Sorceress, Interrupted - By A. J. Menden Page 0,93

suddenly scared to death of his reaction. “You’re not going to age. You’re not going to get sick. It’s likely you’re never going to die, though I wouldn’t go out of your way to test that theory, because you’ll still feel pain.”

“How in the world did you do that?” He looked a bit scared. “What did you do?”

“The hex was eating your soul.” I took a deep breath. “So I gave you a part of mine. A rather big part, actually.”

He was quiet, just looking at me like he was still trying to digest this piece of information.

“So,” I said, trying to keep my tone light, “that’s why you’re somewhat like me now. You’re frozen in time like I am. And that’s also why everything is more intense between the two of us. We’ve got a soul connection, because we’re sharing part of the same soul.”

Again, he didn’t speak.

“It’s not all gravy, if you’re thinking it is.” I hoped he was pleased by what I’d done, but I’d made an enormous decision without his consent. Wasn’t I the one bemoaning my immortal fate only hours ago? He needed to know the whole truth. “It also means—or likely means—that if one of us is hurt, so will be the other one. Wesley said it’s possible that if one of us is killed, the other would pass on, too. I don’t really know for sure, because no one’s ever done anything like this. Not that I know of. Lainey has a small part of Wesley’s soul, but you’ve gotten a sizable chunk of mine.”

Cyrus finally broke his silence. “That took a lot out of him, when your father cast that spell. That’s when he lost a lot of his powers.”

I shrugged. “It was really more the resurrection spell he cast on Lainey, but I’m sure the soul donation didn’t help.”

“How much did you give?” he asked.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. It doesn’t matter, though. But . . . I’m definitely not the most powerful magic-user on the planet anymore. I’m down on a level playing field with the rest of you.”

He shook his head. “Wow, sweetheart. When you go for the grand gesture, you go for it big-time.”

I couldn’t read his reaction. “Are you upset?”

“Why would I be upset you did all of that to save me?” He shook his head. “If anything, I’m wondering if I’m worth the effort. If I’m worthy of the sacrifice you’ve made.”

I gave him a little smile. “I think you are.”

He smiled back. “You know what this means, don’t you?”

“What?”

“You’re stuck with me. Forever. Quite literally, too, unless we find out that we can be killed.”

I hadn’t thought about that, exactly. “Well, let’s try not to find that out.”

“It’s an awfully big commitment,” he said.

“I know.” But I was also aware of something else: I wasn’t alone anymore. I had unwittingly made myself a companion, someone who wasn’t going to age and die. Someone who wasn’t going to leave me. Well, not unless he wanted. Would he want to?

“I’ve got to warn you, I’m a bit terrified of commitment,” he said.

I understood. “Look who you’re talking to.”

He grinned. “Want to give it the first hundred years or so and see how it goes?”

I couldn’t help the smile on my face. “A century sounds great.” A century with Cyrus seemed like the best thing that had happened to me in millennia.

We sealed our pact with a kiss. And then another and then another. And then, when it seemed like we were headed back into territory that would keep us occupied for far too long, considering what was happening with the EHJ, I said, “We’d better be getting back with my father and the others. We’ve still got to try to get to Dylan before he can get to the Dragon.” Part of me was enjoying the idea of helping the world now. It seemed there was so much more to save.

Cyrus shrugged. “I know exactly where he is, and we still have time.”

“We have other things to do, too,” I reminded him. “There’s just the Cult of the Dragon to get through before we have to fight him.”

“Only that,” Cyrus agreed amiably.

“And the kid’s hopped up on powers not his own. Neither of us is powerful enough to stop him.”

“Well, we’ll be able to wear him down, maybe. Or perhaps we can punt him into another dimension or something, like what Wesley did to the Dragon. It’s not like he can kill you or anything. Did you