Born of Fire

C’mon, boy, heartaches come and they go. You know that better than anyone.

Yeah, they did go eventually. But the pain remained forever. And even if he lived a thousand years, he knew the pain of losing her would haunt him every moment of it.

How do I give up someone who loves me?

The same way you always have. In the end, she’ll be just like Paden and will learn to hate you, too. Just a matter of time.

It was true. Closing his eyes, he tried to blot out the image of her peaceful body resting in his arms.

Gods, what had she done to him?

But then he knew. She’d touched him deeper than anyone ever had. Her touch had branded his soul, and no matter how much he might wish otherwise, he’d never be able to let her go. Not without tearing out his heart.

Because in the end, he loved her, too.

What the hell—you’ll get used to the pain. Just like you’ve always gotten used to everything misfortune has tossed your way.

He heard her approach the doors. Moving away from them, he picked up their packs and tried to act as nonchalant as possible.

She was still plaiting her hair as she joined him.

He cleared his throat. “Are you ready for this?”

She wrinkled her nose in distaste, and yet the expression wrung his gut. How could any woman be beautiful while looking so disgusted? “Not really. But if we must go risk our lives and run into more people wanting to kill us . . .”

He didn’t respond as he hailed Vik. “What’s your status?”

“Annoyed.”

In spite of everything, he laughed. “What’s going on out there?”

“Street’s basically clear. There’s a couple on the corner in a rover about to have sex—nasty people doing private things in public, get a room, you no-home-trained plebs. Other than that . . . looks promising.”

Syn slung his pack over his shoulder, then held hers out for her. Once she had it in place, he led her out of the building and made sure he ignored the couple in the rover.

Shahara frowned at his continued coldness as she followed after him. What had happened while she slept?

Well, that’s the last time I ever fall asleep around you, buddy.

“You always wake up this pissy?”

He arched single brow at her. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. You were normal when I went to sleep. Now you’re like Kasen on a bender. Someone give you a willie while I was out of it?”

“I have no response for that.” His tone was completely dry.

She gave him no reprieve. “Yeah, well, if you were a woman, I’d swear you were on your period.”

Syn paused to gape at her. “You do know I am my father’s son, right? People don’t talk to me that way and live.”

“Oh, like I fear you. Never. Besides, a fight might dislodge whatever has crawled up your sphincter and bring back the much nicer version of you. No offense, but I miss that Syn.”

“Do you talk to you brother like this?”

“All the time.”

Syn shook his head. “And he worships you for it? I knew Caillen was certifiable.”

She made a hissing noise at him.

And still he was charmed by her. Even while she insulted him. I’m the one who’s certifiable.

Shahara let out a sigh as she watched him move up a little to lead the way. Tempted to shoot him, she looked up at Vik, who was keeping pace with them.

She just didn’t understand what had happened to him. He’d been so tender at the hotel.

I should never have told him I loved him. It was a mistake of titanic proportions. Now she’d lost her connection to him because he was too stubborn to accept the fact that someone could care about him.

I’m so sorry, baby. He lived in such a harsh place that she wasn’t sure anything would ever reach him there.

Trying to push that thought away, she scanned the street, amazed at how empty it’d become in such a short period of time. Absolutely no one was anywhere to be found. It was almost as if someone had dropped a virus bomb, killing all inhabitants and leaving just the buildings behind. If not for the lights twinkling dimly in the thick darkness, she would have really become suspicious. “Where is everyone?”

Syn followed the line of her gaze up to a nearby building. “They’ve taken refuge for the night. Shasra is a dangerous place after dark.”

“Dangerous? How so?”

“The temperature drops so low that you can freeze to death in minutes if you’re not careful.”

A twinge of fear skidded up her spine. “We’re not dressed for extremely cold weather.”

“I know.” His blasè tone alarmed her all the more. “Relax, I don’t intend for us to be out here all that long.”

That was supposed to comfort her?

“Yes, but in case it has escaped your astute attention, Captain Obvious, things keep happening to us that we don’t plan on.”