His pacing was making her dizzy. Youre offering me a job.

Yeno. He hesitated. I mean, sort of. You know, this went a lot smoother when I practiced last night.

She shut one eye, squinting. Captain, Im still on a lot of medication, and Im not sure Im following you.

He took in the hospital gown and hovering chair as if hed forgotten about them. Spades, I am bad at this, arent I? Do you want to lie down? You should lie down.

Without waiting for a response, he swept an arm beneath her knees and lifted her out of the chair, gentle, as if he were picking up a priceless dream doll. She buried a hiss of pain in her throat as he carried her to the bed.

Better? he said, easing her on top of the covers.

Better, she admitted.

But he didnt let go, and he was awfully close when she met his eyes. Cress, look. Im obviously no good at this. At least not when its when its you. He seemed frustrated. His fingers curled, gathering up the flimsy material of the hospital gown. But I am good at this.

He leaned closer and his lips found hers, pressing her into the soft pillows. She gasped and dug her fingers into his shirt, afraid he would pull away before she could memorize this moment. But he didnt pull away, and Cress gradually dared to kiss him back. The mattress shiftedThorne bringing a knee up to keep from crushing her. His cast brushed her hip, clumsy at first, but less so when he raised it to the side of her face to trace his bare thumb against her jaw. And his lips followed. To her chin. Her neck. The dip of her clavicle.

Her body became liquid, and she thought, if they could bottle him, he would make the best pain medication.

Thorne stopped kissing her, but she could still feel the brush of his hair against her jaw, the warmth of his breath on her shoulder.

Twenty-three, he said.

Mm? She opened her dazed eyes. Thorne pulled back, looking guilty and worried, which made some of her euphoria fade away.

You once asked me how many times Id told a girl I loved her. Ive been trying to remember them all, and Im pretty sure the answer is twenty-three.

She blinked, a slow, fluttering stare. Her lips pursed in a question that took a while to form. Including the Lunar girl who kissed you?

His brow furrowed. Are we counting her?

You said it, didnt you?

His gaze darted to the side. Twenty-four.

Cress gaped. Twenty-four girls. She didnt even know twenty-four people.

Why are you telling me this?

Because I need you to know I never meant it. I said it because I thought thats what youre supposed to say, but it didnt mean anything. And its different with you. This is the first time Ive been scared. Scared youll change your mind. Scared Ill screw it up. Aces, Cress, Im terrified of you.

Her stomach fluttered. He didnt look terrified.

Heres the thing. Thorne crawled over her legs and lay down beside her, boots and all. You deserve better than some thief whos going to end up in jail again. Everyone knows it. Even I know it. But you seem determined to believe Im actually a decent guy whos halfway worthy of you. So, what scares me mosthe twisted a lock of her hair between his fingersis that someday even you will realize that you can do better.

Thorne

Not to worry. He kissed the lock of hair. I am a criminal mastermind, and I have a plan. Clearing his throat, he started to check things off in the air. First, get a legitimate jobcheck. Legally buy my shipin progress. Prove that Im hero material by helping Cinder save the worldoh, wait, I did that already. He winked. Oh, and I have to stop stealing things, but thats probably a given. So I figure, by the time you realize how much I dont deserve you I might kind of deserve you. His grin turned smug. And thats how that speech was supposed to go.

That was a good speech, she said.

I know. Scooting closer, he kissed her shoulder. Goose bumps erupted down her arm.

Captain?

Cress.

She couldnt not say it, although she realized he was right. It was sort of scary. Much scarier than it had been the first time shed told him, out in the desert. It was different now. It was real. Im in love with you.

He chuckled. I should hope so, after all that. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss against her temple. And I love you too.

Ninety-Six

Winter picked up a stick from the ground and tossed it toward the protective fence around the enclosure, but the ghost Ryu just tilted his head to one side.

Sighing, she dropped her hands into her lap.

Her fits still came and went, but shed been deemed lucid enough that the doctors allowed her to make the decision: Would she rather remain in the med-clinic, where she could be restrained when her outbursts came, or would she rather be outfitted with shock bracelets that could incapacitate her when needed? She had chosen this imaginary freedom, thinking of Ryu and how his own collar would never let him leave the enclosure that must have seemed very escapable at first.

Jacin hated the idea. He had argued that her mind was fragile enough without fearing random shocks. But Winter had needed to get out of the clinic. She had needed to get away from the nightmares that haunted her.