Chapter Eight: Beneath the Smoke
418 Words
Isla sat on the edge of the rooftop, legs dangling over the ledge, the city lights flickering beneath her like fireflies. The wind tangled her hair, and for a brief moment, she felt like she could float away—leave all the secrets, the danger, and the weight of what she had learned behind.
But she didn’t want to run anymore.
Behind her, Aiden stepped out from the stairwell. His footsteps were quiet, but she felt him before she saw him. That pull—the strange gravity he had on her—was impossible to ignore.
“You shouldn’t be up here alone,” he said softly, stepping closer.
She didn’t look back. “I needed air.”
He came to stand beside her, his hands in the pockets of his jacket. “Leo told me you spoke to Mia.”
“I did,” she said, glancing at him. “She told me everything. About my father. About… you.”
Aiden tensed. His jaw tightened. “And?”
“And it doesn’t change anything.”
He turned to face her fully now, his expression unreadable. “It should.”
Isla stood, facing him, her eyes searching his. “You think because I know you’ve killed people, because you were born into this world, that I’ll see you differently? Maybe I should. But I don’t. You’ve done horrible things—but you’ve also saved me. Again and again.”
His hands curled into fists at his sides. “I’m not the hero, Isla.”
“I’m not asking for a hero,” she whispered. “I’m asking for you.”
Aiden stepped forward then, just once, and that was all it took. One moment of silence. One breath.
And then he kissed her.
It was slow and deep, a collision of fear and longing. Her hands gripped his shirt, pulling him closer, while his arms wrapped tightly around her like he was terrified she’d vanish. They kissed like the world was ending.
When they pulled apart, Aiden rested his forehead against hers.
“I’ll protect you from all of this,” he promised. “Cassian. The Valientes. Everyone. Even myself, if I have to.”
But Isla shook her head, voice steady. “I’m not a girl who needs saving anymore.”
He smiled—just a flicker—and kissed her again, softly this time. “You’re not. You never were.”
Below them, the city still burned. But for once, neither of them felt the heat.
- Writer
