The Ascended (The Aesymarean Duet, #1)

by Bree Grenwich

"We both know you want to be the one making me scream."

"Xül," I gasped, the single syllable a prayer and a curse combined.

But this... this was different. Dangerous. This felt like wanting parts of him I had no right to claim.

to this place where, for a brief moment, we could both pretend we were something other than what fate had made us.

“You look like you’re mine.”

Gods help me. I'd fallen for him. The one person I absolutely couldn't afford to love.

"You walked into my domain, challenged me at every turn, made me feel—"

"Oh, don’t hold back now, Warden."

"Everyt...

"Nothing about you has ever felt temporary to me."

I resent that even now, knowing all of this, I can't make myself stop wanting you."

“I love you, starling. I’m in love with you.”

“but is that enough in the face of everything else, Xül? Is it really?”

I’d burn Voldaris to the ground for you.”

“I’ll be yours for as long as you want me, Thais.

“But when that day comes, my heart will stop. It will only ever beat for you, Thais."

“I’m yours, already, Xül.”

"You're playing with fire, starling."

"Good,"

"I want to...

"I'm committing this to memory," he said quietly.

"When this is over," I echoed, "we'll have all the time in the universe."

My starling.

Sel dravira en ti. Niv valen, niv asra, niv loyeth. El atanen en ti. Vah serané.

I bind myself to you. My life. My soul. My Loyalty. Forevermore. I’m yours.

"My soul was never part of that bargain,"

"It's mine to give, and I've given it to Thais."

"Everyone matters," I said quietly. "You just chose to matter in the worst way possible."

Because I loved her more than my own freedom. More than any future. More than anything.

"Love makes fools of gods and mortals alike, my son." "Then I'll gladly be a fool."

She’d never know that my soul was tied to hers. That my heart bled for her, more and more every passing day.

But as I felt her sit there, vacant and still, I knew the truth. I'd already lost her too. Just in a different way.

I wanted to hurt the way you're supposed to hurt when everything you love is ripped away. Instead, I was just... this.

"My heart will only ever beat for you."

"You own me completely. You always will."

Wanted to care that he'd just married someone else an hour ago and here he was, holding me like I was his whole world.

"I just need you to exist. To be here. To let me help carry this until you can carry it yourself again."

"And if that's never?"

"Then I'll carry it ...

"There's always a point. Whether it's sharp enough to matter..."

"Aether," she said finally. "I shall call you Aether."