A Flame in the Shadow

inking." I muttere

n the storm outside. The place smelled of mildew and the moisture was thick in the air. His silhouette

k," he said.

te faster I wa

sion unreadable "

wn an alley, but the second I had crossed some invisible line, the pain had lanced

d to pull you out before it triggered, but the rune didn't just recognize your power. It recognized mine, and it

d. "You me

pushed off the wall and star

you going

oing to

know

Sariyah's reign here. it's old, sacred and half-rotten. It's where the portal orignally opened. No

y go t

c. The bond wasn't forged by clean lines and chants. It was a gut reaction of two powers colliding in the wrong

doesn't wo

be roommates until one of u

"That's

't a

because I had not other choice. Now wherever he went, I felt like

over with nausea. The tether between us stretched

think this will

n." Orion's voice wad dry but sharp with an undertone o

older even than Celestial Falls itself. Scortch marks marred the

y opened, where the demons entered the r

o do is stand in an ancient death

ated look. "Try not t

It pulled tight the moment he began the incantation in a language I have never heard before but it caused a stirrin

m with the mark I could feel pulsing just below my collar bone. The same mark I

ned. "Don't move, don't sp

s up brejaking this curse, then

ight like a wire about to snap, but instead of breaking it seared. Fire bl

n blood, whispering in the same language Orion had used but this time I someh

Orion fell to his knees, panting. I staggered back clutching my ribs where the tether pulled tight, as if an inv

d bitterly. "T

eak?" I whispered

isgusted look. "reacted to a blood magic mor

uldn't name, and a man who hated me tethered to my very soul. As I looked at him, shadows curled at h

e. Fire or some sort of divine punishment. Instead, there was just

llowed, never far enough for the tether between us to tighten. His shadows s

king the city. The wind howled up

id, turning around and dropping to sit

Sorry but I could do without a heart-to-heart w

lf, you leapt onto that rune like you were swan diving into

arms. "You

ic." He shot back. "I'm

use now we are shackled in

, Flame, the honeymoon is off to a great st

ling me Flame. Stop acting like

completely. "Why? The look

ars welling up in my eyes. The bond h

me. "Look, I know

by a monster in a dress and now I am stuck with a walking

complex, but here we are. I know you aren't as upset by this as you would like me to think. Remember I f

tend like you know me, you d

ng off invisible dust. "You triggered something in that square. Not just the bond. Som

e wind was rising. My fire flickered jus

voice tight. "We're st

ancient ruin hiding a forbidden ritual

, dragging my fingers through my

kno

e still he

was light but somethi

arrogance like armor, but I could see the cracks in it now

?" I

And because if you burn down the world, I will be the o

yes. "You're

between us "By the way, the bond is pulsing like a

my hands. "Fine, we do

thing,

h, and I could hear Or