He took the crystal, knowing he would give it to her and then leave. There was no reason to inflict himself upon her along with it. To have her live as Valdjan had, caring for him, speaking for him. “Better off without me,” he muttered.

  Her face grew angry once more, and faster than a flash, her face was in his, anger flaming in her golden eyes. “No one is better without the one they love. You have the chance for true love, which some search many lifetimes for and never find. Go to her.” She seemed to grow larger, and he backed toward the entrance of the cave.

  “You came here thinking you had nothing, and I give you a chance for something more precious than life.” Her voice echoed off the walls, rising with every word. “You are not your body. You are not your mind. You are not even your broken heart.” Her voice had risen with conviction. “You are a spirit! Timeless! Eternal! Destined to make the same mistakes unless you learn!”

  Flames began to leap in her eyes, and he realized he was almost back out in the canyon. Without taking his eyes off her, he slid the crystal securely into his pocket and she began to back away into the darkness.

  “Wait,” Simban begged, finally remembering his mission. “Need help. Ardaks. Fighting a war.”

  “I give you the love of a thousand lifetimes and you want to fight a war? Go!” she snapped angrily, raising her hands, and Simban didn’t wait to see what she would do. He ran and jumped into the river. He sank, realizing it was deeper than it had seemed. He swam back toward the surface, but the river pulled him with it, and then he was falling, falling again with the water in a giant waterfall.

  He reached the riverbed and kicked for the surface, straining toward the light he could see above the water.

  His lungs burned with the effort, his muscles taking all of his available oxygen.

  When he got to the top he rolled to his back, floating, choking, sucking in as much air as his lungs would allow.

  “Simban!” His eyes followed the voice and found Valdjan standing on the shore with the others.

  How did I get here?

  He swam to the shore and crawled out, looking back for the waterfall. But there was nothing.

  “What happened?” Roihan asked. “Did you find the Crystal Cave?”

  Simban’s heart stopped for a moment, fumbling with the elven bag. But then his fingers found the crystal. It gleamed with a light brighter than anything he’d ever seen in the morning light. “For Irielle.”

  Valdjan inhaled sharply, and Roihan reached out to touch it.

  “Son of a bitch. It’s beautiful,” Ryoduin said loudly, and Simban shot him a glare.

  “Sorry,” he shrugged. “Valdjan was just teaching me how cyborgs curse.”

  “That was pretty good,” Valdjan said quietly, putting a hand on Ryoduin’s shoulder. Then he put the other hand on Simban’s. “Pretty good indeed.”

  Now he just had to get it to Irielle.

  Chapter Thirty

  Irielle

  Irielle parted the trees and strode into her hut, grateful she’d finally made it. She really wanted to get to the elven village, but the trip from Renwyn had been exhausting, and she’d decided to stop for the night.

  She’d been walking since before sunup, and it was currently well after midnight.

  There was an urgency in her to find him, and she hoped he would still be there. If her sister had really convinced him to leave he could be anywhere, even another planet again, on his next mission. And who knew if she would see him again?

  Aria had told her that Simban and the others weren’t returning for four days but had acknowledged that their plans could change.

  Irielle hadn’t wanted to wait that long. She had to find Simban, to explain her sister’s bad behavior, try to convince him that she didn’t feel the same way.

  That she loved him.

  But she knew how sensitive he was about his chip. How much pride he had. She hoped her sister hadn’t broken him.

  She lay on the floor, placing her head on her pack. Although she was devastated, part of her was also angry that he would so willingly believe her sister. He hadn’t even stayed to talk to her about it. That wasn’t much of a surprise, though. He was prideful and had a bad habit of not telling her what he was thinking or how he was feeling. And she was starting to get the idea that he used his broken chip to his advantage in that.

  If they were going to be together, he was going to have to change that. Be more open. Listen to her more.

  Thumping from outside her tree startled her.

  She parted the branches just enough to peek through and found a clear blue eye staring back at her.

  Simban.

  Her stomach jumped, and she parted the trees the rest of the way, walking straight into his chest. “I’m so happy to see you.” She hugged him as tightly as she could.

  For a moment, he just stood there, but then his arms slowly wrapped around her, holding her to him. “Missed you, too, small elf,” he said gruffly.

  At last, she was safe.

  The sudden, inexplicable urge to cry overwhelmed her. In all her years, Simban was the only one who had made her feel that way. Safe. Accepted. He had truly seen her for who she was, cared for her, and saved her from the Red Death.

  She’d been so worried that she’d never see him again. That she’d never get to explain that her sister was heartless, that her entire family was a bunch of elitists, and she didn’t care if she never saw them again.

  She stepped back, pulling him inside with her. His body barely fit, and he dwarfed her in the small space.

  He eyed her, seemingly uncomfortable. He didn’t seem as happy to see her as she was to see him.

  Could it be that he doesn’t want me?

  That thought made her awkward, and she didn’t know what to say. She’d been going over it in her mind, but now she wanted to skip the whole awkward conversation and simply hold him. But she knew she owed him an explanation. “I-I wanted to explain about my sister.”

