Page 62 of Shadow's Heart

Hampered by fear and ruled by pleasure.She pitied those immortals, thought them tragic, but if they met her halfway, she would help them.

She’d just made it to her door when footsteps sounded behind her. With his broad shoulders back, a sober Silt strode down the corridor.

Relief swept through her, but she made her tone bored. “I thought you’d be imbibing.”

“Maybe I’m just enough of a contrarian prick to walk away. Of course, the night’s young.”

“When we were outside this castle, you smelled the drug from afar, didn’t you? That’s why you hesitated to come here.”

He gave a shrug that belied how conflicted he’d been. The fact that this sorcererdesiredto change made her heart twist. “If you truly don’t want to smoke again, what do you think will happen here? And if you give in, then another Sorceri could take your root power from you.”

“That’s true, but I doubt anyone wants it. As you’ve noted—repeatedly—my ability suffers, and sand sorcery is hardly an asset when there’s none around.”

“You need to leave this castle. Just keep moving. I can tell the cravings are gripping you even as we speak.”

He stabbed his fingers through his hair. “Because without smoke everything is . . . askew. Everything feels jagged and raw.” He looked more frustrated than she’d seen him, even over the last few days as they’d faced such hardships. And he peered hard at her—as ifshewere the source of his struggles.

Was he feeling more for her? Her attraction to him refused to fade. What would have happened if they’d met under different circumstances?

“Enough about this,” he said. “I want to know if you’re seriously considering an incursion.”

“Planning one as if my life depends on it. Have you changed your mind about going?” Her hopeful tone embarrassed her. But hehadsaved her life. At times, their partnership had worked?—

“Not a chance.”

Good,she rushed to assure herself. His staying in Nightside would defuse the danger he posed. Unless Mirceo showed up here.

“Vampire, as I said before, if an escape existed, then those ghouls would have overrun the mortal realm.”

“Maybe the exit requires a toll—like a blood sacrifice or reciting an incantation—that the ghouls aren’t sentient enough to understand. No matter, I’ll soon find out.”

“You’re not short on courage, are you?” This seemed to trouble him. “With a sword from Enti, you can get through those revenants outside the castle, maybe even a number of ghouls in their hive, but a primordial—one that must not bleed—is going to prove tricky. How did your uncle kill one anyway?”

Since an arena full of Loreans had watched Trehan’s match, Mina saw no reason not to tell Silt about it. “He stole a magical scythe with a flaming blade from the Vrekeners, then got amystic to superpower it. The blade’s unnatural heat cauterized as it sliced, preventing blood loss.”

Silt looked impressed. “Good for him. The Vrekeners are no friends to my kind.”

That demonic clan had long punished Sorceri for magic outlays, had even attacked Bettina.

“I’m going to ask Enti if she can create a similar scythe for me. When I leave, I go to war—I’m going to give myself the best chance of winning it.”

“And if there’s no escape? Just because the mountain is unexplored doesn’t mean it holds what you seek.”

“Then I’ll die fighting, won’t I?”

His gaze flicked over her face, as if he were reading an indecipherable text. “I can understand your drive—you have no choice—but others will never follow you.”

“Because they believe in the parole myth, and they want to believe Nightside will endure. It’s easier that way. But if they dug deeper”—ifyoudug deeper—“they’d understand they don’t have a choice either. This shipissinking. The swim is long. The more we hesitate, the farther away the shore is getting.”

His brows drew together, his gaze fierce. “Are you even real?” he murmured as his hand shot out to grasp the back of her neck. “Your will is glittering sand. I wish I could steal it like a Sorceri power.” He dragged her closer and leaned his head down.

“Exercise your own will, and you can have the same.” She leaned up, helplessly drawn to him. “Sorcerer, what do you want from me?”

Bafflement crossed his face. “I fucking do not know. All I know is that our kiss was not enough.” He grazed his lips across hers, the slight contact sparking a bombardment of pleasure.

Not enough? On this . . . I agree.

Maybe she should enjoy a bit of play with him—up to a point—before she departed.Before I am departed.Another graze ofhis lips convinced her. She gripped his shoulders and squeezed to encourage him.I won’t let it go further.

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