Chapter 33 #2
He tipped her head, kissing her deeper, needing to taste that sweet scent of vanilla and wanting to wrap himself in it.
She nibbled his lip, a groan rumbling in his chest. She tossed her head back and guided him to the slender curve of her neck.
He should’ve been attempting to sober her, not tracing his lips over her skin, but he couldn’t help it.
He didn’t want to help it. He wanted to take her thrumming pulse between his teeth.
He trailed along her jaw, brushing her ear with the tip of his nose, releasing a warm breath. She wrapped her legs around his torso, pinning him against the counter. His cock throbbed for her, but he sucked and kissed along her neck, savoring the small moans escaping her.
He paused, his chest panting. “Amaris,” he breathed, “why…what…?” His mind was jumbled with every thought, but he couldn’t string together a simple sentence with her hands wrapped in his hair.
“I wanted to know what it was like.”
“And?” he gasped through a shaky breath.
“I don’t want to leave.”
His heart stuttered. “Then don’t.”
He didn’t want her to go. He wanted to fix the mess his father had created. He wanted to take her to his other favorite shops within the city to see her smile and experience joy. A spark had formed in her eyes then, and he wanted to see it every chance he could.
He planted his lips on hers. Stars danced behind his eyelids at the soft touch of her kiss. He pulled her deeper, dragging her along the counter until her body was flush with his. He grasped her waist and pressed her against his hard length, letting her know how much he wanted her to stay.
He forced himself not to rush but to explore every beautiful aspect of her, because she deserved to be caressed with a gentle hand, to be shown mercy.
His tongue brushed across her lips, and hers met his in their exploration.
His hand slipped through her curls, pulling her hair from its pins and removing her mask.
Her nails dug into his back. A shiver rippled down his spine.
Gods, she was beautiful, and he wanted more.
He shouldn’t have wanted to pull her closer.
He should’ve given her time, but he couldn’t stop himself.
“But…” she panted, “what about…your father?”
He gripped her waist, his teeth nibbling on her bottom lip. “We’ll figure it out,” he groaned. He knew it was more complex than that, but he couldn’t find it in him to care in the moment, with Amaris wrapped around him.
His lip tingled, going numb as he drew back from their kiss. A kiss that tasted so right but was completely wrong. He took a step back, staring at her flushed cheeks before leaning back in and sniffing her breath. “Amaris, what did you drink?”
“A little wine.” She grinned, pulling her hand to her lips. “I promise I only had one. Not even a sip of kusu.” She flashed him a cheesy grin as she leaned in to kiss him again.
He gripped her shoulders. “I need you to think. What did you drink? Did you take something from someone?”
Her brows knit together. She relinquished the hold her legs had around him. No, he didn’t want her to let go. He didn’t want it to stop, but the sensation spreading across his lips had his heart stalling.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, leaning forward. She lost her balance, falling into his chest.
He pulled her face into his hands, dragging the back of it along her cheeks. “You’re burning up. Are you sure you only had one?”
“Positive,” she whispered, her hands bracing against his chest as her voice became airy.
“We’re going to the tower,” he said earnestly, attempting to pull her to his chest.
“No,” she yelled, pushing off him and jumping from the counter. She teetered, but his hand around her waist caught her. “We’re not ruining this moment. I’m fine.” She strained against his grip, but he held her tight.
“You aren’t fine.”
She buried her face in her hands. “Why are you doing this?” she cried. “I…thought you…” Her chin quivered. “What am I doing?”
“I don’t understand,” he began. “But—”
“I know. How could you possibly even begin to understand? Because I sure as hell don’t.”
Her fight to keep from crying turned to a small chuckle. It grew and she began hysterically laughing and wheezing as she slipped from his arms and sank to the floor. “Wow, even the sky is more beautiful here,” she said, continuing to laugh.
His heart skipped a beat. Hallucinations.
“Amaris, we’re going, now.” Worried, he kneeled beside her.
“No, I think I’m going to lie here for a minute actually,” she sang, placing her hands behind her head and smiling up at the ceiling.
“Amaris, we need to find Pricilla.”
“What for?” she scoffed. “I’m perfectly content here.”
He didn’t care if she was upset with him later. They were leaving now. They didn’t have time. He dragged her to her feet, restraining her arms as she fought his hold.
“Shit!” she yelled, her face turning an ashen gray.
She turned her head and threw up. His heart held a moment of relief that maybe she’d thrown it up. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and looked down to see the contents of her stomach all over her dress. Theo hefted her into his arms, her head bobbing against his chest.
