Page 22 of Kiss of Fire

“I do not think that is a good idea, Suraya.”

“Stop calling me Suraya. Only people who want to control me call me that. And you’re not going to control me any more. Leave me alone. Deal’s off.”

She turned away, her heart numb. He was right. Of course he was right. Hadn’t she known it all along?

She had killed them. Ross. Caroline. She had been so overwhelmed by fear that she had caused an inferno and incinerated them. Burned them alive.

She started shaking.

Did they suffer? Did they feel their flesh charring from their bones? Did they know it was her?

Even the demon had perished in the blaze. She understood that now. But her childhood mind had altered the facts to makehimthe killer. Because that was more palatable than the truth.

Shade grabbed her arm and swung her round violently.

“You think you are the only one who has suffered loss?” His blue eyes blazed as he towered over her. “I am trying to preserve an empire from falling into the hands of darkness. I have lost friends and allies, and I do not intend to lose any more. I cannot afford to have you crumble with your weak human heart. I am holding you to your promise. The deal is most definitely on.”

Anger spilled into Raya. It flooded through her body and into her ‘weak human heart’, making it pound against her ribs.

“You’d better hope I don’t find my powers when you’re anywhere near me,” she said quietly. “Because the first thing I’m going to do is burn your eyeballs out.”

He lowered his head towards hers, his eyes flints of ice.

“Are you threatening me?”

“Oh, very definitely. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the ten years I was locked up, it’s that bullies don’t respond to anything else.”

He stared into her furious black eyes and for the merest instant he thought he saw an amber flicker in their depths.

“It is right to grieve for those you lost,” he said quietly. “But do not mistake me for the enemy, Raya. The one who deserves your anger is the one who sent that demon. And I believe we have a common foe.”

“What if I can’t forgive myself for what I did?”

“Then use it. Use that guilt and anger to make a difference. Like I am trying to do.”

His sincerity jolted her. She wanted to ask what had happened to leave him with so much guilt and anger, but his face closed up again and the moment was gone.

Then Magda came running towards them, her short legs carrying her at an impressive speed. She’d ditched the red bobble hat for an equally ridiculous furry trapper’s hat, the ear-flaps bouncing up and down as she ran.

“My Lord, I do not know how… this has never happened. I’ve failed at my post, I humbly beg forgiveness…”

Raya was astounded to see the old woman’s face wreathed in fear.

“What is it, Magda? What’s happened?”

“It must have been sometime in the early hours.” Magda’s voice dropped to a whisper as she twisted her hands unhappily. “I was so distracted by everything, I was late strengthening the warding spells around the Gate. Only by a matter of minutes but something… something came through.”

Shade stiffened.

“What is it? Which beast?”

Beast?Raya looked from one to the other. The old woman looked as if she was about to burst into tears.

“Eight hundred years of guarding the Gate, and this is the first time…”

“Gatekeeper!” Shade roared impatiently and Magda cowered, hands over her ears.

“A jotnar, Lord Shadeed. A jotnar came through and it’s headed for the mountains. I found its footprints.”

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