“Stay alive, Calysian.” His expression turns almost tender. “Would you mourn me, sweetheart?” I level him with a hard stare. “No. If you left me alone in this place, I would curse your name and spit on your corpse.” He bursts out laughing. The sound is warm and open, and it curls around me, caressing all kinds of hidden places. “Ah, beautiful woman, I’d expect nothing less.”
