Song of the fireborn

g descended fr

ind him like a shadow. His presence filled the space, commanding, suffocating. T

body begged

pulse thunder

me. Close enough that I had to

n his lips, slow

e you where

h me, but I held my

eady. "That would be a waste

ust amused him, but there was s

ping my bag tighter. "

His expression turned to stone, unreadable but hea

I said, my voice firmer

enc

ment, he just

almost thoughtful, "you tell the stories you

something old-something

estroyed our kind, then changed the

. "You're

flickered

p my voice from shaking. "If you we

rst time, a flicker of something

, shaking his head slightly, as i

ou the satisfac

f he expected me to be afraid, t

n. "You're just

nto a smirk this time,

tepped ev

old, but thick with something unseen, something

awful," he

ned. "Ex

if I were nothing more than dirt on his sh

I wasn't exactly planning

uckle. "And yet, here you are. L

bit down on the anger

asting a glance toward the gua

way," he sa

mach d

ai

ved before I

ed my arms, yank

inst their gri

barely spared me

r in th

loded in

rder, my voice rising. "I have to

e toward the doors,

d, I fought... but

shouted, his voice ri

d he wasn't smirking anymore. Instea

ything?" His voice was quieter now,

in short, des

needs me,"

-hoped-something in his

might re

might le

, "That's how I scre

ent and his blue ey

o one

mmed into me

suffocating, filled

s back on me and