Chapter 16
Elias POV
He's so pretty.
Not just physically. I mean, sure—physically, Avery's beautiful in a sharp, untouchable way. Pale skin that glows under the strange hues of the mana-choked sky, high cheekbones, a delicate mole beneath his right eye, and those icy brown eyes that seem too knowing for someone so young. But it's more than that.
Avery is dangerous. Not in the way Jace is—with raw power and reputation—but in the way poison is dangerous. Subtle. Pretty. Lethal.
He's sitting across from me now, legs crossed, focused entirely on the device in his lap. His hair is tied back in a messy ponytail, strands falling across his cheekbones as he leans forward, back pressed against Sparkle's hulking side.
Sparkle sleeps like a beast dreaming of war, her tail twitching occasionally like she's ready to gut something even in slumber.
Avery dismantles a cube—one of the mana-bomb shells we salvaged—and with alarming precision, begins inserting a volatile, unstable mana crystal inside. It's something I've never considered.
Genius. Dangerous. So him.
I pretend to tinker with my own contraption, but mostly, I watch him.
"How long are you going to stare at me?" he asks without looking up, voice bored but mildly amused.
I grin.
"Can't help it. You're too pretty."
He frowns, glancing up. I catch that twitch of his lips. He tries not to smile, but he can't help it.
Avery has always been weak to compliments, no matter how much he denies it.
"Don't do that," he mutters.
"Do what?" I float my device beside me with a flick of thought.
"Butter me up. Smile like that. You're not getting into my pants."
I laugh, leaning in just a bit. "Is it working though?"
"Worked before," he mutters.
"That was before you brought a whole damn faction to my doorstep, Eli." he adds on.
I wince theatrically. "Still mad about that?"
"Yes."
"I said I was sorry."
"Not sorry enough."
I soften my expression, giving him the full effect of my brown eyes and pouty lower lip.
"Please forgive me?"
He rolls his eyes.
"Stupid handsome face."
"I can't help the face I was born with," I say.
"But I can definitely make sure your future children inherit it."
"You can't get me pregnant, Elias. This isn't one of your sister's BL mangas."
That gets me. The sudden tug at my chest at the mention of my sister, she had shelves of it.I swallow hard and quickly shove that grief back down.
"Don't crush my dreams."
He snorts.
I scoot a little closer, enough to touch knees.
"You know, we could try. Who knows what mana evolution has in store?"
Avery arches a brow, but he doesn't move away.
"You're insane."
"Only about you."
I lean in. Not playful this time. A little too close. My hand brushes his. He doesn't pull away.
We're inches apart. I can see the faint flush on his cheek. His eyes meet mine. And for a moment, the world feels very, very quiet.
I tilt forward, just slightly.
Then Sparkle growls.
It's not a polite growl. It's an I will eviscerate you if you continue kind of growl.
I freeze.
Avery smirks.
"Message received," I mumble, scooting back.
Sparkle huffs and curls tighter around him, as if reclaiming what's hers. Avery pets her with a knowing smile.
"She really doesn't like you," he says.
"Jealous I'm the one making you blush?" I shoot back.
He doesn't respond.
But he doesn't deny it either.
I glance at the necklace around his throat. The ring and USB still dangle there. Still untouched.
A part of him still belongs to someone else.
Whoever that man was—he was lucky. He had Avery's love. His heart. His loyalty.
And as much as I might try to be everything Avery needs now, I can't compete with a ghost.
The bomb floats back into my hands. I get
back to work. It's easier than telling him the truth.
That I'd give anything to be the one that ring was meant for.