Or it was her moment to stay and see what fate still had in store.
"I think for once I should act first and deal with the consequences later," he whispered almost to himself.
And then he was kissing her.
Heat coursed through Leena the moment their lips met, a fire she thought she would never feel again. And it scared her more than she ever realized it would. Instinctually, her arms clasped around Cal's neck, pulling him closer, wanting to taste those sweet words on his lips, wanting to let him devour her.
But in the back of her mind, a girl screamed—a girl still clinging to the memories of a different man holding her close. Leena wanted to silence her. But she couldn't. And the longer the kiss went on, the more gut wrenching her thoughts became.
Was this a betrayal to Mikza's memory?
Would loving someone else make her love him less?
Would it taint what they'd shared?
Would it make her forget him?
With a cry, Leena tore away from Cal, breathing heavily as she presented him with her back.
"Leena," he asked, worried.
But she couldn't look at him.
Tears formed in the corners of her eyes. She wanted so much to be happy. She wanted so much to not be alone. She wanted more than anything to be loved and to love someone in return.
But she'd missed her chance.
Mikza was gone. And she would never allow herself to replace him. To betray his memory like that.
As the thought washed over her, making her cold, a warm breeze brushed against her cheek. Leena looked up, searching for Jasper in the sky, thinking it was the act of the wind dragon sensing her despair. But the sky was clear. There were no dragons. No clouds. And down below, not even a sail billowed. Da'astiku was utterly still.
Yet around her, the wind began to grow.
Gusts swirled, blowing her hair, her clothes, whipping against her body. The air wrapped tightly around her, a warm embrace, and she closed her eyes for a moment.
Mikza was there.
He was with her.
Loving her in the only way he had left.
The wind strengthened, howling as it flew around her, touching every part of her, as if by magic.
Live.
The word filtered into her ears.
Live, the gusts wailed.
Leena opened her eyes, blinking as the breeze died down and fell away.
"Mikza?" she whispered.
But there was nothing. The world was still again.
Had it really been him? Had he really been there?
Or was her imagination playing tricks on her? Trying to make her believe in things that could never be true?
"Leena?" The whisper drew her attention.
"Cal." She spun toward him, ready to give him her answer, ready to tell him that they could never be together. That she could never be with anyone ever again.
And then she stopped.
A black mist hung in the air behind Cal's shoulder.
The particles shifted, lengthening, stretching out until they formed the shape of a man. He had no eyes, but Leena felt him watch her. And she knew in her soul who it was.
Mikza.
Her phantom in the breeze.
Her love.
Saying goodbye.
He held her gaze for a long moment. Just as she could read his thoughts when he'd been a living, breathing man, she could read his emotions now in the wind.
Live.
His words. Not hers.
Mikza wanted her to live. He wanted her to love. He didn’t want her to isolate herself. He never wanted her to end up alone. And if he couldn't be there to love their daughter, he wanted someone else to do it for him. He wanted both of their lives to be nothing but happiness, nothing but joy. He didn’t want to be the reason for her despair any longer.
When her eyes began to burn, Leena blinked.
Mikza was gone.
But Cal was still there.
Leena stepped closer to him, feeling as though she was seeing him for the first time. His peachy skin was freckled, made pink by the sun. His lips were pressed together in concern. And his bronze eyes watched her cautiously, uncertain. He was so very different than anyone she ever pictured herself loving. Not Ourthuri. Not a soldier. Foreign. But at the same time, he was a man who knew what it felt like to hate his father, to be abandoned by his people, to be lost. A man who had befriended her in her darkest hour, who never demanded more than she was willing to give, who had already made life the slightest bit easier to manage. She knew he could be everything she needed if she just opened up her heart and let him in.
Leena gently placed her palm against his face, stroking his warm skin. And when his hands landed on her hips, they didn't feel wrong. They felt right. They felt perfect.
"I'm not sure how much of myself I can give you," Leena murmured, brutally honest. Then she licked her lips, smiling up at him, fighting the fear of baring her soul to someone new. "But if you're willing to be patient with me, I would love nothing more than to find out that answer together."
Cal grinned, eyes alight with pure joy.
But then he broke their embrace, stepping out of her arms.
"Where are you going?" she asked, confused for a moment. His expression told her yes, but his actions told her no.
He scrunched his brows and answered her honestly. "I'm being patient."
Leena bit her lips, holding in her sudden mirth at the perplexed look on his face. "I didn't mean right now."
Cal's eyes widened. "Oh." Then he cursed under his breath. "Rhen always says I'm too good at following rules."
Leena grinned mischievously, reaching out to hold his hand.
"Good thing I'm not," she mused.
And then she pulled Cal closer, and she kissed him.
###
Want more from Kaitlyn?
Don't miss her other series—Once Upon A Curse and Midnight Fire!
Once Upon A Curse is a series of fairy tale retellings all set in the same dystopian universe! Once Upon A Time meets La Femme Nikita in the first book, Gathering Frost, a romantic dystopian reimagining of Sleeping Beauty!
Midnight Fire is a bestselling young adult paranormal romance perfect for fans of The Vampire Diaries, Vampire Academy, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
The first book, Ignite, is free!
Don’t miss any of Kaitlyn’s new releases!
Sign up for her New Release Newsletter at the link below to receive an email notification every time a new book goes on-sale! Every four months, a subscriber from this list is chosen to win a free signed paperback copy of any one of Kaitlyn's books!
Tinyletter.com/KaitlynDavisBooks
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis writes young adult fantasy novels under the name Kaitlyn Davis and contemporary romance novels under the name Kay Marie.
Always blessed with an overactive imagination, Kaitlyn has been writing ever since she picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed to share her work with the world. When she's not daydreaming, typing stories, or getting lost in fictional worlds, Kaitlyn can be found indulging in some puppy videos, watching a little too much television, or spending time with her family.
Connect with the Author Online:
Website:
KaitlynDavisBooks.com
Facebook:
Facebook.com/KaitlynDavisBooks
Twitter:
@DavisKaitlyn
Tumblr:
KaitlynDavisBooks.tumblr.com
Wattpad:
Wattpad.com/KaitlynDavisBooks
Goodreads:
Goodreads.com/Kaitlyn_Davis
Table of Contents
The Golden Cage
ONE
TWO
Three
Four
Five
Six
The Silver Key
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SI
X
SEVEN
The Bronze Knight
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
The Iron Rider
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
Leena's Story - The Complete Novellas (A Dance of Dragons Book 4) Page 23
