Page 67 of Harnessed in Gold

“Then we take it and run, without ever having to face them.” His hands squeeze mine. “You don’t need to worry about daggers and guns.”

“Butyoudo.”

When a tear drops from my lashes onto the back of his hand, he pleads, “Let me calm you.”

“No.” I bite my lip and inhale, locking in all the fear and turmoil. “I’m okay.”

“I’m so sorry, Betts. I should never have dragged you into this. If you want out, it’s okay?—”

“What? No!” I snatch my hands away. “You’re notmakingme do anything. I chose to help.”

His voice is a hush, “I know.”

“I can handle it.”

“I know you can.” He circles me with his arms. “I meant what I said; I think you’re incredible.”

He means it; I can feel it. Desire and admiration, guilt and regret.The same conflicting emotions I harnessed from him in my dorm room a mere month ago. The same anguish and confusion.

But now I know why.

I reach up to brush the hair off his forehead as I study the gold in his deep-set eyes. When his breath hitches, my gaze drops from his eyes to his mouth.

No,not there!

“Leo,” growls a voice, low and harsh with warning.

Our heads snap to the doorway to find Rime, an empty glass in one hand and the Tostitos bag dangling from the other. He narrows his blue eyes and clenches his jaw.

Heart hammering and heat creeping up my neck, I back away from Leo who stands rooted to the floor, glaring right back at his so-called friend. Rebelliousness waves off him, vibrating through me like a battle cry, while staticky frustration and white-hot indignation ripple off Rime.

He pushes past us, slams the chip bag onto the counter, and clunks his glass into the sink. Then he storms out, pointing a threatening finger at Leo before disappearing from view.

“It’s time for Betts to go home,” he orders from the living room. “We’ve got shit to do.”

Stung, I turn to Leo.

He drags a hand through his hair. “You don’t have to go.”

“No,” I say, shaking my head. I feel unwanted. In the way. “It’s okay. I’ve got homework to do.”

I cut around him and into the living room where Rime lounges casually on the couch, smiling like he didn’t just ambush us and turn a bag of Tostitos into cornmeal.

“Tomorrow after your class?” he asks me.

I swipe my keys off the coffee table and follow Leo to the door. “Uh, yeah. Just let me know.”

I stare out the passenger window of Leo’s car, guilt and defiance tearing my heart in two. “So that’s why he’s been so sweet to me. To keep me away from you.”

I don’t know why it’s taken me this long to figure it out. The morning Rime met me, he made his concerns clear: Leo was wasting precious time dallying with me, going on hikes and snuggling in the library when he should’ve been searching for the weapon. He was getting too close to a Subworlder. Too emotionally involved.It’s an issue of loyalty,he said.Nàdar or her?

Leo answers me with a sigh, betraying his aggravation, “He wants you to help us, but he doesn’t want you within fifty feet of me.”

“Because I’m a complication.”

“Yeah, although I’m pretty sure he genuinely likes you.”

That makes it hurt less. But only a little.