Born of Fire

Syn watched her leave. His heart begged for him to call her back.

This time he ignored it. He was through with that part of himself. The part of him that was weak and thought it needed someone in his life.

He would listen to it no more.

All he wanted was peace and solitude away from people who lied and deceived him. The only guarantee he’d ever had in this life was that he would never betray himself.

Taking as deep a breath as he could, he closed his eyes and vowed to think no more of Shahara.

Nero stepped forward. “She does love you, Syn. If it’s any consolation.”

He rolled his eyes, then hissed at the pain it caused.

Nero knelt down by his side and used his powers to heal him. Syn cursed as pain swept through him, only to fade. The last part to heal was his jaw.

He met Nero’s gaze. “Thanks.”

“Anytime. Should I go get Shahara now?”

“No. I don’t want her around me.”

“Syn—”

“Don’t waste your breath, Scalera. I’m tired of being lied to. I don’t even know what to believe where she’s concerned.”

“She can’t lie to me. You know that.”

“And I’m not you. I don’t come with a lie detector. Hell, even yours is defective at times.” What they’d had, whatever it was, was over.

He didn’t want to live like that. Besides, he wasn’t out of trouble yet. They were taking him to his mother for a trial . . .

Yeah, like that was going to go well for him.

Weeks went by slowly as Shahara fought with herself about whether or not she should visit Syn in his new cell. There was no doubt in her mind that he hated her.

Would always hate her.

Even so, she wanted to see how he was doing. See if maybe she could do something to help him.

She missed him so much that it became a terrible physical agony that prevented her from eating or sleeping. From doing anything other than aching for him.

Finally, she could stand no more. Even if he beat her and threw her out of his cell, she had to see him again.

Try one last time.

With that thought, she’d flown to Gondara.

Now she waited outside the minimum-security ward while the guards searched the pack she’d brought for Syn. “Okay, Seax Dagan,” the guard said at last. “You may enter.”

“Thank you.” She took her pack from the guards. “Which cell?”

“LD 204.” The guard pressed the release for the series of doors that led down a narrow corridor to the individual cells. It was visiting hours and all the inmates were confined to their rooms.

With a deep breath for courage, Shahara headed down the long line of cells. A two inch square window was cut at eye level in each door, but she resisted the urge to look inside. She didn’t want to see what misery the inmates felt.

She’d been responsible for putting too many of them in here. And she couldn’t help but wonder how many of them she’d wrongfully confined.

As soon as she reached the correct door, the guards buzzed her in. Her hands shaking in fear of her reception, she gently pushed the steel door open.

Syn sat on his cot, his back to her while he gazed out the window onto a courtyard below. His blue prison suit actually looked good against his dark skin and hair and it made her want to take a bite out of him.

But he wouldn’t be receptive to her right now.

He didn’t move at all, which made her wonder what he was thinking about that had him so distracted.

She cleared her throat before she spoke. “I heard you’ll be out soon.”

He jerked around to face her.

For just an instant, she glimpsed his delight, then his face quickly turned stoic. “What are you doing here?”

Ignoring his question, she placed her pack on the small table next to the door.

She’d forgotten just how good he looked when he was freshly shaved and groomed. How absolutely devastating.

Most of all, she’d forgotten how fierce a personality he possessed. Traveling with him, she’d gotten used to it, but now . . .

Now she was well aware of that deadly undercurrent.

“You look a lot better than the last time I saw you.” He didn’t answer.

Sighing at his cold demeanor, she pulled the metal chair back from the table and sat down. “I had the overseer give you permission to run your business out of here. When I called Nykyrian about it, he was more than happy to turn everything over to me. He also sent a bunch of stuff for you to sign.”

She waited, but he never responded.

“Nykyrian also told me to tell you he was sick and tired of running a business he barely understood and that he wished you’d get off your butt and tend to it yourself. He gave me a portable and a bunch of logs and invoice chips from your manager. And in case you haven’t heard, Kiara’s father has dropped all charges against you and The Sentella.”

Again silence answered her.

Well, what did you expect? “Ah, gee, Shahara, how nice to see you again? I understand completely why you turned me over to be tortured by someone you knew wanted me dead. Thank you, sweetness.”