into space for a moment. But Gillian realized that no matter how distracted she got, her hand stayed on Shayne’s.
“Wise men tell us to kill the things we love before they grow great enough to hurt us.”
“What a terrible thing to say,” Gillian said with a shudder. “You can’t believe that.”
“Whether I believe it or not, there would be no way for me to fulfill it. I might as well carve out my own heart as harm one of my lovers.”
She stood.
Now that Gillian looked at Galia closely, she could see that they were not identical, though very close. Galia’s nose was just a shade longer, her eyes just a bit wider. There was a scar that nicked her jaw line, and a smatter of copper freckles across her cheeks.
“I know that he is not mine,” Galia said. “I know this. Even if I were alive, he is not the man I love. Still, he is whole and sound, and…” She paused and sighed. “It reminds me of a time that would be best forgotten.”
“Would you give up your memories?” Gillian asked quietly.
Galia lifted her chin proudly.
“I would sooner give up my life.” She gave Gillian a tiny smile. “I do not always do what is best.”
She reached to a side table for a crown of sparks that Gillian hadn’t noticed. As she set it on her head, it made her look every inch a goddess. Her face went blank.
“I can feel it happening,” Galia said. “I can feel myself forgetting. You should wake him now and leave. For all things, a price must be paid, and this is mine. Take him.”
Gillian hurried to Shayne’s side and shook his shoulder. To her relief, he woke immediately. Though he looked startled, Gillian put a finger to his lips.
“Come on,” she said softly, “We’re leaving.”
He stared at Galia, who was turning to the window. “Is that–”
“Yes,” Gillian whispered. “Come on.”
They tiptoed to the door and slipped out, closing it behind them. They hadn’t gone but a dozen steps down the hallway, when they heard it. Galia’s shriek was like an animal being gutted. Shayne started to turn, but Gillian grabbed his arm.
“There’s nothing we can do for her,” she said. Her voice sounded harsh in her own ears. “There’s nothing we can do. Come on.”
Galia was a memory, or maybe not even that. She was a ghost of a memory. There was another shriek, and Gillian nearly broke into a run, tugging Shayne along. No one should suffer like that, not even a ghost.
“What happened?” Shayne asked, catching up to her. “Are you all right?” In response, Gillian pulled him out of the main hallway and into an alcove. “Gillian, what–”
“Shut up,” she said, and kissed him fiercely.
He was fine, he was whole, and he was alive.
CHAPTER EIGHT
MOVING PAST THE growing and increasingly agitated crowd, Gillian and Shayne made their way back to the small library. Shayne closed the door, and lit a fireball in the dark. He dragged a table from across the room and blocked the only entrance.
“So are you going to tell me what happened?” he said, turning back to her.
There was so much to tell, but she started at the beginning.
“I took more dragon’s eye seed,” she said.
Shayne stiffened. “Are you all right? You don’t feel ill?”
She realized she had a headache, but only a small one.
“I feel fine. But it seems like I could have waited. If you could see Galia, I don’t think I needed it.”
“I saw a shape. I could see there was a woman, but that was all.”
“I think she kidnapped you while you slept.” Gillian thought back to their conversation. “But she never meant you harm.” In fact, quite the opposite. “She’s trapped in a cycle and, for a little while, you gave her hope.” Shayne cocked his head at her. “I’m not sure I can explain it.” She shook her head. “I’m not sure I even understand it.” Then she remembered the delegation from Cush. “But while I was searching for you, I think I may have figured out how to get the gate open.”
Shayne
“Wise men tell us to kill the things we love before they grow great enough to hurt us.”
“What a terrible thing to say,” Gillian said with a shudder. “You can’t believe that.”
“Whether I believe it or not, there would be no way for me to fulfill it. I might as well carve out my own heart as harm one of my lovers.”
She stood.
Now that Gillian looked at Galia closely, she could see that they were not identical, though very close. Galia’s nose was just a shade longer, her eyes just a bit wider. There was a scar that nicked her jaw line, and a smatter of copper freckles across her cheeks.
“I know that he is not mine,” Galia said. “I know this. Even if I were alive, he is not the man I love. Still, he is whole and sound, and…” She paused and sighed. “It reminds me of a time that would be best forgotten.”
“Would you give up your memories?” Gillian asked quietly.
Galia lifted her chin proudly.
“I would sooner give up my life.” She gave Gillian a tiny smile. “I do not always do what is best.”
She reached to a side table for a crown of sparks that Gillian hadn’t noticed. As she set it on her head, it made her look every inch a goddess. Her face went blank.
“I can feel it happening,” Galia said. “I can feel myself forgetting. You should wake him now and leave. For all things, a price must be paid, and this is mine. Take him.”
Gillian hurried to Shayne’s side and shook his shoulder. To her relief, he woke immediately. Though he looked startled, Gillian put a finger to his lips.
“Come on,” she said softly, “We’re leaving.”
He stared at Galia, who was turning to the window. “Is that–”
“Yes,” Gillian whispered. “Come on.”
They tiptoed to the door and slipped out, closing it behind them. They hadn’t gone but a dozen steps down the hallway, when they heard it. Galia’s shriek was like an animal being gutted. Shayne started to turn, but Gillian grabbed his arm.
“There’s nothing we can do for her,” she said. Her voice sounded harsh in her own ears. “There’s nothing we can do. Come on.”
Galia was a memory, or maybe not even that. She was a ghost of a memory. There was another shriek, and Gillian nearly broke into a run, tugging Shayne along. No one should suffer like that, not even a ghost.
“What happened?” Shayne asked, catching up to her. “Are you all right?” In response, Gillian pulled him out of the main hallway and into an alcove. “Gillian, what–”
“Shut up,” she said, and kissed him fiercely.
He was fine, he was whole, and he was alive.
CHAPTER EIGHT
MOVING PAST THE growing and increasingly agitated crowd, Gillian and Shayne made their way back to the small library. Shayne closed the door, and lit a fireball in the dark. He dragged a table from across the room and blocked the only entrance.
“So are you going to tell me what happened?” he said, turning back to her.
There was so much to tell, but she started at the beginning.
“I took more dragon’s eye seed,” she said.
Shayne stiffened. “Are you all right? You don’t feel ill?”
She realized she had a headache, but only a small one.
“I feel fine. But it seems like I could have waited. If you could see Galia, I don’t think I needed it.”
“I saw a shape. I could see there was a woman, but that was all.”
“I think she kidnapped you while you slept.” Gillian thought back to their conversation. “But she never meant you harm.” In fact, quite the opposite. “She’s trapped in a cycle and, for a little while, you gave her hope.” Shayne cocked his head at her. “I’m not sure I can explain it.” She shook her head. “I’m not sure I even understand it.” Then she remembered the delegation from Cush. “But while I was searching for you, I think I may have figured out how to get the gate open.”
Shayne
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