Isla was swimming. She was deep beneath the surface of the nothing, the dark, but something was different. She surged upward with a speed she didn’t recognize, had never felt. Her thoughts, fuzzy at first, sharpened to a razor point, and she was aware of herself, of her soul, in the darkness. Was this it, then? She was awake, yet not, soaring through the nothing. Was she under the curse forever? Was this to be her fate? Her mind echoed with Malette’s final words.
You’ve lost. My son is avenged . . .
Still she flew upward, feeling wind that wasn’t there against her face. Noise sounded from far away and drew closer, she flew ever faster, so fast she couldn’t breathe.
She couldn’t breathe!
She battled and clawed with everything she possessed to draw in a gasping breath, finally bursting free of the surface and into the light. She sucked in as much air as she could, lifting her arms to shove at the vise that gripped her so painfully she saw stars floating above her in the black night sky. She sobbed, fighting to pull in one more breath, just one more . . .
“Isla!” Hands grabbed her head, and the tremendous pressure on her lungs eased. “Isla!” Daniel’s face was inches from her own, his face soaked in tears, his expression a combination of pain and something else. Hope.
Her eyes widened. The wheelhouse. She was awake in the airship, and it was so very dark outside.
Daniel shook, his big, strong frame trembling with his sobs. He pulled her closer to his chest, and she put her arms around his head and neck. This was heaven, her heaven. If she was dead, she wasn’t going to complain. Confusion continued to bounce around in her brain, and she looked again at the black sky outside, and then at the clock on the wall.
The clock that clearly showed the time at 1:00.
It was past midnight, and she was awake.
“What happened?” she managed.
Daniel drew in a ragged breath, and she wondered if he was experiencing a war memory. She rubbed his hair with a hand that wasn’t tingly, wasn’t heavy. She felt strong.
“Shh, Daniel, it is fine. Everything is fine. Do you know where you are?”
“Do I . . . ?” He gradually stilled and slowly pulled back.
“Oh, Daniel! Dear man, what happened?” His face was ravaged in grief and shock. There was something she needed to remember. Something Malette said about the curse . . .
She moved her hand from Daniel’s tear-stained face to her forehead. She was so confused. She felt something sticky on her fingers and looked, noting red.
Blood.
The clock.
The dark night sky.
Her finger throbbed and she lifted her left hand. Blood smeared down her forefinger and onto her wrist.
She looked at Daniel, shock settling in. Her heart beat faster, and her finger throbbed in time.
A kiss from one who loves you equally . . .
“Who kissed me?”
“I did,” Daniel whispered. He wiped his face, smearing red along his cheek from his pierced finger. “I didn’t know what else to do.”
Nigel stood up and shook his head. “Lackwit wouldn’t admit he loves you. We might have avoided all of this horrible mess if you’d both just said something!”
Isla felt herself blush. “I didn’t want to tell you because you would have felt awful for not returning the feeling, and I couldn’t have you live your life believing you failed me. You’re a good man who rescues the strays, and I knew you would take it all on yourself . . .” She trailed off, lifting her shoulder in a helpless shrug.
Daniel laughed and pulled her close, planting a quick kiss on her lips. “Thank all things holy that Nigel and Lewis were here. I don’t think I could have done this alone.”
Isla felt her eyes burn again with tears, and this time one escaped.
Nigel cleared his throat and glanced away.
Isla was surprised to see Daniel touch a fingertip to his own eye. “Thank you,” he murmured. “Were it not for you, Nigel, none of this could have happened.” He shrugged and swallowed. “Isla would be sleeping,” he whispered, “and I would be bereft. I am not a man with many friends,” he continued, “but I am honored to count you three among them.”
Daniel returned his gaze to Isla and smiled sheepishly. “I almost didn’t kiss you in time.”
“But you did.”
His smile faded. “I suppose I thought you’d awaken immediately. It took several minutes, and I thought . . . I thought . . .”
“I know. I had to swim through the darkness, and then I couldn’t breathe. I fear you were crushing my lungs.”
“I was distraught.” Daniel heaved a long, slow sigh and wrapped his arms carefully around her.
“I love you,” she whispered.
He nodded and kissed her neck. “And I love you.”
“Why did you not say anything to me?” She pulled back and looked at him. “You had to have known how I felt about you. Don’t you have experience with these romantic imbroglios?”
Daniel coughed in embarrassment. “I wonder if you would retrieve a few fresh bandages, please, Lewis? Nigel was a bit aggressive with the finger-piercing.”
Isla laughed, and she lifted her finger, which still throbbed like the devil. “I think of all the injuries I’ve sustained over the past few weeks, this one hurts the worst!” She wrapped herself closer to Daniel. “And the one I am most happy to have endured.”