Marked by Death (Necromancer #1) - Kaje Harper Page 0,39

you,” Darien whispered.

Silas’s voice went harsh. “I was terrified I’d killed you.”

“M-me?”

“By taking everything you gave me and spending it. By letting you feed my power without limits.”

Darien nudged Silas with his chin, his tears easing. “Hey, I’m pretty sure we were all dead if I hadn’t.”

“Yes. But if I had… if I’d sacrificed you to make it home…” A shudder ran down Silas’s body.

Something warm blossomed inside Darien’s chest, realizing the fear went both ways. He wrapped his leg around Silas’s. “But you didn’t. And we both made it. You were damned clever, giving me the power to get out the ghosts like you did. How’d you know I could figure it out?”

“I didn’t.”

“Oh. Well, I guess it was worth a shot.” He forced a grin. “You think I’m smart, huh?”

Silas pushed up on his elbows to look down at Darien. “No, you don’t understand. I didn’t plan that. Any of it. I had no idea I could pass you power in a kiss, and I didn’t try. I just—” He paused. “I wanted you safe. And in that moment, when you suddenly appeared, in the middle of danger, I had to kiss you. Not for a spell, not for power. Just… you.”

“Really?”

“My mentor used to say that doing magic was half runes and knowledge and preparation, and half power and intent. I saw you and everything I wanted for you— all that intent, to keep you safe— went into the kiss.”

Darien was too tired to know what to make of that. Was it scary that they’d muddled through, when he’d thought it was Silas’s clever plan? Was it wonderful that the kiss hadn’t been planned magical strategy? Or was that scary too? He couldn’t seem to get too worked up about any of it. Maybe he’d used up all the adrenaline in his body. He tugged Silas back down. “You’re looming. And I can’t put words together. Just… stay here while we sleep?” He didn’t want to wake and not know where Silas was.

A memory of crawling through the blinding fog, a bundle of hope clutched to his chest, wondering if he’d find Silas in time, made his heart stutter. Maybe I’m not quite out of adrenaline. “Don’t go ’way.”

“I won’t.” Silas arranged them more comfortably, shifting Darien around and hugging up against his back, holding him like he was some kind of furless teddy bear. “I’ve got you. Not letting go.”

Darien closed his eyes, letting himself sink into the softness of the bed and the warmth through the soft cotton pajamas of Silas behind him. There was a thump, then an odd sound. He cracked one eye open to see Grim crouched on the bedside table, lapping at a glass. “Hey?”

Grim eyed them sideways. “Well, no one was drinking this, and my cream failed to appear.”

“Gluttonous beast.” Silas’s tone was more slurred than sharp. “You might as well finish it. Cream later.”

“I thought as much.” Grim sat down and took a swipe at his whiskers with one big paw. “Sleep, you humans. I’ll keep watch, for a while.”

“You d’serve all the cream,” Darien rambled. “You saved our butts.”

“Enough, youngster,” Grim said. “Close your eyes. I’ll remind you of that tomorrow.”

***

Silas wasn’t any more fond of being woken up by an alarm from his wards at the crack of dawn than in the middle of the night. A moment later he heard a pounding on his door. He muttered a curse under his breath and pushed up on one elbow. His entire body felt pummeled, as if the shield of power that had held up under Crosby’s strikes had been his own flesh. He ached all over, and the tug of the clothes he’d slept in made it worse.

Under his arm, Darien shifted and muttered but didn’t wake. The boy— man— had slept restlessly, quieting best when Silas held him close. In the thin morning light through the curtains, the streak of silver hair and the fine lines in Darien’s face were clearly etched. Not temporary, not a hallucination. Not that he’d thought they were. Power came at a price, and he’d been terrified Darien’s would be far higher than some years off his life. Still was worried. Please the gods, let this be all there is.

A pounding from below reminded him why he’d woken. From somewhere down by his feet, Grim huffed an impatient sound and sat up, head cocked. “Oh, it’s Professor Ferngold. You go deal with him. I’ll keep watch on your tasty morsel here.”