The Whitefire Crossing - By Courtney Schafer Page 0,151

I’d glimpsed in Kiran when Cara had asked him about a lover, and the sick look on his face when he’d talked of the ritual. If Ruslan had tortured his lover to death in front of him, no wonder he’d run.

“Lizaveta came to you...” Kiran’s mouth twisted. “I thought she cared. I should have known she’d be just as soulless as you.”

“Lizaveta came to me out of love for you,” Ruslan said sternly, that condescending look back on his face. He stood and spread his hands. “Kiran, the time for games has ended. Now you will come home.”

Khalmet’s bloodsoaked hand, he said it with the same casual unconcern as a handler calling his Tainters in from a successful job. Kiran echoed my incredulity.

“Come home, just like that? After what you’ve done?” His laugh was a terrible sound, grating and broken. “You don’t even see what a monster you are.”

“Enough of this foolishness.” Ruslan took a step forward. “Would you prefer to be the plaything of an akheli like Simon?”

Kiran flinched. Ruslan nodded in satisfaction. “Oh yes, I know how Simon treated his so-called apprentices. Pitiful brain-burned creatures...killing them was a mercy. Whereas I raised you, trained you, offered you power and protection, and made you akheli, the greatest gift it is possible to give. How, then, am I the monster?”

Gods, he really thought himself reasonable. But then, all the truly sick bastards did. Red Dal, Tavian, Ruslan...the scale might be different, but the type was the same.

Kiran stared at Ruslan, his eyes dark. “I loved Alisa, and you killed her. No, more than killed her—you stole not only her life from her, but her pain, her tears, her blood...” His breathing went ragged, his fists trembling. I winced, thinking of the crushing weight of my fear for Cara when I’d realized Ruslan was a blood mage. She’d survived Ruslan’s visit, but if she hadn’t, the pain would’ve torn me raw.

Ruslan made an angry, dismissive noise. “What must I do to make you understand? She was nothing. The nathahlen are as far below us as animals.”

And this was the man Pello had wanted to save. Ruslan and Simon were two of a kind, far as I could see. How Sechaveh slept at night, I didn’t know.

“She wasn’t nothing! She was beautiful, and kind, and good, and giving!” Kiran’s voice spiraled out of control. “All you do is take, and manipulate, and kill!” His face was anguished. “I’ll destroy myself and my magic before I’ll live as you do!”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Ruslan’s voice was cold. “My patience, long though it has been, is now at an end. If you act as a spoiled child, you force me to treat you like one.” He drew himself up, his face going intent.

Kiran flinched and put a hand to his temple. My fingers dug futile furrows over stone. Shaikar take Ruslan and his cursed magic! I hated being so fucking helpless.

Kiran’s hand dropped. He laughed wildly, his fingers going to the sigil on his chest. “All that backlash...the mark-binding link hasn’t restabilized yet. You can’t control me...”

Run, I willed him. Khalmet’s hand, what was he waiting for?

Ruslan’s face darkened. “Do not provoke me.” He raised a hand sheathed in red fire.

Kiran raised his own hands. The air before him burst into azure flame, just as a crackling, seething web of light arrowed from Ruslan’s hand. Blue and crimson sparks cascaded to the ground, and Kiran staggered backward. He clawed a hand through the air. Dimly glowing lines blazed into furious life, spitting arcs at Ruslan. Ruslan’s mouth twisted in a snarl as he blocked them with a shield of his own, sending more sparks sizzling through the air.

Kiran turned and ran, disappearing into the meadow. Ruslan followed. A bright flash threw sharp shadows across the scarred cave floor, and a crashing boom made me flinch. Overhead came the ominous grind of rocks shifting. Dust sifted down in front of my nose.

“Shit,” I said in a heartfelt whisper. If they kept at it, the entire rock face would collapse and crush me into jelly. Of course, my other option was to crawl out and get blasted by Ruslan. Just great. Another explosion followed by a louder, crunching noise overhead made my decision for me. I scooted out of the crevice, praying Ruslan was too busy with Kiran to notice me, and that the amulet around my neck still worked.

Cautiously, I poked my head around the rockpile. Kiran and Ruslan stood facing each other in the meadow,