Rebel Witch (The Crimson Moth, #2)

by Kristen Ciccarelli

There had been other kisses. Probably more than kisses. The realization awoke something in him. Something tremulous and aching. It knotted around his rib cage, threatening to drag him to the bottom of the sea.

It made her think of another dress. One that suited her like no other ever would. Because the giver knew what her soul required, not just her body.

Her smell invaded his senses, like juniper and sea salt. Threatening to weaken him.

Rune made Gideon believe that someone like her could love someone like him. And it was a lie. He was beneath her and always would be.

But Gideon hadn’t wanted to see the truth. He’d wanted Rune.

“We both know what you want to do to me, Gideon. Well, here’s your chance.” His gaze slid to her mouth. “You have no idea, the things I want to do to you.”

Instead, he’d found this Rune. His Rune. A total mess. The basest part of him wanted to tilt her head back and kiss her until she told him why she was crying.

Silver scars covered every inch of her skin, each one painfully familiar to Gideon. Like a garden of flowers starting at her wrists and twining upward, growing toward her shoulders.

Cressida Roseblood was beautiful—in a cold, terrifying way. Like being lost in a blizzard, knowing it was going to kill you.

He would find Rune, and he would kill her. And if a small voice inside him objected, it was only because Gideon was still compromised. Still weakened by her. If he thought about how Rune risked herself tonight to help him, he would waver. Gideon couldn’t waver.

Gideon had no choice. Killing Rune was the only way to stop that from happening. If it broke him, so be it.

Rune didn’t envy her. The sight of Gideon shirtless was enough to stun any woman.

If Gideon were honest, Rune had always enchanted him.

After everything Rune had put him through, his first instinct was to protect her. She was like a magnet sending the arrows on his moral compass spinning. Making him forget who he was and everything he’d committed himself to.

The familiar voice was like an earthquake’s tremor, reverberating through Rune.

I would have married you in a heartbeat, had you asked me. I would have married you knowing you would hand me over to my killers—or kill me yourself—the moment you found out what I was. That’s how pathetic I am, Gideon! That’s how desperately I wanted to be yours!”

There was a part of Rune’s soul—most of it, maybe—that yearned for adventure. That craved a challenge. That liked a little danger.

RUNE WAS RIGHT ABOUT one thing: she wasn’t just a girl. Not to him. She was so much more than that.

He couldn’t let Rune weaken him again. Even if he wanted her to.

Don’t fight me, baby.

His entire being ached for her. Every touch of her lips, every press of her body, sent him closer to a deadly fire. One that had burned him before, and, he suspected, would burn him again.

If this was weakness, he wanted to be weak. If this was sin, let him be damned to hell.

Did a person change depending on their circumstances? Or was there something permanent about everyone? Something steadfast and true, despite their circumstances?

It was so unfair, the way a single touch from him made her ache for more.

He was thinking about how, now that he wasn’t allowed to have her, she was all he wanted. Maybe he was destined to want things forever out of his reach.

she loved him, despite a million reasons not to.

“You are far worse than a thorn in my side,” he said, his dark eyes gleaming at her. “You are a knife in my heart.”

But neither would he give Rune up.

“She was always out of your league, Sharpe.” “I’m well aware,”

TRUE LOVE’S CURSE is an Arcana spell. It prevents a victim from being with his true love by inflicting pain whenever he touches her skin to skin.

If not for your curse, I wouldn’t have irrefutable proof that he loves me.”

Rune is worth everything.

It still smelled like her. Like the wind and the sea and the rain. Like something wild and untamable.

That voice. It was honey to her soul.

Gideon didn’t want to live in a world without her.

But not so long ago, Gideon believed the same thing Noah did: that loving Rune made him weak. That trusting her made him a fool. Nothing could be further from the truth.

“It might look like weakness on the surface. But in truth, it’s tougher than steel. Love can’t be controlled. Love can’t obey unjust laws. Love will always oppose tyrants.”

I don’t deserve this girl. He slid his palms against her cheeks and tilted her head back. But I want to. I want to be the man who deserves Rune Winters.

“She’ll kill us both.” Gideon stared at her. “Then it will be an honor to die at your side.”

“Do you still want me to stay?” Lifting a hand to her hair, he tucked a wild strand behind her ear. “More than anything.”

Kissing Gideon was like coming home. A steadying force, reminding her of who she was, and where she belonged.

Because for the first time in her life, she was completely herself. And that was worth everything. Even dying for.

“I love you,” he whispered into her hair. “I should have told you so much sooner. I love you, Rune Winters.”

“Come find me in the next world.”

GIDEON THOUGHT HE’D ALREADY seen rock bottom. How wrong he’d been.

Even in death, my love, you are a wonder.

So now, instead of wedding bands, they wore wedding scars.