’t—let that happen.”
Worry filled her eyes. “But—”
“This is not about you not being strong, sotiria. You’re the strongest woman I know. The bravest too, to face down not only me, but daemons and hellhounds and, skata, my brother.” He tried to smile, knew from her worried expression it didn’t help. “This is about knowing that when I’m finally free, I have you to come back to.”
“But how will you be able to focus without me there to block the darkness?”
“Look in my eyes, Maelea. They’re clear. For the first time in months. I’m not going to lose that when I’m gone. Not if I know I’ve got you to come back to. If I’m going to find Atalanta, I have to let the darkness pull me toward her.” He brushed his thumb across her smooth cheek. “But I’m not afraid of it anymore. I know I can fight it now. Thanks to you.”
She stared at his T-shirt, her expression so filled with worry and dread, he let go of her hand, threaded his fingers in her hair, stepped close, and tipped her face up to his. “I’m coming back. I promise you that. This is real. This is everything to me. Now that I know what I have to live for, I’m not about to lose it.”
Her eyes slid closed. And when he brushed his lips over hers, she gripped his elbows and kissed him back, telling him with her mouth what he already knew in his heart.
She was his. For better or worse, for however long they had together. She was his alone.
He wrapped his arms around her, held her tight. Her hands slid up his back. Her fingers gripped his shoulder blades as she turned her head against his chest and he rested his cheek on her hair.
“Will you wait for me?” he asked.
“That depends,” she said with a hitch to her voice. “How long do you plan to be gone?”
He smiled and hugged her closer because he recognized the teasing in her words. And the heartache. “As short as possible.”
She pushed back again. “How will you get to her? She has daemons all around her. What will you—?”
He placed his fingers over her lips. “Don’t think about it. I don’t want you to worry.”
“But—”
“I know how she thinks. I spent three months with her. I’ll find a way.”
Her gaze raked his face. He couldn’t tell what she was thinking. Only feeling. She hated this. She was scared. She didn’t want him to go.
“I’m coming back, Maelea. I promise. My heart beats because of you. It will always find its way back to you.”
Her eyes filled with tears. She pulled him close again, held on tight. So tight, he felt her everywhere. And as the waves washed against their feet, he knew no matter what happened, this was the best moment of his life. He was loved. Not because of his title. Not because of what he could do. Even in spite of everything he’d done in the Underworld. He was loved simply for who he was.
“Come inside and help me gather my things?”
She eased out of his arms when he let go, swiped at her cheeks. “You go ahead. I need a minute.”
She was hurting. He knew he’d sprung this on her without warning. He could give her a few minutes. He kissed her cheek, knowing he was going to remember that jasmine scent of hers wherever he went. That just the memory would give him strength. “Don’t be long.”
The weight of what lay ahead hung heavy on his shoulders, but for the first time in months—ever, really—his heart felt light. Alive. As if it had wings. It felt…right.
The screen slapped behind him when he stepped into the house. He wiped the sand from his feet on the rug, then crossed to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. As he headed up the stairs, he tried to remember where he’d put the sword he’d picked up in that cave. He’d have to get new weapons, knew Maelea would have money for him to buy more. Calculated—
His feet stilled halfway up the steps when he realized the therillium hadn’t been glowing orange under the heat lamp the way it had the whole time they’d been here.
He headed back into the kitchen, set his cup on the counter, wound around the island to look at the ore. The heat lamp was still on, but the ore definitely wasn’t glowing. It was nothing but a hard, solid, greenish-black glob. It wasn’t even glowing green, as it had been in the water of that underground river.
Tendrils of unease rushed over his spine, and his pulse picked up speed. Carefully, he touched it. The rock was cold and hard, and not an inkling of energy or power radiated from its surface.
A growl echoed from outside.
His head darted up. And his heart lurched into his throat just before Maelea screamed.
Chapter Nineteen
Gryphon grabbed a butcher knife from the block on the counter and tore the screen door open.
Maelea was climbing up on an outcropping of rock to the left of the bay in an attempt to escape. Across the sand, five snarling hellhounds were advancing on her.
Gryphon screamed to get their attention. Waved his arms above his head, tore off the deck, and raced toward the water to put himself between them and Maelea.
They had to have been waiting for the therillium to lose its power. He was so stupid. Stupid to think she would be safe here alone. That Hades wouldn’t continue to track her. That no one had noticed he’d taken that therillium in the first place.
He charged the closest beast, already at the rocks, ready to lurch toward Maelea with snapping jaws. Sand and water flicked up from Gryphon’s feet. He hurled himself at the beast. They rolled across the sand, a tumble of arms and legs and teeth. Gryphon scrambled to his feet before the beast could pin him down and arced out with the knife in his hand. He caught the beast across the foreleg. It howled and dropped back. Then snapped its massive jaws and charged.