Page 124 of Alchemy of Souls

Eloise squeals. My smile reaches my ears. And my uncle screams so loudly the cloth around his mouth doesn’t stand a chance at containing it.

EPILOGUEEloise

I wake up to my suite door closing. The bed next to me is empty where Maggie slept last night, and I smile at the dented pillow, relieved all over again that Grayson amended our door spell.

It must be early, given how low the sun is, but I feel different this morning. My family is no longer in danger from the Chancellor, and despite only sleeping a handful of hours I’m fully awake, energized even.

I spring out of bed, pulling on my uniform and boots, my hair loose down my back. But as I step out of my room and find Gray standing there, grinning at me, I stop. His hands are in his pockets and his dark waves tumble lazily onto his forehead.

“Morning, Claws,” he says, his voice low and his smile suspiciously real.

“Hang on, is that smile actually real? Because I think you might have a shadow of a dimple on the left side,” I say, enjoying the idea.

His lips quirk. “Obviously not. I’m far too menacing for a dimple.”

I laugh.

He lifts a cloth bag from the table and hands it to me. “This was delivered for you this morning. And beforeyouturn menacing, I just want to say that this wasn’t my idea.”

My eyebrows push together and I peer inside. But what I find steals my breath. “The cobbler sent overbothpairs of shoes?” I say, my voice barely audible. “But why?”

“Maybe Akari told him what happened,” Grayson says. “Or maybe he was just charmed by your twirls.”

“But it’ssuch a big gift,” I say. “How will I ever repay him? He’s a Laborer. He doesn’t have—”

“I already did,” Grayson says. “I sent back payment with the delivery boy, plus a little extra. Thenhesent back a note telling me I was clearly unfamiliar with the idea of a present, but that he was keeping my money because I have too much of it anyway.”

I laugh again and hug the bag to my chest.

“God, you’re beautiful,” he says under his breath, almost like it slipped out without his permission.

I’m sure I’m blushing, but I’m too happy to care.

Grayson takes a step toward me. “Which reminds me—I made you a promise, Eloise Belrose.”

“A promise?” I ask, my heart rate quickening.

“To top that kiss,” he says with a mischievous expression.

“Is that so?” I say, and he lifts an eyebrow in challenge.

He takes the bag, placing it on the floor. Then he pulls me into him until our bodies are flush and his hands are clasped at the small of my back.

My stomach flips without warning.

With no hesitation whatsoever, he kisses me. It’s not like our previous kisses. There’s no caution or guilt. There’s nothing holding him back. From the almost dimpled smile on his lips that I can feel against my own to the path he trails down my neck. From the way I sense his magic—buzzing along my skin like a caress. He means this kiss.

I think I gasp. I think he growls.

As he pulls away, I’m dizzy, my breath coming quickly, and my composure undone.

“Well, I guess now I’m just going to have totop that,” I say.

His eyes light up. “You know, I think I like this game, Claws.”

I stand on my tippy toes, bringing my lips within a hair’s breadth of his just as the grumpy Gran spell dings in our room.Key Bearers or not, you are expected to attend breakfast at the same time as everyone else. Get a move on.

I smile. “I guess it’ll just have to wait,” I say, dropping back onto my heels.