The Perilous Sea (The Elemental Trilogy #2)

He sucked in a breath.

She opened her mouth to tell him that none of it was happening, that it had to be a hallucination on his part—and hers. But the warmth of his skin beneath her hand was no illusion. And curiously, that skin grew cooler as her hand traveled to the edge of his shoulder and down his arm.

All of a sudden he was on his knees, facing her. They stared at each other. His eyes were blue-gray, she noticed for the first time, the color of oceans of unfathomable depths.

She loved her abstract protector, but she knew only this boy, who gave her more water than he gave himself. She traced a finger down his cheek. He caught her hand. She held her breath, not knowing whether he would push her hand away or press his lips into her palm.

A ground-shaking roar shattered the moment.





CHAPTER 18


England

“THAT MAKES SENSE.”

Whatever reaction Titus had expected from Fairfax, upon being told that Kashkari’s beloved was a mage who wanted her handed over, this was not it.

“What do you mean?”

She told him about her two separate conversations with Kashkari concerning his prophetic dreams, culminating with the dream about her, long before she had ever stepped into Mrs. Dawlish’s house. “It’s fairly safe to assume that Kashkari is from a mage family, probably one in Exile.”

“You should have told me much sooner. Anything that affects you I must know right away.”

Everything had changed, yet nothing had changed. He still lay awake at night, worrying about her safety. And when he woke up each morning, she was still the one he thought of first and foremost.

She tapped her fingers on the top of a chair—the one in which she used to sit, when they trained in the Crucible together in the Summer Half. “Kashkari has not betrayed me, so for now we can assume he means neither of us harm. What we need to know is why, after keeping his own identity a secret for so long, he now chooses to reveal himself to us.”

The inside of Titus’s skull throbbed. He could not believe that he had lived in the same house as Kashkari for so long without ever guessing the truth. What else had he missed? “I need to consult my mother’s diary first.”

That was the wrong thing to say to her, but she gave no reaction other than turning down one corner of her lips.

“I would prefer to make my decision after I have gathered all the available intelligence. It would be criminal to ignore what she might have foreseen.” He hated that he felt compelled to defend how he chose to proceed.

She smiled slightly—or was it a grimace? “You must do as you see fit, of course.”

“I am not looking forward to it, you know. I am—”

She gripped him by the front of his shirt. “Don’t. You have made your choice. Now commit to it! If you are going to ask Wintervale to face the Bane, then he deserves at least that much from you.”

Her voice, halfway between anger and anguish. Her eyes, dark and ferocious. Her lips, full and red, parted with her agitated breaths.

He should not, but he cupped her face and kissed her. Because they were past the point when words were any use. Because he was once again afraid to die. Because he loved her as much as he loved life itself.

A loud knock had them hurriedly pulling apart.

“Are you there, prince?” Kashkari called. “Wintervale is awake and he wants to see you.”



Wintervale was sitting up in bed, a big smile on his face.

“Titus, good to see you. You too, Fairfax. How did the cricket practices go? Did they miss me?”

“Desperately,” said Fairfax, smiling convincingly. “Boys threw themselves down, howling and beating the earth, when your absence was made clear.”

Wintervale placed a hand over his chest. “Now that warms the cockles of my heart.”

Flinging aside his blanket, he set his feet on the floor. Both Titus and Fairfax sprang forward to help him. But Wintervale raised one palm to indicate that he wanted to stand up himself.

Fairfax, strong as she was, barely caught him when he tipped over. “God almighty, Wintervale. There must be full-grown steer in Wyoming less heavy than you are.”

Surprise was written all over Wintervale’s face. “What is this? I felt perfectly fine just now.”

“You have been bedridden two entire days,” said Titus. “Hardly surprising that your legs are wobbly.”

“Guess one of you will have to help me to the lavatory then.”

“That is a task for a real man,” said Titus. “I am afraid you will have to step aside, Fairfax.”

“I knew it. You are still bitter from the time we compared our bollocks.”

Wintervale tittered as he shuffled out, his arm over Titus’s shoulders.

He was warmly greeted up and down the corridor. On the way back, they stopped several times to talk to boys who wanted to know how he was getting along.