Page 723 of Coal Hearts

Glancing at the bars, I braced myself to see Victor or one of his awful Masters. I had no idea when he was coming for us or what would happen when he did but his promise to see us soon kept echoing in my ears.

But nothing.

The corridor remained as black and as empty as usual. A rat scurried past, its long tail whipping behind it.

Sucking in a breath, I looked across to where Henri slept.

Only...he wasn’t asleep.

His gorgeous grey eyes locked on me, dull and full of pain but brimming with love and affection. “Hey...”

Licking my dry lips, I smiled. “I thought you were asleep.”

“I was.” Swallowing his groan, he shifted to sit upright. “But I felt your stress, and it gave me nightmares.” Leaning back against the frigid rock wall, he scrubbed his face with his hands. His nails were black with dirt and dried blood, his beard thick and hiding half his handsome face. A few threads of silver glittered around his mouth and temples, matching the silver in his eyes.

We’d all aged down here.

The perpetual dark seemed to march us far quicker into a grave.

Even the darkness within Henri hadn’t made him immune to the ravages of healing and hurt.

I knew he was older than me.

I knew he would only get more handsome with age.

But as we sat in the dark waiting for death, I wondered if any of us would hit forty if we didn’t manage to escape.

“How old are you?” I whispered.

He smirked. “Do I look that decrepit?”

“No.” I laughed softly, sadly. “Just...I’ve never asked.”

“I turn thirty on January the first. According to my mother anyway. I don’t have a birth certificate. Not that I’ve seen anyway.”

“The first of January is your birthday?” I blinked. I coughed. If I needed any other signs that Henri was my twin flame, this was it. I’d read that some were born on the same day. Didn’t matter if the years were different—if you shared the same day, it was yet another cosmic union between a single soul that’d been split.

But I don’t know if I was born on January first...

Oh my God.

Yet another synchronicity.

Another push from forces unseen but so much bigger than us.

He frowned, studying my face. He knew without asking. “You’re January the first too?”

I gave him a small shrug. “I celebrate the first, but...I’m like you. I’m not entirely sure if that’s my true date, seeing as I was found and adopted. I was found on the fourth of January, but my father figured I looked a few days old, so he chose the first for a new beginning.”

Henri didn’t speak for the longest moment. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to all these strange similarities between us.”

“I know. Me either.”

He shivered dramatically. “It’s eerie but cool.”

“Isn’t it?” Tears ached. My nose itched. What would I give to tell my parents about the profound connection I’d found on this hellish island? I’d give anything to hug my brother and tell him everything the Vedic mystic said had come true.

You’re destined to destroy each other.