The petite girl smiled broadly. “Oh, ye of little faith . . .”
Lily rolled her eyes. Maybe the fae were the monsters, and maybe in the end she’d still be unable to be with Creed. After the bargain she’d made with her grandparents, she had less control over her future than she’d ever thought possible, but unless Endellion and Leith ordered her to stop seeing Creed and move to the Hidden Lands, she was going to spend as much time as she had with him.
Without another word to Erik or Violet, Lily yanked the door open and ran out into the hallway to catch Creed before he was too far out of reach.
When she found him headed toward the exit of the building, she yelled, “Creed Morrison! Stop. Right. There.” It was the first time she’d used her affinity for air so forcefully. Her words grabbed his body and held like an anchor. He could shake it off if he wanted, but he didn’t.
Zephyr and Alkamy, who were trying to talk to him, both looked at her with curious looks, but Lily’s attention was on Creed. He folded his uninjured arm over his chest and stared at her. He didn’t move to shove away the air that gripped his arms.
“Why?”
Ignoring the stares they were all getting now, Lily walked across the stone floor almost fast enough to be called a run. The stones sang out to her, heir, little queen, danger, but she didn’t have time to hear any of it. Her sole priority was the beautiful boy who was obviously trying to hide the hope and worry in his eyes.
“You’re an idiot,” she breathed.
“You made a vow to me,” he said.
“And I kept it.” She poked him in the chest. “Which you would’ve known if you hadn’t stormed out. I’m not going anywhere. My heart is already taken.”
Creed caught her hand and kissed it. “Truly?”
Lily shrugged. “I have a thing for moody, impulsive singers.”
“So you’re not leaving?”
She put both hands on his chest. “Is that enough for right now? Are you willing to settle? To put up with Daidí and my grandparents?”
He said nothing, just pulled her closer and kissed her until Lily thought that the only reason they hadn’t run out of breath was that they were both air affinities. If not for the sudden applause that she could hear, Lily wasn’t sure she’d have ever been able to stop kissing Creed.
When he pulled back and smiled at her, he slung an arm around her shoulders and said, “So, I know a place we can sunbathe in private.”
Alkamy giggled, and Zephyr muttered, “Just walk, you two. This is far more of an audience than Lily needs.”
Creed rolled his eyes. “Garden?”
“Umm, I need to check on Erik first. I left him with Vi.” Lily shot a guilty look over her shoulder. “Erik was my friend before he tried to be anything else. I owe him more of an explanation, and I obviously need to talk to Daidí, and I still need to figure out where I factor in the queen’s decision to call a cease-fire in the war and—”
“We need to do that, Lily,” Zephyr said. “We’re still a team.”
“One thing at a time.” Alkamy reached out and squeezed Lily’s hand. “Smile pretty, princess. Everyone’s staring at you since that kiss. It’ll be in the papers despite the no-photos-at-Columba’s rule.”
“Black Diamonds Commandment #1,” Creed whispered. “We’re in this together.”
With the practiced calm that all four of them had mastered by now, the group headed back toward the dorms. They’d figure it out.
Together.
Acknowledgments
Some of the usual suspects need thanks:
Jeaniene Frost, Kelley Armstrong, and Jeanette Battista read and kept me sane(ish) while writing. I’d hide a body for all/any of you.
Neil provided shelter and space where the words are many and the peace is endless. Sending much love to you, as always.
Merrilee gave me the mad enthusiasm and faith that makes me think she might be a wee bit crazier than me. I’m grateful for having you in my corner.
Susan Katz, Kate Jackson, Jean McGinley, Alison Donalty, and Colleen O’Connell have been with me at Harper for eight (?!) novels before this one. Having a team like you has made all the difference over the years. Thank you.
Additional thanks must go to:
Laura Kalnajs read, reread, reread this book again—and scrawled margin notes every time . . . all while reminding me of the things I need to do, sign, or attend. You are a gift.
Diana Santillán double-checked my Spanish. (Who knew that a friendship from seventh grade would lead to such an odd request, umm, a few years later?) Thank you, Di.
Youval Kuipers walked me through various sword-fighting scenarios (and convinced me that I needed to have a sword in my hand in order to do so). You’ve been completely unexpected.
Kristen Pettit (my new YA editor) thought a three-word pitch (“faery sleeper cells”) was actually the start of a new book and patiently listened when I went on folklore digressions in conversations. Thank you for being hard-core in slashing my prose.
Extra gratitude needs to be sent to:
Cynthia Omololu, who listened and laughed when I was writing this. I love you (enough to constantly try foods you hold out, even eel because your son gave me puppy eyes, too!).
My son Dylan, who doesn’t hold my frequent travel or bad cooking skills against me.
My spouse, who has marginally better cooking skills and excellent toddler-wrangling skills.
My toddler, who thinks that my job is either “go avion” (plane) or “drink cat pee” (coffee) and is sure I need kisses to do so. (He’s right.) My readers and reviewers, who have been buying my books and/or borrowing them from the library for ten years now. Thank you for a decade of support. XO.