Page 40 of Fallen Court

Cate twisted the knob to the restroom, shaking it when it didn’t open. Her fist flew toward it, and adrenaline jolted through me. If she caught the attention of the guards… I shot forward and seized her hand in midair, catching her off guard. She staggered only a step and then lunged. Her other palm collided with my chest, shoving me against the wall as she tried to flee.

But she froze, her eyes widening. I grabbed her other hand. Relief washed through my skin at her touch. But she only stared, nearly toppling over. My arm hooked her waist and dragged her to me.

“Come here often?” My lips brushed the shell of her ear, and she jolted out of her daze as the guards appeared at the mouth of the hallway.

“What are—”

I smashed my lips to hers, spinning her to press her back to the wall. The kiss was desperate and stupid, and we were probably about to get killed, but it was the only way I wanted to die: with her taste on my lips.

Chapter Eleven

Cate

The kiss ended too soon. I clutched Lach like he was an anchor. Solid. Steady. Real.

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him.

Here.

Alive.

And even though I could feel him—touch him—I found myself memorizing every feature like this might be a cruel joke and he would be ripped away from me again. The thick fringe of lashes over his eyes. How those eyes crinkled when he smiled. The joyous hooked curve of that grin.

Oh god, the joy.

A warm buoyancy lifted me onto tiptoes and closer to him, but he turned away, looking down the hallway.

“They didn’t see us.”

I blinked, my brain scrambling to catch up. “Who?”

“Oberon’s guys.”

Fear gripped me at those two words, extinguishing the illusion of safety I felt in his presence. If Oberon didn’t find us, the Hunt would. Dublin was a fae court. We might have stood a chance somewhere else.

“I didn’t want them to see us leave,” he continued like we weren’t in mortal peril. “I’d rather Oberon didn’t find out I was in his city. They’ll sense us nipping. We need to get away from them.”

But for the first time in days, it wasn’t Oberon I was worried about.

“We can’t be here.” I gripped his forearms, prepared to haul him out of fae territory by force. “If the Hunt catches you—”

“They won’t.” He cupped the sides of my face, his thumbs stroking lines over my skin.

I relaxed a little, but my hold on him didn’t loosen. “But we’re trapped.”

“But we’re together.”

Together.

There was enough magic in that single word that I forgot about the strange city outside, forgot about Oberon’s men and the Wild Hunt, forgot about being trapped.

Lach drew a ragged breath, his chest heaving slightly as his gaze searched mine. I’d imagined this moment a thousand times since I woke up in the Hallow Court, but I’d forgotten how green his eyes were—the color as rare and precious as emeralds. He was really here, standing before me.

“You’re alive,” I whispered.

He stole a quick kiss. “Let’s keep it that way.” He swept a quick glance over me and frowned. “You’re going to freeze out there.”

I stared as he shucked his jacket off and wrapped it around my shoulders, its warmth shaking me out of my stupor as I stared at the holster under his arm. He rolled his eyes and slipped it off, tucked a semiautomatic behind his back, then dropped the holster on the ground.