  “No need,” he said firmly.

  “But there is. Whatever she told you, those were her feelings, not mine.”

  “Didn’t leave for sister.”

  That surprised her. “You didn’t?”

  “No. Left for you. All elves same. Don’t want you—” His jaw worked as he searched for words. “To be outcast. Like me.”

  That startled her. “But I was already an outcast. I was never good enough for my family.”

  He raised his hand, and his thumb brushed her cheek. “Not make worse.”

  The words cut straight into her heart, and then she realized why he’d been uncomfortable. He hadn’t come back to see her again. He’d come back to say goodbye.

  And he wasn’t going to let her change his mind.

  A pain that surpassed anything she felt while deep in the throes of the Red Death entered her chest. Her whole life she’d been told she wasn’t good enough. She couldn’t help the small voice in the back of her mind that said that if she were better, prettier, more magical, maybe he would stay. “Why are you really here?”

  He jerkily opened his bag, his movements uneven, and withdrew a crystal. “For you.”

  For a moment, excitement rose in her. “The Crystal Cave! You found it!”

  She reached for it and then stopped herself. What good was a crystal without Simban? She didn’t care how beautiful it was or how much power it might have. If he left, she would probably stay here in the mountains alone. “I cannot accept it. It should be in Renwyn with the others.” She turned away, examining the ground behind her.

  His hand gently touched her shoulder. “Please . . . take.” He sounded like he was going to cry, which was fine because he was breaking her heart.

  She didn’t know why he wanted to make them both miserable and alone, but she wasn’t going to make him feel better about it. “No. I only wanted one thing from you, and if I can’t have it, then I want nothing else.”

  He was silent for long moments. When his voice came, it was but a whisper. “What you want?”

  Her eyes scrunched and her lip quivered, but then she covered her face with her hands and turned away. Why was he making this so difficult? Did he really want her to beg? Because something within her wouldn’t allow it. She wasn’t going to beg for anyone again. Not even him. “Forget it, Simban. Just go.”

  “No.” He touched her shoulder again. “Irielle.” His voice was thick with emotion.

  Was his heart bursting with pain as hers was?

  “What . . . you . . . want?”

  “Your heart, you stubborn cyborg,” she said through her hands. “What else would I want?”

  And then the tears that had been threatening ran over. She didn’t know why he was still here, why he was putting her through this. Surely, he knew that she loved him.

  His arms came around her. “Irielle. Don’t cry. You have it.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Simban

  Simban put his arms around Irielle, crushing her to his chest. Her face was still covered with her hands, and she didn’t speak. All he could hear was sobbing.

  Then he tried to pull her hands away, to see her face. It was a mixture of anger, pain, and grief.

  My fault.

  He made her feel pain. That never should have happened. He’d been trying to spare her pain by leaving.

  She tried to pull away. “Why didn’t you talk to me? You didn’t love me enough to stay.”

  Strangely, at her pain, he felt his own eyes grow wet. His face pinched in emotion, and he couldn’t get the muscles around his mouth to work. “No,” he countered. “I lo—” He paused, his mouth working, “Love you. Too much. Irielle. Love you too much.”

  She sniffed quietly for long minutes, and he rocked her gently, savoring the feeling of having her in his arms again. He’d never thought to have her back, to hold her again. But he was starting to believe that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. He’d been such a fool.

  “I love you, too,” she murmured wetly, gripping his arms.

  He had never heard words so beautiful.

  He sat down on the bedding, placing her in his lap. She stared at him for a moment, and then she was cupping his face in her hands, placing soft kisses on his cheeks and jaw.

  This time when their lips met, he felt her magic tingle again. A powerful need rose within him—one he couldn’t remember feeling. Embarrassingly, his jaw began to tic. He broke off the kiss.

  “What is it?” she asked, wiping away her tears. “Don’t you like it?”

  “No.” He could feel his face actually began to turn red. Why would she want him? He couldn’t even kiss her properly. “Fuck. Broken.”

  “I’m broken, too,” she said softly. “Simban, I have to tell you something. I know they said that if we bond, half my magic will go to you, but my magic is extremely weak. If that’s what extends your life, I might not be able to do it.”

  He put a finger to her lips. “Don’t care about that,” he said. “Together all that matters.” He touched his forehead to hers.

  She gave a half sob. “And you are not broken. You make me complete.”

  The words pierced him straight into the center of his chest. That was exactly what he thought about her. She made him complete. “Together complete.”

  She snuggled more tightly to his chest. “That’s right, together we’re whole.”

  He had to forget about the other elves. Forget about her family, or anyone else who thought they weren’t good enough. She needed him, and he needed her.

  This time, he took her mouth with a passionate hunger. He was lost in the sweetness of her, in the tender passion of her desire. Her kisses were tentative, gentle and beautiful as they learned each other.

  She broke away and stood, slowly bringing her fingers to the leather lace at the front of her blouse, and he inhaled sharply. He raised a hand, brushing her hair back over her shoulder. His other fist began to twitch, and he clenched it to stop the movement. When he paused to look at her, she slowly raised her arms over her head.

