I sigh softly, exhaling until my lungs are screaming for more air. If this were a story, the answer would be much simpler. Like a kiss for a frog to turn him into a prince. I lift my head and stare at him. Altair is handsome in the same way nightshade is beautiful. Tempting, but dangerous. I know he could take me anytime he wanted, force himself on me. But he hasn’t yet. Except for the kiss last night, which hardly counts because I wanted it. I wanted it badly.
I press my lips together, thinking. Clearly, I’m out of my depth. I’m a librarian, not a curse-breaker. My best course of action would be to do more research. It was foolish of me to throw myself into a spell that I knew next to nothing about. I’m lucky nothing terrible happened.
I unravel myself and stand over him. I’ll return to the library then, perhaps I’ll find the old Fae woman and she can help me. Altair stirs in his sleep and takes a deep breath before settling. My eyes linger on his lips. It couldn’t hurt to try the old-fashioned way to break curses. I’m out of ideas right now, anyway.
My heart is in my throat as I lean over him. I breathe him in; he smells like pine and fresh rain. Slowly, I lower my lips to his. Heat flushes through me as our lips meet. I hold my lips against his, they’re soft and full. I curl my fingers into the mattress so I don’t run them over his chest. If he would only wake up, I know I would let him take things further than a simple kiss.
My eyes snap open as the thought crosses my mind and I jump away. He hasn’t moved and his breathing hasn’t changed. Blushing, I run from his room and close the door softly behind me. I can’t let myself get wrapped up in a simple kiss like that. It was to break the curse.
But my body responded to him in a way that it’s never responded to Henry. I felt like a wave crashing to Altair’s shore. Just like last night. I shake my head, wandering the halls to clear my mind. I’m here to break the curse, and nothing more. I have work to do.
Chapter 11
Altair
I open my eyes as the door clicks softly closed and Verity’s footsteps echo down the halls. My heart is pounding wildly in my chest, blood roaring in my ears. I can still feel the soft press of her lips to mine, like a phantom kiss. It tingles.
I lift my fingers to my lips and touch them, wondering if it was real or just a dream. But I was completely awake, resting, when she entered. It made my heart soar when she sat beside my bed and didn’t disturb me; as if she simply wanted to be in my presence. To be close to me the way I have started to crave being close to her.
And then the kiss. I felt her hovering over me, smelled the anxiety on her skin. And the desire. I run my tongue over my lips, tasting her. Groaning, I drag a hand over my jaw. I thought that Verity despised me, but now I wonder if it’s all a show. A way for her to fight against her own desires.
A well of hope and happiness bubbles in my chest. If she could be falling for me little by little, the curse could be broken after all. The door opens and I glance towards it nervously, but it’s only Navi. She closes the door behind her and stands by my bedside, looking grim.
“What is it, Navi?” I ask, struggling to sit up.
“Don’t, just rest,” she says. She places her hands on my shoulders and gently pushes me back down on the bed.
“It feels strange talking to you when I’m lying down like this,” I say.
She stares at the chair by my bedside. “But not when the mortal does.”
I cock a brow. “She isn’t my Captain of the Guard.”
“Ah.” She smiles stiffly. “When the mortal left, she seemed troubled, I wondered if anything happened between the two of you.”
“Verity,” I say.
“What?” She meets my eyes, looking startled.
“Her name is Verity,” I say. “And no, I’m alright.”
Navi purses her lips but quickly schools her face. I don’t miss the flash of irritation in her eyes. “Good.”
“I plan to hold a ball,” I announce, a smile stretching across my face.
She looks up sharply. “Altair, I don’t think that’s wise. The mort- Verity was just abducted. Maaz knows she’s here. We’ll be vulnerable.”
“In a week. We will have the ball in a week,” I say. “The first in almost a thousand years.”
“Altair,” Navi murmurs. “A celebration like that would simply risk too much.”
“Navi, everything will be fine.” I pat her hand. “You more than anyone else know how close to failure we’ve come. But with Verity here, I think we’re making progress. You’ve stood by me through it all, don’t give up when we’re so close.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” she whispers, slowly dragging her hand out from beneath mine.
I narrow my eyes in confusion. Navi hasn’t used titles with me for almost two hundred years. “Is it something else?”
“Would you like anything to eat? I can have the servants fetch some light food for you,” she says, ignoring my question.
I don’t press her further. If Navi wants to confide in me, she will. I’ve learned to be
