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“Find the sorceress,” I say.
His jaw hardens. “I will.”
I release him and retreat. Half of me wants him to pursue me, but half of me doesn’t want any more than this. Not yet.
Scaldric turns his back on me and strides out of the cave. I wonder if he’s also retreating from the tension between us. At the mouth of the cave, he lunges into the body of a golden dragon before flying away.
I let the air rush from my lungs and drop to my knees. Exhaustion turns my bones to stone. After crawling over to the bed of furs, I curl on my side. It smells like Scaldric: a dark, bitter scent like burnt toast.
Sleep conquers me after I close my eyes.
* * *
I’m kneelingin the ashes of Quickmire.
It’s night, and moonlight silvers the charred timbers of what was once my home. I’m a woman, cold and shivering, without the defenses of a dragon.
“Pyrah.” I know that gravel-rough voice.
A demon walks from the darkness, his ember eyes burning.
“Rook?” Standing, I hug myself tight. Ashes dirty my knees and knuckles.
“You’re dreaming.”
When I blink, he snaps into sharper focus. “Why are you haunting my dreams?”
“I need to know that you’re safe.”
I hesitate. “I’m fine.”
“That’s not the same thing as safe.” His eyes narrowing, he steps closer to me. “Has Scaldric hurt you?”
“No, not—” I cut myself off.
“Not yet?”
I shake my head, even though I almost said it. “He wants me as his mate.”
“And what doyouwant?”
Anger sharpens the blade of sadness inside me so it cuts that much deeper. “Nothing you can give me.”
He jerks as if I hit him. “That isn’t my fault.”
Pain from his rejection flares again. “How the fuck can you claim it’s not your fault?” I fling the words back in his face.
Rook’s shoulders go rigid as he stands frozen. “I didn’t ask to be half-incubus. I didn’t choose to be a cambion incapable of fathering a child.”
My heartbeat stumbles before pounding back harder. “I never asked you for that.”
“Pyrah.” He falls to his knees and bows his head. “I was so damn terrified of feeling for you when I knew I wasn’t good enough for you. I’m a bastard who can’t even give you a baby. I’m unworthy of you.”
Raw anguish roughens his voice. It hurts just to listen to him.
“No.” I take a shaky breath. “You’re wrong.”
He keeps his head bowed. “Am I?”