  He groaned, still unable to hide his disbelief. He knew she loved him, needed him. But he never imagined she would want his broken body. “You . . . want me?”

  “Yes.” She held his gaze, and slowly his hands went to the hem of her shirt.

  He pulled it over her head and bent to kiss her again.

  She took the hand that was twitching and kissed it, and as his fingers opened, she brought it to her breast, sighing when his fingers caressed her. He rubbed his thumb over her nipple. Could she feel the sparks of magic he felt when he touched her?

  Then he stood to his full height, taking off his jacket and unhooking his armor, setting it in the far corner of the room before pulling his shirt off over his head.

  Her hands went straight to his chest, smoothing over the muscles, as his went to his belt and he paused. Should we really do this? What if my chip breaks? She’s so small, I could hurt her.

  But she didn’t let him linger in his doubts. She brushed his hands away, keeping her gaze steadily on his as she undid his pants. He closed his eyes and looked away, trying to maintain control over his trembling body.

  “Don’t you want me?” she whispered, her tone afraid. She stepped back and covered her chest briefly. “Are you just trying to protect me again, to give me what I want?”

  Shock shot through him, and his eyes opened wide. “What? No. Want you. Just . . . hard to hold back.”

  She let his pants fall to the floor. “Then don’t hold back.”

  His shaft stood between them, hard and ready. He made a strangled sound between a groan and a growl as she undid her skirt and let it fall to the floor. She was so beautiful he almost couldn’t look at her. But he couldn’t look away, either. He was mesmerized, completely under her spell.

  He didn’t lean down to kiss her this time, choosing to pick her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and their mouths met once more.

  He held her with one arm wrapped around her as the other hand teased her nipple gently. He bent his head closer to take the berry nipple into his mouth, sucking gently at first but then harder, switching sides when she began to squirm. The magic was moving through him where they touched.

  He moved up to kiss and suckle at her neck, and his mouth pulled into a smile as she shivered and gasped. When she was moving against him, trying to get closer, he sat on the bedding. He lay back, leaving her above him, straddling his waist.

  She looked confused for a moment, unsure what to do.

  He tapped his head. “Chip broken. Afraid to crush you.”

  She wriggled on top of him, making him groan. “I think we can make this work.”

  He put an arm behind her, holding her up, and her head fell back as his hand slid from her breast down to her stomach and then lower, angling so he could tease her sensitive nub.

  “Oh! Ah! Yes . . . we can . . . make it work.” She gasped as he teased her.

  The head of his shaft brushed against her warm wetness, teasing him unmercifully. He watched her face, teasing her nub, brushing over it, watching her reactions.

  She didn’t look away, and he knew she wanted him to see her. To feel her.

  He continued, finding a rhythm, continuing until her hips were moving in small circles, thrusting against him. Finally, he could take no more of the teasing, and with his other hand at the back of her hip, he helped her rise so the angle would allow him to enter her.

  To become one with her.

  She shimmied so he would slide in smoothly, and both of them groaned. As she encompassed him, the tingle began to spread through his body, a pleasure unlike anything he’d ever felt. Was it her magic? Or was it because he loved her? Whatever it was, the pleasure spread outward from where they were joined, making his muscles twitch.

  He moved tentatively, and she cried out, and his eyes captured hers while he did it a second time. When he got the same reaction, he began to piston his hips, gently but firmly, stoking the fire inside them both.

  His eyes remained on her face, avidly watching her expressions as he adjusted several times, building slowly every time he changed angles, feeling her muscles tightening, twittering around him.

  The next time he paused, she began to move so she controlled their movements, and he groaned.

  When she was crying out each time he entered her, he began to thrust against that spot, over and over, lengthening the pleasure, driving it higher.

  He’d tried his best to resist her, but he knew he would never get enough of this. Never get enough of her. He hoped she knew what she was doing when she said she loved him, because he would never let her go.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Irielle

  Irielle moved above Simban, finding her rhythm, and then changing it to prolong the pleasure. She never wanted him to forget this moment, wanted to keep him with her, didn’t want to lose him again.

  The pleasure built within her, somehow mixing with her magic. She’d thought her magic weak, but as their bodies came together over and over, it seemed to swell, the power surging through her until it spilled out from her in waves.

  It connected with his body, tying them together in a way she couldn’t explain but didn’t want to deny. She wanted to be his.

  His thrusts became less controlled beneath her, but it didn’t seem to matter. Her pleasure just continued to grow, and when his thumb joined in over the center of her pleasure, the magic and beauty of it overwhelmed her.

  She cried out, and her body began to tremble. Ecstasy burst in her brain, and her magic arced between them.

  He cried out moments later, his entire body stiffening, jerking in arcs against the bedding beneath him. She held him as his large body shuddered, and he brought her down to him, wrapping his arms around her.

  She lay against his chest, gasping for air, remnants of her release still tingling through her. She had no idea what had just happened, but her heart was full, almost overflowing with love. She was supposed to be the elf, but it was Simban who was magical. His love was somehow changing her, making her more.