Court Of Shadows and Lies

17. Tangled in Flames

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was a dark sky, dotted with stars. For a moment, I smiled, caught in the peaceful illusion. But then it all came rushing back.

The cell. Those filthy men. The fire. Magic. That man.

I shot up, my eyes widening as panic gripped me, but the sudden movement made me feel like I was sliding.

"AAAAAAAAAAAA!! WHAT THE HELL—"

A scream tore from my throat, but then I felt a firm grip yank me back by the collar of the oversized shirt I was wearing.

I twisted around, and there he was. The man. The one with those strange, haunting eyes. His expression was completely blank, as if nothing had happened.

I glanced down again, realizing where we were. A roof? Seriously?

The surface was slanted, and I was barely balancing on it.

"Where are we? What happened to that bathing house?" I demanded, my voice sharp as I tried to regain my composure.

He shrugged. A shrug? I slapped my forehead in exasperation. “Don’t tell me you can’t talk.”

“I can,” he said, his voice as neutral as his face.

I glared up at him. “Then what happened to the house?”

“Fire. Burnt down everything.”

My eyes widened. “Do you realize what you did? There were people inside! The slaves—"

He didn’t even flinch, just looked down at his hands, muttering, “Can’t control.”

I stared at him, caught between anger and disbelief. Is this what the curse looks like?

I remembered the passage in the tome— the one that spoke of the Zerane bloodline, their powers spiraling out of control, destroying everything in their path.

He is dangerous. A walking catastrophe. And yet, he saved me. Damn it.

I noticed the distant smoke rising in the sky, proof of the devastation left behind.

He pointed towards the smoke. "Fire. Me. You."

I sighed, rubbing my temples as the weight of it all settled in. "I get it," I muttered, more to myself than him. He was a curse in human form, and now I was tangled in it. But there was no going back.

I shot him a cold look. “Listen, I didn’t drag you out of there just for you to destroy everything. If we’re going to survive, you better learn to get a grip. Understand?”

He didn’t respond, just stared at me with those unsettling eyes, as if my words didn’t even register.

Great. A sorcerer who can’t control his power and can barely talk. Perfect.

This was going to be a nightmare. But for now, he was my only option, and I was his only chance.

I noticed a dark bruise marring his face, a thin cut running along his cheekbone. Without thinking, my hand reached for it. The moment my fingers brushed his skin, I froze, realizing what I had done.

What am I doing?

I tried to pull back, but his hand shot up, catching mine in an iron grip. His hold wasn’t rough, but firm enough to stop me from retreating. My breath hitched as he slowly guided my palm back to his cheek. His skin was warm, almost burning under my touch.

I stared at him, stunned. His eyes fluttered shut, and he just… stayed like that. My palm pressed against his face, and he didn’t say a word. The silence stretched between us, and all I could hear was the faint crackle of distant fire and the soft rasp of his breathing.