one that’s been leaving me the scrolls.”
A storm of anxious need churned his emerald eyes a deep sea green. “I had tah help ya any way I could. It killed me tah think somethin’ might happen to ya. Time moves differently there. It’s easier tah bend and manipulate. I was able tah hop around and play a small part in guidin’ ya. All it took was an enchanted charm stuffed un’er ya’r mattress tah allow ya tah read the Gaelic print.” A hint of a smile returned to his delectable lips. “It’s amazin’ what ya can find in the Spirit Plane when ya poke ya’r nose where it doesn’t belong.”
My mouth hung open as I tried to recall the first scroll I’d received. “It was … before we even met. Right after I was called. You’ve … you’ve been with me the whole time?”
Hair fell across his forehead as he cast his gaze to the floor and nodded.
A flood of tears filled my eyes and streaked down my cheeks as my trembling hand covered my mouth. “Caleb … you pushed me to let you go .”
His knuckle whispered over my cheek as he brushed away a tear. “I had tah let ya know I understood why you were doin’ it. When I said I’d love ya fore’er, Celeste, I meant it. Even if it doesn’t look like I thought it would right now.”
Words, with their strict rules and paltry definitions, couldn’t begin to articulate what I was feeling. Instead , I cradled his beautiful face in my hands and allowed myself a taste of the salty-sweet heaven of his lips. Something deep within me whimpered at the blissful agony of his long awaited touch.
His hand slid over my waist, to the small of my back. With a gentle tug, he pulled my body to his. What started sweet and timid quickly built in passionate intensity. His other hand freed the tie from my hair and weaved into the fallen strands. I wanted to dive in and lose myself in this moment more than I’d ever wanted anything. Unfortunately, with a pained groan, Caleb pulled back.
“ Ya have no idea how much I want this …” His forehead pressed to mine as he fought to steady his breathing.
“Oh, I think I do ,” I murmured, hooking the tips of my fingers around the back of his neck to pull him to me.
He dotted a quick kiss to my lower lip then forced distance between us by scooting to the foot of the bed. “Ya don’t un’erstand, lovey. We don’t have much time. Tha’s what I came tah tell ya. Af’er I dropped that scroll on ya’r pillow …”
“ And turned that song on to haunt me with your memory.” I raised my eyebrows, daring him to deny it.
“As if I would do something so contrite.” His argument may have held more weight if he had managed to keep his guilty smirk at bay. “Point is, I didn’t intend tah take the risk of comin’ back so quick. But, when I returned tah the Spirit Plane there was a mess a trouble goin’ down.”
My heart lurched in a panicked stutter beat. “What kind of trouble?”
Caleb’s gaze fixated on my hand resting on the mattress. He instinctively reached for it, as if the distance between us tormented him. “I think The Council took ya’r sis and mine into custody.”
My pulse pounded in my temples, drowning out coherent thought with its incessant thump. “And the Council Master? Where did he stand in all this?”
Ebony brows drew sharply together. “The Council Master? He seemed tah be the only bloke tryin’ tah prevent it.”
Before I could process that information or react in any way, a brilliant flash brightened my room to high noon on a cloudless day. It faded to reveal the Grand Councilwoman and two of her flunkies.
“ Clever boy, using old magicks to sneak off,” the Councilwoman snapped in place of a greeting. “Rest assured that won’t happen again. Seize him!”
The guards wasted no time obeying their barked orders. Using more force than necessary, they snatched Caleb off the bed, slammed him against the wall, and shackled his hands behind his back.
“Let him go! He’s done
A storm of anxious need churned his emerald eyes a deep sea green. “I had tah help ya any way I could. It killed me tah think somethin’ might happen to ya. Time moves differently there. It’s easier tah bend and manipulate. I was able tah hop around and play a small part in guidin’ ya. All it took was an enchanted charm stuffed un’er ya’r mattress tah allow ya tah read the Gaelic print.” A hint of a smile returned to his delectable lips. “It’s amazin’ what ya can find in the Spirit Plane when ya poke ya’r nose where it doesn’t belong.”
My mouth hung open as I tried to recall the first scroll I’d received. “It was … before we even met. Right after I was called. You’ve … you’ve been with me the whole time?”
Hair fell across his forehead as he cast his gaze to the floor and nodded.
A flood of tears filled my eyes and streaked down my cheeks as my trembling hand covered my mouth. “Caleb … you pushed me to let you go .”
His knuckle whispered over my cheek as he brushed away a tear. “I had tah let ya know I understood why you were doin’ it. When I said I’d love ya fore’er, Celeste, I meant it. Even if it doesn’t look like I thought it would right now.”
Words, with their strict rules and paltry definitions, couldn’t begin to articulate what I was feeling. Instead , I cradled his beautiful face in my hands and allowed myself a taste of the salty-sweet heaven of his lips. Something deep within me whimpered at the blissful agony of his long awaited touch.
His hand slid over my waist, to the small of my back. With a gentle tug, he pulled my body to his. What started sweet and timid quickly built in passionate intensity. His other hand freed the tie from my hair and weaved into the fallen strands. I wanted to dive in and lose myself in this moment more than I’d ever wanted anything. Unfortunately, with a pained groan, Caleb pulled back.
“ Ya have no idea how much I want this …” His forehead pressed to mine as he fought to steady his breathing.
“Oh, I think I do ,” I murmured, hooking the tips of my fingers around the back of his neck to pull him to me.
He dotted a quick kiss to my lower lip then forced distance between us by scooting to the foot of the bed. “Ya don’t un’erstand, lovey. We don’t have much time. Tha’s what I came tah tell ya. Af’er I dropped that scroll on ya’r pillow …”
“ And turned that song on to haunt me with your memory.” I raised my eyebrows, daring him to deny it.
“As if I would do something so contrite.” His argument may have held more weight if he had managed to keep his guilty smirk at bay. “Point is, I didn’t intend tah take the risk of comin’ back so quick. But, when I returned tah the Spirit Plane there was a mess a trouble goin’ down.”
My heart lurched in a panicked stutter beat. “What kind of trouble?”
Caleb’s gaze fixated on my hand resting on the mattress. He instinctively reached for it, as if the distance between us tormented him. “I think The Council took ya’r sis and mine into custody.”
My pulse pounded in my temples, drowning out coherent thought with its incessant thump. “And the Council Master? Where did he stand in all this?”
Ebony brows drew sharply together. “The Council Master? He seemed tah be the only bloke tryin’ tah prevent it.”
Before I could process that information or react in any way, a brilliant flash brightened my room to high noon on a cloudless day. It faded to reveal the Grand Councilwoman and two of her flunkies.
“ Clever boy, using old magicks to sneak off,” the Councilwoman snapped in place of a greeting. “Rest assured that won’t happen again. Seize him!”
The guards wasted no time obeying their barked orders. Using more force than necessary, they snatched Caleb off the bed, slammed him against the wall, and shackled his hands behind his back.
“Let him go! He’s done
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