The Seasonal Debt

r of the marble floor. I did not reach for the soft glow of a hearth or the gentle flicker of a candle. I reached for the scorching white h

" I sh

wn. It carried the cr

turned their focus to me. They squinted against the light that was pouring from my skin. To a vampire who had lived i

el!" One of th

charged toward the balcony.

that repelled. The rebel was caught in the chest by the invisible wall of heat. He was lifted off his feet and thrown backwar

the distance between himself and the remaining attackers. His silver blade caught the radiance of my aura as he swung. He did not kill th

line!" Sila

ith their own weapons drawn. The sound of clashing steel and

ut of wood. I could feel the golden threads of my gown pulling more than just magic from me. They were pullin

p Elara." S

ink against his white shirt. He did not look tired. He looked invigorated. He grabbed

empty."

ut my hands only flickered. The brilliant

lenty left.

se. His silver e

afraid to burn

t his chest. I could feel the hard muscle of his heart through the

hispered. "Feed off the vacuum

rebel raise a heavy iron bar over a fallen guard I realized I did not have the luxury of purity. I closed my eyes

and into my chest. But instead of extinguishing my spark the cold acted like a bellows. It forced my inte

The rebels shrieked as the sheer intensity of the light blinded them. They dropped their weapons and covered their eyes. They scr

was plunged back into a smoky dim violet. The only sound was the heavy

one for a blade. He looked down at me with a terrifying kind of hunger. It was not the hung

over." Sila

ed to every cor

he lower gates. I want a full report on h

ances at me as they left. I stayed on the floor. I felt like a pile of ash

lock of copper hair behind my ear. His fingers were still cold

ll Elara."

was surpri

ilas continued. "You showed them that I have th

it for you."

him throug

y were going to kill

ot matter to histo

f the ballroom and toward the stairs. I was too tired to fight him. I leaned my head

you taking

rooms." S

ith a stead

he Forge will be twice as hungry tomor

onster Silas

ng on the ed

ntil I am not

g slipped. I saw a flicker of something raw and ancient in his silver eyes. It looked like loneli

eep this world spinning

his walk to

that I do not know the value of

he bed with a surprising amount of gentleness. He did not call f

." Silas

't." I

pillows and star

as. I told you.

ched out and traced the line of my jaw with his thumb. The coldness was a

rovide the spa

t the vacuum of his soul pulling at my core. But this time he was not pushing me to burn

hest. It was not enough to light a forge or a

e Sun." Sila

as cold agai

l be dark." Silas said. "But

d not look back. I heard the lock click a

hated him. I hated everything he stood for. But as I felt the small

of the Spire. And Silas was becoming the only thing