Page 31 of Elemental Becoming
I stare at him, horrified.
He grins.
I groan, dragging my hands down my face. “I’m from a farming village,” I say, throwing my hands in the air. “I don’t do balls, Thane!”
He does not blink. Does not waver. Does not react to the sheer, incomprehensible horror I am currently experiencing.
But his expression does soften. “You won’t be alone,” he says simply.
I pause my dramatic ramblings.
“I’ll be there the whole time.”
My pulse skips.
“I won’t leave your side.”
And gods, that shouldn’t settle me the way it does. Because this is ridiculous. This is a disaster.
“You have to choose a dress.”
My jaw drops open. “I’m sorry—what?”
“The dressmaker will bring options to choose from,” he continues, as if he didn’t just say something catastrophic.
I blink. Then groan. “Oh, fantastic. More decisions I don’t know how to make.”
Thane’s lips curve into that infuriating almost-smirk, but this time, he doesn’t tease. Just watches me with that quiet, knowing look. He already knows how this is going to go—how much I hate this.
I huff, running a hand through my hair. “Fine.” The word leaves me like a death sentence.
Thane raises a brow. “Fine?”
“Yes. Fine. I will wear the stupid dress and go to the stupid ball and be the Spiritborn in front of a stupid amount of people.”
Thane hums. “That’s the best I’m going to get out of you, isn’t it?”
“Correct.”
I’m scowling, muttering under my breath—then he moves. His hand cups my jaw, tilting my face up. Then his lips press against mine.
Not like before. Not heated or desperate.
Just firm. Lingering.
Like he couldn’t help himself.
When he pulls back, I’m blinking up at him, completely thrown. “What—”
He gives me that half-smile—the one that makes me melt.
“Good luck with the dress.” He winks. Then he turns and walks out—far too pleased with himself.
I stare at the door long after he’s gone. Breathless. Scrambled. Still trying to process what just happened.
I groan, flop back onto the bed, and glare at the ceiling like this is all its fault.
HELPLESS
