Page 54 of Diamond

He puts his hands on my shoulders and my heart leaps, hoping it means he is about to bend down and kiss me. Instead, he holds me in place as he takes a step back, then moves his arms back,tapping the back of his wrist with the fingers of his opposite hand.

"No, Nasrin. You are too young."

I narrow my eyes, then move my gaze down to where he is clearly trying to burst out of his pants. "I'm an adult. You want me, Kuret."

He taps harder this time. "No."

I open my mouth to ask why, but he whirls, his braids flying over my head, and he takes long strides away. If I didn't know better, I would swear he's the one afraid of me now.

A grin spreads across my face. His movements were saying one thing, but there was a question in his tone. As if he was trying to convince himself as much as he was me. He's being hardheaded, and it's… hot. I'm not used to thinking that about people, and it takes me by surprise, but I don't dislike it. Not in the least.

I let him stew, my lips stretching wider and wider as he walks around, moving things from one place to another, clearly off center, carefully not looking at me the whole time.

I settle next to the spring, practicing the slices and stabs he taught me, increasingly entertained by his antics. I've never had that effect on anyone before, and it makes me feel powerful. I just wish my eyes didn't ache so much so I could better appreciate it.

I keep practicing, deciding to give him space, while he fusses over Roshan, making sure he is comfortable and free of the harness for a while and packs and repacks our few supplies.

A sudden piercing light distracts me from my latest footwork practice and I wince. It's been steadily getting brighter, but the sun just now made its way through the canopy.

He must not be ignoring me after all, because he notices. "Are you hurt?"

"My eyes hurt. It's too bright."

"Really?"

There's a concern in his voice as he walks back over to me. There's another surge of pain and I double over, rubbing frantically at my eyes, then blinking rapidly, then rubbing again.

Then I feel his big hands cupping my face. "Let me see, Nasrin. You're going to harm yourself."

I groan as he tilts my head back, unable to open my eyes to look up at him. He gently feels around my face and as he does, the pain steadily lessens until I'm able to carefully open my eyes.

He slowly comes into focus. He's frozen, his big green eyes open wide, staring at my face.

My heart skips a beat. "What?" I ask as I raise my hands to feel for new patches of silver skin there.

"Your eyes changed."

My hands are shaking as I feel around for differences, but everything seems the same shape, though my face is wet with tears. "How?"

"They are fully black now instead of mostly white."

My stomach clenches, then I try to look up at the sky and hiss. "Is it brighter today? There seem to be far more colors and the light hurts."

Kuret glances up, the light clearly not affecting him. "No. It is still morning, so it is actually muted light."

I let out a huff of breath and rub at my newly sensitive eyes, longing for easy access to sunglasses, and annoyed with the reminder of how much harder everything is here.

How much I miss and might never see, touch, or taste again.

Tehlmar's eyes weren't like this, so I assume I'm changing because of that terrible creature who attacked Kuret.

It makes me feel sick. How can I have parts of such terrible people within me?

Kuret opens his mouth to say more, but we are both distracted by Roshan shifting uncomfortably, staring off into the trees.

"What—"

I don't get to say more before Kuret's hand is over my mouth. I instinctively squirm at first, but then stop myself. They both have better senses than I do and so I just relax into his arms, myheart beating for a much less pleasant reason than the last time I was in them.

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