Even with the god of fire in Gabe’s head.
Gabe pulled away, his forehead tilted down against Bastian’s, his breathing ragged. “Every day,” he murmured into the humid space between their mouths. “Every day, I worried about you, you absolute bastard. Every day I prayed you could fight your way out.”
Ironic, considering what he’d done to himself, but Bastian didn’t say that. “Praying probably wasn’t the best move.” He reached up and tugged Gabe’s hair, making his chin tip so his lips brushed Bastian’s again. “I like the grown-out look on you, by the way.”
With a groan, Gabe batted away his hand, then grabbed it and caged it on his chest instead. “I never should have doubted that you could annoy your way out of being possessed by a corrupt god.”
“That’s the thing.” Bastian stepped back, just enough to look Gabe full in the face. “I didn’t get out on my own. Through annoyance or otherwise.”
Concern drew down Gabe’s brows, wrinkled the healed flesh over his empty eye socket. “So that means…”
“That means Apollius decided to vacate the premises,” Bastianfinished. “And I can’t imagine He went somewhere convenient for us.”
“The Mount,” Gabe breathed. His hand, still holding Bastian’s against his chest, squeezed hard.
“I’m leaving for the Isles as soon as Jax gets the ship.” Bastian curled his palm around Gabe’s jaw, gave his cheekbone one swipe with his thumb, and let his hands fall away. “If I can find Lore, get the piece to the Fount—”
“We,” Gabe said. “If we can find Lore.”
“You aren’t coming, Remaut. Especially not now.”
“Like everyhell—”
“I won’t risk losing you both.” Bastian’s hands cupped Gabe’s face again, though now they were stern rather than tender, making the monk look at him. “Do you understand? I’ve gotten close once. I didn’t care for it.”
“You think you’re the only one who’s worried?” Gabe’s teeth flashed, and Bastian wanted to kiss him again, if only to make him shut up. “You’ve been possessed for at least half a year, Bastian. It’s all I’ve been able to think about. You trapped by Apollius, and Lore trapped on those damn islands.”
“So you allowed the same thing to happen to you?”
“I did what I had to.”
“That’s the trouble with you. Always thinking that the thing you have to do is the thing that hurts you most.”
“I won’t let—”
“Please.” Punctuated by a hand in his grown-out hair, another scrape of his thumb over the stubble on his jaw, a burning desperation in his gut. “I have a bad feeling about it, Gabriel. And you know that means something.” He paused. “I have had very few people to love. Don’t make me lose both of them.”
Gabe didn’t answer. But his teeth clenched tight, and after a moment, he sighed, leaned his forehead against Bastian’s again. His skin was warm, too warm.
“Ready.”
If Alie was surprised to see the two of them so close, she didn’t show it. In fact, she looked almost relieved that they were in a posture of romance instead of violence, for once. A leather bag was slung on her back, clearly meant for traveling.
Bastian rolled his eyes. “Not you, too.”
“No, Alienor.” This from Jax, slipping into the room. Staying near the wall, away from Bastian and Gabriel. “This will be far too dangerous.”
“For once,” Bastian sneered, “you and I are in agreement.”
Gabe didn’t voice the same, though his eye cut toward the Emperor with a hint of begrudging respect somewhere in all that hatred.
It had no effect on Alie, who glared at them all with equal frost. “I welcome any of you to try to stop me.”
None of them had the chance, because at that moment, the door opened again, emitting three more figures into this hellish charade of a rescue.
Malcolm. Alexis. And a woman whom Bastian didn’t immediately recognize, long pale hair and a slender frame, though her hazel eyes looked familiar…
For a moment, he forgot that Spiritum was no longer in his grasp, that he couldn’t reach out and grab her life and rip it out like a crooked seam. His fingers still twitched as he lunged toward Lore’s mother, and when no magic came to them, he prepared to settle for his nails.
