20. Alone in a Cave

With the dragon gone, I have nothing to focus on but Davyn. And Davyn is perhaps too pleasant a distraction. My anxiety is still high, but it dulled somewhat after the initial realization that we're trapped yet again, replaced with boredom.

I try to sleep, but that's a lost cause. I lie across the fire from Davyn, keeping my distance so I don't do something foolish—like kiss him again. Oh, how badly I want to kiss him again.

I remember the feel of his lips crushed to mine, the scratch of his shadow, the way his hands clutched me. Over and over, I relive it, my stomach full of butterflies.

Every one of my muscles tenses as Davyn rises to toss another piece of wood on the crimson coals. From my bedroll, I turn my head to watch him.

Realizing I'm awake, he says, "We'll run out of wood soon. I'm going to go into the bluewood and gather some."

I sit up, pushing my bedroll down. "Right now?"

"I'll be cautious, and I won't go far."

"If you're going to leave the pit, we might as well head for the mine tunnels."

Freedom is so close, only half a day's walk away. I want it desperately, but I'm scared. And more, I sense Davyn is scared, too.

And that worries me the most.

He ponders it, running his hand over his jaw. "They have a natural rhythm, a time when they sleep. Before the caverns were sealed, I'm sure they ventured out at night to hunt, like their goblin cousins."

"They're nocturnal."

He slowly nods. "When did they usually go quiet?"

"A few hours after the sun lit the fissure in the rock."

"Alvaro disappeared early in the morning, and I think we fought the mole trolls just before dawn. The fissure was just lighting when we closed ourselves in the pit."

"They were frantic that whole day," I say.

He nods. "They were, but not the next few days. They mostly created their racket at night."

"What time is it now?"

Davyn pulls his pocket watch from his jacket and flips it open. "Almost eight."

We look at the fissure in the rock far above us, and I say, "It's lightening now."

"Do you want to brave the bluewood?"

"I don't particularly want to stay here."

"There could be hundreds of monsters. I honestly don't know how many we may stumble upon."

I hug myself, chilled. "I know."

"Let's wait a while longer." He sits on his bedroll. I do the same, glancing at him and then focusing on the flames between us.

"Is there a reason you're so far away?" Humor laces his tone.

"We shouldn't start something, Davyn. It will be too hard to…"

His smile edges into a smirk. "Give me up?"

I give him a droll look. "You're not that tempting, captain."

"No?" Calling me on my bluff, he rises and rounds the fire. His arm brushes against my shoulder as he settles next to me, so close. He turns his head. "So this shouldn't be a problem then?"

"It's not."

"And if I do this?" He takes my hand, holding it in both of his.

"That's not tempting." I meet his eyes. "That's just sweet."

And it makes my heart flutter. Davyn doesn't need to know that though.

He nods solemnly, tracing his fingertip over the lines on my palm. Though the featherlight touch makes me tingle, I ignore it. "I'm afraid that's not working either."

He chuckles lightly. "It's tempting me."

My breath catches, but I hide it as he skims his finger over my skin.

"But everything about you is tempting." He lifts my hand, brushing a kiss over my knuckles. "I don't think I slept at all last night. I keep thinking of how much time we've lost."

"If we'd married before, you'd be bored of me by now."

Davyn turns toward me, so handsome, and chuckles low. "That's not possible."

I make the mistake of meeting his eyes, and a fire lights in my stomach. Despite what I told him, Davyn is tempting. I liked him when he was barely more than a boy, but now that he's grown and is thoughtful as well as devastatingly handsome…I'm doomed.

My eyes flutter shut when he leans down and captures my lips without permission. My body goes weak and warm, and I reach for him, my hand trailing over his shoulder.

But as soon as I touch him, he pulls back. His eyes drop to my hand, his expression quietly smug.

I brush my fingers over the fabric. "You had a spot of dust."

He laughs, the sound deep and delicious. "We're both covered in dust."

"This spot annoyed me in particular."

Davyn raises a solitary brow. "Any other spot in particular that annoys you?"

"You have a wicked streak, captain."

He grins. "Come closer, and I'll show you how wicked I can be."

It's an offer I don't have the willpower to refuse, nor do I attempt to try. I angle toward him, pausing to study him, and then lean forward and kiss his smug smile. Here soon, we're going to venture out of the cave, and there is a better-than-average chance we might die.

We might as well make the best of our last hour in the cavern, and I can't think of a better way to spend the time than in Davyn's arms.

The captain needs no additional prompting. He pulls me onto his lap, his movements unrushed. He kisses me long and slow. The scruff on his jaw scrapes against my skin most deliciously.

His arms cradle me, holding me like I'm precious instead of tarnished. His passion is full of genuine affection. It scares me a little, giving me a taste of something I've never had. And it will be painful to lose it.

It's easy for Davyn to say he cares for me while we're stuck in this cave and our lives are far away. But what about when we leave this island? When he returns to society and his people?

He pauses, his hand moving up to stroke the back of my neck. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing." I try to kiss him again, wanting to ignore the questions that plague me.

But he stops me, angling his head back while holding me closer. "Felicity."

I reluctantly meet his eyes. "You don't want to know."

"Tell me," he insists, his fingers caressing my skin. "Talk to me."

"I'm below you—" When he starts to protest, I shake my head, demanding he let me finish since he made me begin. "I know it's easy for you to make promises now, but when we return to Kalae, I worry everything will change."

"It won't."

"I believe you mean that." I offer him a sad smile. "But we live in different worlds. And this might be all the time we actually have."

"Felicity…"

"I'm sorry." Lowering my eyes, I stare at our hands. "My doubts are like the tide. They ebb and flow—there in the morning and gone a few hours later. They return at will, haunting me."

"Why do you doubt me?"

"Because we don't make sense. Men who are in line for a dukedom don't make these kinds of promises to thieves."

"Titles be cursed." He smiles, taking my other hand. "I couldn't care less."

We'll see.

I sigh, glancing toward the ever-lightening fissure in the rock. "It's late morning now. We should get moving."

But when I try to rise, Davyn gently holds me in place. "I want to tell you something, but I'm afraid it will upset you."

I go still, not liking the sound of that. "What is it?"

"I love you."

I blink at him, unable to process it. "No, you don't."

"I do." He chuckles, his hand moving to my back and rubbing soft circles over my cloak. "As a friend and as more. You are in my heart, and you have been for years. Don't think my promises are selfless because they're not. I need you as much as you need me. And Felicity—I fight for the things that are important to me. Does that help ease your doubts?"

I swallow. "It does."

"Good."

He's just leaning in to kiss me when there's a noise at the narrow passage entrance. Immediately, we pull apart. Davyn stands and draws his sword. I unsheathe the dagger he gave me when we entered the cave system, preparing to use it.

A moment later, Lukas pops his head through the opening, grinning when he spots us. "Your rescue team has arrived. You might want to hurry and gather your things, though, because the mole trolls trailed us to the entrance."