Page 121 of Shadow's Heart

Marveling at his mate, he had to say, “Still . . . do you not miss being the heart of Dacia?”

She turned her face to him, her pale skin bathed in the moonlight. “Mirceo and Caspion are the heart now,” she said easily. “Did I tell you they’re coming for dinner tomorrow night?”

“Must they?” Adham asked, though he didn’t mind. He felt only gratitude toward them, often wondered what would have become of him had a young Dacian prince not swiped a random reward poster.

Kosmina’s brother and brother-by-fate made her happy, which made him happy. Plus, the pair weren’t nearly as bad as he’d thought they’d be.

In fact, all the members of her family continued to trace over, forever debating the best defensive measures to keep their beloved Mina out of the Gaolers’ reach.

The Dacians were indeed a contingent of talented warriors. With that much skill and might united, Adham and the Dacians could take on the Gaolers in a preemptive strike. He intended to broach his new plan for war during their next gathering.

He wouldn’t rest until he’d neutralized that threat and plucked Kosmina’s heirloom sword back from their grasp. Not for revenge. Simply because his mate wanted it.

“They must,” Kosmina answered with a grin. But it faded as she said, “We’re going to plot how to get Furie’s location outof Lothaire.” She’d explained to her uncle that she herself had drowned and couldn’t bear the idea of Kristoff’s mate suffering like that again and again. She’d beseeched him to help. Maybe with Queen Ellie’s assistance, they could make inroads with the Enemy of Old.

Whenever Adham replayed Kosmina’s drowning, he didn’t understand how Kristoff was still sane, considering his mate’s plight. Whenever Adham replayed his own burial, he understood why Lothairewasn’t.

“My uncle must reveal that information sooner or later. As my mate likes to say, it’s as good as done.” She leaned against Adham, sighing when he looped an arm around her shoulders, and relaxation stole over them.

They still didn’t know if Nïx had targeted Kosmina—the soothsayer’s intervention with Lothaire and Kristoff leading them to Nightside indicated so—but if this life of theirs was the result of the Valkyrie’s meddling, then he was a fan.

“When you were out checking the traps earlier, I had some company,” Kosmina said. “Queen Ellie traced Balery over.”

“If only this place had more visitors,” he said wryly, dropping a kiss against her hair.

“It is a little like a teleportation station, isn’t it?” She chuckled. “But this was a business visit as well. Balery wanted to test my blood again just to be sure all my markers were holding steady.”

He tensed beside Kosmina, turning her to face him. “And?” he barked, all relaxation vanished.

When worry filled Adham’s expression, Mina quickly said, “No illness remains.” Though Balery had pointed out that drinking from a sorcerer like Adham had given her potent levels of magic.

Mina spied traces of it everywhere, shimmering like the gold dust over the dunes of their lands. She could even see him radiating magic whenever he gazed at her.

“Good. Good.” He exhaled, tension leaving his body. “Good,” he repeated, as if he recited a spell to ward off ill-humors.

“I’m fine. I’m safe.” She leaned up to press a kiss to his lips that swiftly grew heated. When she drew back, his expression promised wicked lovemaking, and she could hardly wait to experience the divine again. Her bite mark on his neck from earlier had healed, and he’d be eager for her to renew it in various places all over his body.

Afterward, they might explore more of the desert or frolic in the spring. And at moonset, as the windchimes and wavelets soothed her like a lullaby, she would drift off in his arms.

Each day as she slept, she experienced his memories—vague sensations of sun on her face, foods she’d never eaten, wines she’d never drunk. The woozy swim of opium. Her favorite was his recollection of tracking a deer across hoof-marked dunes toward what would eventually become their home. . . .

Yet now he frowned down at her. “Had you been worried about this, love?”

“Not really, since I’m able to return at will past Dacia’s boundary. But I wanted to make sure about my health before I talked to you about this.” She tapped his cuff. “You won’t always have to wear it if you don’t want to.”

His tension returned. “You want children?”

“I’ve always dreamed of a family, but I had no specific urge before I met you. Yet now . . . yes. I want our children.”

His brows drew together. “My first thought is that we’re fugitives, so we can’t plan for our future. But fuck that. We live on our terms together.”

Her lips curled. “I thought you’d say that, my optimistic, hardworking sorcerer.”

“You really would start a family”—he cleared his throat into a fist—“with me?”

“Adham, you’rehim. And they’ll bethem.”

Nodding, eyes a little wild, he yanked off the cuff and tossed it away.

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