“The games have begun!” a guard shouts from the tunnel, and everyone straightens into the line to wait to be called.
“Skydance is still out there, I know he is working with her.” His body shifts closer behind me. “When the flame controls me, I have no way to stop it. But when it isn’t, I will do everything to keep you safe from them. I can help.”
“Like you helped Alice?” My voice cracks as I say her name.
His voice suddenly shifts to a soft, broken whisper. “I had no idea who she was.”
“So you just kill random people for fun?” My eyes burn, staring straight ahead as a name is called. Jasper. His blonde curls sway as he shoves past a few men and heads out through the tunnel. I don’t know him, but I wish him luck.
“I vowed to kill shifters.”
My eyes widen, exhaling a sarcastic laugh. “Then what about you?”
He grips the leather gloves tightly, yanking me back. “Be careful what you say.”
My eyes drop to where his hand grips, then back to meet his eyes. “And you should be careful I don’t grip that hand of yours with my flesh and watch you burn for what you have done.”
He pulls away slowly,hurtfully.
“You don’t mean that.”
“I do.”
“Koen Fallyn,” the guard shouts, holding the dark scroll between his slender fingers.
Koen sighs, leaning forward to close the space between us and whispers into my ear. “If I die, I promise I will watch over you from the sky. I hope the Gods forgive me for what I have done.”
He slides a letter into my pocket, his finger gently brushing against my outer thigh, making my breath hitch. My eyes flicker downward, watching the white paper slide into my onyx pants. Within seconds, my eyes drift up to meet his lingering gaze. His lips, curled outward so perfectly, feel too close. Dangerously close.
We still don’t know if only my hands burn. Which means he is being reckless, daring to be this close to me, especially with the raging storm that still burns inside me for what he has done to me.
“Don’t.” I catch sight of his eyes closing in agony before he shifts his body away and passes me.
My teeth shut, and I hold my breath as I watch him leave. His dark curls sway as he walks, before he pulls them back into a messy bun and vanishes in the tunnel.
I whip my gaze away, my trembling hand brushing against my eyes so swiftly that no one notices my weakness.
Damn him.
Damn these feelings.
My heart beats at the speed of light. Any minute it might rip from my chest and chase after him, because my heart knows, even if my mind might not, that no matter what… I love him.
Even if everything inside me screams to hate him, my mind begs for revenge.
My knee bounces as I cross my arms, sucking in deep breaths as I anxiously await to see him return. The screams and cheers of those in the arena outside make my stomach roll like thousandsof snakes. Are they screaming because he is surviving… or screaming because he is dying?
The line has already shortened. Four, including Koen, have gone out to ride, and none have returned. Koen better return.
My fingers glide over the edges of the paper that sticks out from my pocket. My heart screams to open it, to read what he has written to me, but my mind forbids me to. Controlling me.
Screw it.
I swiftly remove it, unfolding it so fast as if time is not on my side.
My heart races with each unfold, my fingers trembling as I anxiously wait to read it.
My spark,
