en's

sponds t

what Ka

unded by pillars carved in a language older than

. A stillness blanketed the ground, as

lding too

just above my shoulder blade. "Let it

d that-spoke low, close, like he di

k a b

ot

palm and rea

nd, pulsing like a weak heartbeat.

his isn't wor

eyes calm, unreadable. "B

try

id. "You're

d closer.

in up defiantl

om

e a blow. I should'v

e it w

way he looked at me like he knew every piece of me already.

now how,"

ngers brushing against my wrist, tracing the e

let me

, reverent. Like I

but from the way he undi

. His own hand mirrored mine. Barely touching.

ed. "Not with your m

I

y spine, through my ribs, bursting into my ch

joined hands. The earth beneath us hummed. Ston

asp

breath

It wrapped us. Wove through our bon

s a question he'd been wa

ck, trembling,

d, voice tight,

ice was bare

tretched. The

-he

d aching, until it cupped the side of my fa

ps pa

eane

os

os

before a kiss, th

l-deep. Bone-deep. As if every life I had ever

h

fli

a

my face, stumbling backw

for him. "Kael,

o one kne

n-black and angry. His eyes flicke

choked out. "It'

"That's not possible.

ain twisting his face. "I sh

breakin

n front

bbing his hands. "Don't sa

d

nted, desper

raw, broken. "But if I take you-if th

n," I whispered. "I'm

It's in my blood. It feeds on love. On desire. The stronger it

oice

ly, I saw

self to love. Not because he didn't want to...

forcing open every l

choose,"

ruptly, tearing h

ack. "If I stay-if I touch you agai

en he

alked

nto th

me on

scre

ackling in the

-

r he vanished. Long afte

throbbed like a second pulse beneath my sk

unsp

, remembering how

I

wasn'

d run f

run from

from what had alread

anym

elt colder

of him remained-on my skin, in my lungs, pressed into the ce

ence was loud now. Every rustle of leaves, every

t nev

ingers to the

Still glow

felt

nted

arkness inside him that he couldn't c

't make the ac

bright and full, but it no longer comforted me. It only

und mine, would the

t have

ld I ha

't thi

his touch and his fear-I had fe

o

nd they whispered d

e kind that tasted like forbidden

had run, I knew t

ins, something in his soul had answere

are

-

ten in the magic and chaos. I wrapped it around myself as th

let myself remember t

before touching me-lik

eyes when I said

had me

ill

im again. Even i

eant bleedin

d. Not as dangerous. But as som

that what

eone who's afraid o

-

t crept through the roots again. So

didn't

b and my throat ached from swal

efore I turn

lt it

e in t

al

tat

rying to find rhyt

i

a

fter he left, he

lin

ting

fail

a smile, but something

ck," I whispere

ques

rom

e this

unspoken