A Forbidden Alchemy

by Stacey McEwan

“You should trust no one, Nina” was his answer. “Not a single soul.”

“You’re too beautiful to be real,” he said suddenly, softly. With my ear pressed to his chest, I could feel the words, too. “There’s your compliment.”

“I was scared to forget you.” The sound of his heart beating made me think of caves under leagues of sea. “I never had a hope in the world of forgetting you, Scurry girl.”

“Just breathe,” he told me. “It’ll pass.” Slowly, achingly so, it did. And he pressed his cheek to mine, as though he was trying to steal the tears slicking my skin. “I’m sorry, Scurry girl,” he said, and it felt years old, heavy with burden. His face came away as wet as mine, full of ghosts.

“Or worse,” Theo continued, “what will happen to you, when Tanner learns you’ve been seduced by the man you were sent to bury?”

“We’re safe,” he said, and it was so soft. Soft enough to end a war. Soft enough to break me.

“I think I’ve fallen in love with you,” he said gruffly. “So you’d better fuckin’ come out, Nina. Promise me. Now.” I blustered. “I… I promise.”

“Because you’ve been stuck in my head for thirteen long years,” he said. “And now that you’re here, I can’t bring it upon myself to see you leave.” He lifted her then, clear off the floor, and her screeching laughter tinkled down the tunnel as he pressed his forehead to hers. “I’m in love with you, I’m afraid.”

I took a moment to stare at the underside of his jaw, the blanket of stubble razing his cheeks, the fine slope of his nose, and the peak of his chin. “Look somewhere else, Nina. I’m only so strong.” I blushed.