“How do you feel about me?” she asked, her fingers playing with a frayed spot in his waistcoat.
He hesitated in his steps toward the library.
How do I feel about her? Weeks ago, he’d been ready to incriminate her as a murderer or let her slip down those death traps for stairs leading from the tower, but now he didn’t know.
He didn’t want her to leave, and he’d wanted to kiss her. Gods, I still do.
He turned his focus from his thoughts. Pricilla’s help was the only thing that mattered right now. He could sort out his feelings later.
“I… Amaris, you’re—”
“Staying,” she giggled against him.
He closed his eyes, hearing it again. She wanted to stay. He slipped through a servants’ passage to avoid the crowds of the party.
“You said that already,” he breathed, needing to keep her talking. If she was still able to speak, then the poison hadn’t taken hold yet.
“Yes, but…” she muttered. They passed the wall lining the throne room, and the muffled tune of the fiddle and drums grew louder. “Theo, I…”
He stopped in his tracks, not because the sound of his nickname on her lips sent his heart stumbling over itself, but her words came out as a gasp. Her fingers fell from his waistcoat, and she took an agonizing breath.
“Amaris?”
He shook her in his arms, but she didn’t respond. His chest constricted and his breaths grew shallow. She took a forced breath, gulping a bit of air. Paralysis. He couldn’t stop all the thoughts swarming in his head. She tried to breathe and let out another gasp, then her chest ceased moving. No.
She wasn’t breathing. He nearly dropped her in his panic. He sank to his knees and drew her closer, feeling for a bit of breath on her lips.
“Amaris?” he choked.
She didn’t answer as she stared lifelessly at him with her eyes glassed over and her chest still. He dropped his head to her chest, feeling the slow beat of her heart. He dragged his hand through his hair, his breaths growing erratic.
What would she do? Amaris was the mystique, not him. She was the one who healed and always found a way. She’d brought him back from death and cured Esaias of a deadly disease. What do I do?
Rescue breathing, that was what she’d called it. Her beautiful voice repeated in his head. When one is giving rescue breaths, you pinch their nose and put your mouth around theirs, and you breathe a breath into them.
He lifted her head and forced a breath through her lips.
He further tasted the herix, the poisonous nut Cornelius had been foolish to keep in the tower.
Pulling her to his chest, he lifted her off the ground.
She’d survived the woods, Bennet’s anger, and his father’s cruelty. Theo wouldn’t let the herix take her.
He sprinted through the passageway, only stopping every few seconds to give her another breath. He came out into the hallway lined with the portraits, and he kicked the library doors open.
“Amaris?” Pricilla’s voice echoed ahead of him as he raced toward her. Alan was perched on a desk beside her.
“Pricilla, come with me upstairs,” he demanded, breathing against Amaris’s lips.
He carried her up the stairs and laid her on the cot. He gave her another breath as his own were becoming more frantic. He sank to his knees at her side, grabbing her face between his hands, but her eyes remained glassed over.
“Amaris, can you hear me?” His voice was ragged.
“What happened?” Pricilla’s voice came from across the room.
“I think she was poisoned. Alan, show me that jar of herix.” There was a loud shuffling of glass, but then Alan produced the jar of deadly nuts.
“Several handfuls are missing, Pricilla. Someone must have laced her drink.” Theo tugged at his tight collar, his heart squeezing in his chest. He panted between the next breath.
“Those are strong accusations,” Alan said. “Who do you think did it?”
“I don’t know. I tasted it on her lips, and it made my bottom lip grow numb. Someone, make an antidote or a tonic!” Theo ordered.
Alan started a fire, and Pricilla grabbed whatever herbs she needed. His fingers combed through Amaris’s hair, holding her face as he slid his lips over hers and continued to breathe for her.
He needed them to hurry. He was at his wits’ end, and he couldn’t stop his chest as it beat rapidly and squeezed around his lungs. He gave her another breath.
“Take this. Hold the smoke in your cheeks and blow it into her lungs. Then cover her mouth so it doesn’t escape,” Pricilla said, her own breaths were rapid, with tears sliding down her cheeks.
Her hands trembled as she held the pipe to Theo’s lips, and he inhaled the burning essence into his hollowed cheeks. He pinched Amaris’s nose and quickly encircled her lips, forcing the smoke into her lungs. His hand covered her mouth, and he fought back tears.
She had said an adult needed a breath every five seconds. These were the longest five seconds of his life.