Page 100 of Shadow's Heart

Adham resurrected to waves of pain. He comprehended where he was and his lack of air. Soon he would suffocate again, only to be resurrected.

He would accept this fate if he could save Kosmina first. How much time had passed since she’d been taken?Must reach her.

How? Mangled body. Withered power.

He shoved against the stones trapping him. His futile efforts only brought him closer to that ghoul claw. Had it eked out another inch closer?

Consciousness faded once more.Need air. Need?—

Air?

For the second time in Nightside, it washed over him to fill his emptied lungs.

Over the sound of his hacking coughs, he heard other immortals. Two males were arguing as they dug him out. He tried to yell,Mind the ghoul!But his jaw was shattered.

Hands clamped his limp body. As they lifted him from the last of the rubble, he narrowly missed that still-buried claw.

Someone managed to prop him up against a boulder. Through the blood in his eyes, two shapes grew visible. He blinked until he made out appearances: one had dark-blond hairand blue eyes. The other had red eyes, pale hair, and a fierce countenance.

Vampires.

The red-eyed one crouched before Adham. “A burial in rock, huh? Not as lengthy as my burial was, but it probably got your attention. If I weren’t on a mission, I’d have gotten you to sign my new ledger for your freedom.”

Ledger.As Silt’s sight cleared, he recognized the Enemy of Old from their last meeting ages ago.

“You’re the sorcerer I scented with my niece,” the vampire said. “Do I know you from somewhere?”

Adham tried to answer, could barely move his broken jaw.

Realizing the problem, Lothaire’s attention dipped to Adham’s chest, to his ripped shirt. He reached forward and tore away the bloody cloth to reveal tattooed skin. “I never forget a tattoo. You’re Silt Harea, the Sandman. Where’s Kosmina? Just nod in her direction.”

An immortal as old as Lothaire could possibly save her! Adham managed to nod toward the hive entrance, shocked to find the landslide had blocked it. He grunted, “Ghous . . . too . . . er. Save . . . er!”

“Aww. Has little Mina made a conquest?”

“In ountain.Dig!” They could get through those boulders quickly enough.

Lothaire followed his gaze, then turned back to assess Adham. “You wouldn’t have separated from her unless tons of rock had covered you. So that landslide must have struck before you could get to her. It probably happened during that big quake last night.” An entire night had passed? “Which means she’s been captive of the ghouls at least since then.”

Yes, yes, go fucking get her!

“Well, that is disappointing.” Lothaire stood. “Kristoff, the mission has changed.”

Kristoff? The one Kosmina had wanted was here for her. Adham didn’t care as long as the Gravewalker saved her. “Changed to what?”

“The assassination of a Dacian princess.”

Noo!Adham thrashed his wasted body again.

Lothaire said, “The ghouls will have infected her. She’s even now one among them.”

Adham had two immediate foes: ghoul contagion and these vampires. If he didn’t regain his sorcery, he’d lose Kosmina to one or both.

He glared down at his frame, at the compound fractures and crushed bones. He was more helpless than he’d been as an Inferi.

No sorcery. No Kosmina.

Her earlier words whispered through his mind:You are magic.

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