Page 78 of Shadow's Heart

“I can’t figure her out, and I can figure out most.”

Not me, little princess.

“The sorceress gives generously, so why do I feel she’s even more of a reaper than the Gaolers? And more, why do Istilllike her?”

You wouldn’t if you had truly figured her out.

Kosmina leaned up. “Do you believe her about a parole?”

“I want to. I long to do my time and be free of this sentence. Escape sounds great in theory, but exile in Poly is all that awaits me.” The thought depressed him. What was the point? Why keep enduring?

“You could come to my realm. The Gaolers might not ever find Dacia.”

“Your brother would love that.” Silt’s face flushed as he remembered the scene in his stronghold that Mirceo and Caspion had stolen upon: Silt, naked and drugged out of his mind, surrounded by an army of monsters and an uncaring harem.

In the history of first impressions, I take the prize.

Mirceo would disown Kosmina over her dalliance with Silt. And she would never choose a condemned, powerless sorcerer over the brother who’d raised her.

She didn’t push the idea of Silt’s coming to Dacia. It was ridiculous—but he still wished she’d insisted upon it.

Changing the subject, she said, “I still can’t believe you were born with the ability to break vows.”

He rubbed a hand over his mouth. “I wasn’t. I stole the power off a sorceress who’d stolen it off another.”

Kosmina stiffened. “You told me you’d never stolen a power.”

“I lied. I didn’t feel I owed you the truth.”

“But you do now? No more lies, please?”

“Of course. No more lies.” Once she’d relaxed back against him—seriously, why did she keep believing him?—he said, “I’m curious why you denied us sex, even when you were in the throes. If you thought what we shared was divine, the pleasure will only grow.”

She had never lost that last inhibition. In fact, she’d seemed more interested in taking his blood than in taking his shaft. But as promised, he’d kept her from drinking from his flesh. He would do so until she was ready, and untilhewas ready. For now, his memories must be kept close.

She sat up and pulled the cover to her breasts, as if the sight and feel of them wasn’t emblazoned in his mind forever. “It wasn’tdivine.”

He chuckled at her joke. It’d been so worlds-shattering that he might as well have been numb all the times before.

Then he realized she wasnotjoking. “Kosmina?”

“You brought me ecstasy. More than I ever imagined. But we’ve higher to climb.”

The most pleasure he’d felt by realms—and she thought they had room for improvement. His bafflement must be written on his face.Shocked again.

Defensive, she said, “I’m sure you haven’t always been an incomparable lover to every woman you’ve taken.”

He sat up as well. “No complaints, vampire.” No partner had scored him on his performance and declared room for improvement. She parted her lips, but he cut her off: “I didn’t payeveryfemale, princess.”

“You are surly once again. But I know what I want.”

He recalled her explanation of the divine.Does such a thing really exist?“You want love. Lovemaking. But what if I can’t give you what you want?” Where to even start? Love involved trust, right?

Could he learn to again, despite grueling lessons of betrayal? Allies had betrayed him. Almost all Sorceri. His own family! Since then, he’d resolved never to dive into that quicksand, and he’d never regretted it.

The point was moot anyway.Shecouldn’t trusthim. “I can’t give what I don’t possess,” he said with such surety.

Yetsomethinghad happened over these hours. He relived that day in Sorselan when he’d traversed over dunes before coming upon his oasis.

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