Page 85 of Kiss of Light

Raya nodded.

“Good. That’s something. I’ll let Shade know. I’m having a hell of a time keeping him from storming over every five minutes.”

“I appreciate it, my Lady.”

“I told you. Call me Raya. Shade cares very much for Tala but he can’t do anything for her. I suspect you can.”

“What do you mean?”

“You heard the healers. If she has a reason to return, she will. So give her a reason.”

He smiled ruefully.

“My feelings are so obvious?”

“Only to people who know what it is to be in love. Believe me. Love savedmylife. I know how powerful it can be.”

Lemar nodded slowly.

“One day, you’ll have to tell me the story of how you tamed the Lord of the Jinn.”

“Hm. Not sure I’ve tamed him. Mellowed him a little, maybe. But yes, I’d be happy to tell you the story. And in return, you can catch me up on a few things in the human world.”

“Do you miss it?”

“Not really. A couple of things. Christmas trees. Netflix. But to be honest, the last ten years kind of sucked for me. Until Shade.”

“As you say. Love is powerful.”

“Yes, it is. So go bring your girl back.”

He bowed to her and she left.

He ate half the steak. It wasn’t rare enough, he would have preferred raw, but he didn’t want to hurt Raya’s feelings. Then he curled up again next to Tala and put his lips close to her ear.

“Listen carefully, shaitun. Wherever you are, I want you to hear this. You have my heart. So bring it back.”

He didn’t know what else to say. Exhaustion washed over him as dawn approached. He wrapped his arms around her and fought it as long as he could. But eventually the fatigue won. It always did.

He fell into his daylight dormancy and was tormented by nightmares. Not dreams of blood and violence like before. This time it was the terror of grief and loss.

Over and over, he dreamed of Tala slipping from his arms high above Nush’aldaam. Over and over, he watched her lifeless body spiral away from him. And every single time it felt like his heart was being ripped from his chest.

Thirty Six

Sometime towards the end of the third day, the deathly toll extracted by the light-bringer ran its course. Tala’s skin slowly lost its clamminess. Her respiration grew deeper, more peaceful. She didn’t waken, but her heartbeat gained strength and colour flooded her cheeks.

She turned in her sleep and curled against Lemar, tucking her head under his chin. When he roused at sunset, he felt her breath feathering against his throat, warm and regular.

Hardly daring to believe it, he brushed her blonde mane from her face and felt her forehead with the back of his hand. Normal.

She murmured something unintelligible and turned over, pushing herself back into the curve of his body. He clasped her round the waist, careful not to squeeze too tightly, and thought he might yell to the rooftops with relief.

He lay with her for the next hour but knew he ought to tell Lord Shadeed and Raya. Quietly, he left her side, pausing only to brush her lips with his own.

He let himself out of the bedroom and found a tall, thin man dressed in long black robes waiting outside. The man gave a small bow.

“Count Lemar, I am Pasha, Lord Shadeed’s chief steward. May I offer you anything?”

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