Chapter 14

• The days dragged on, and with each passing moment, my birthday drew nearer. Magnus made every effort to avoid me, and I did the same, though it did little to disguise the shift in our relationship. I could sense it in the charged air and the lingering intensity of his gaze.
• He had always looked at me with a certain intensity, but now it was different. The spark in his dark eyes was evident only to me, and it ignited feelings I had tried so hard to suppress. The mutual desire was undeniable; we both wanted each other with a fierce, unspoken longing.
• As I approached the gazebo, Magnus trailed behind me, and I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck rise under his dark stare. Ember and Vesper were already there, waiting.