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Inej flicks the knife up to Alina’s soft throat and presses until the skin dips but doesn’t break. Alina doesn’t move, trusting eyes fixed on her and Inej knows she’s not worthy but can’t pull away because no-one else is worthy either. At least she knows she’ll give her everything to protect the sun summoner, whatever was required, whatever was needed, life, love, sanity, it was this goddess’ to hold and discard as she pleased.
Alina wet her lips, and Inej’s eyes do not follow the slip of pink as it skated out and back in. “What are you doing?” Alina questions, her throat moving against the edge of hard silver. Inej pulls back, her knives are whisper sharp and damaging Alina is unacceptable.
“Testing something,” Inej says on a sigh and shifts the tip of the blade up to press up under Alina’s jaw. She puts just enough pressure that Alina’s brows twitch together and she raises her chin.
“Testing what?” Alina has a small curve of a smile on the edge of her lips and Inej tracks it, categorises it, memorises it. Her mouth parts and she takes careful controlled breaths. There’s something rising in her, dangerous and sacrilegious, and she wants to see how far she can push it before the god stops it. Needs to see how far she’ll be allowed to go.
Inej steps in closer, knife unwavering, until she can feel the warmth of Alina through her wraith clothes. “I want to cut you,” Inej confesses into the close space between their bodies. Alina jolts but Inej has already pulled the knife back in anticipation of the surprise.
“Cut me?” Alina’s breath judders from her, and Inej watches the way her throat trembles on the exhale. She teases the very tip of the blade along that vulnerable stretch of skin. “Yes,” her goddess says, “please.”