The firelight danced across her face, painting her skin in shades of amber and shadow. Her silver-white hair had mostly dried, falling in soft waves around her shoulders.
Beautiful didn't even begin to cover it.
I'd called Natalia my queen, kissed Skylar into submission, corrupted Emi into something softer and sweeter than she'd been before. Each of them had their place in the empire I was building, the collection I was assembling.
But Celeste...
Celeste was different. Dangerous in ways the others weren't. Because she saw through me and stayed anyway.
"We should sleep," I said, forcing the words out. "Long day tomorrow, probably involving things trying to kill us. Standard Gate stuff."
She nodded, but didn't move away. "Will you stay? I mean, you were already planning to take watch all night regardless of what I said, but... I'd prefer if you stayed close. Just until morning."
"Not going anywhere, Cel."
