Page 40 of Shadowkissed

“You don’t get to decide that.”

“Yes, I do!” My voice cracks. “Because I’m the one they want. I’m the fucking prophecy. I’m the thing that ends the world if it breaks wrong.”

He stares at me. Long and hard. Then he takes my face in both hands, firm and sure. “Then I’ll be the one that helps you breakright.”

My vision blurs.

“Dante…”

“I’m not afraid of you.”

“I don’t get it though. You should be.”

“I’m not.”

His mouth is just inches from mine again, and I’m trembling. Not from fear. Fromhope.

And that’s the most dangerous thing of all because if I lethimin I’m not sure I’ll ever survive losing him. And if we go up against Seraphiel, I know how likely those odds are.

18

DANTE

She stands in front of me like she’s ready to shatter.

Not from weakness. Liora doesn’tdoweak. It’s not in her bones.

No—she’s shaking from the war she keeps fighting with herself. That tug-of-war between needing to run and needing tostay.To let someone in.

Her hands are clenched at her sides. Her shoulders tense. I know she wants to bolt. I can see the decision brewing in her eyes like a storm rolling in.

But I’m not letting her go. Not this time. Not ever again.

“I’m not leaving you,” I say, low and steady. “No matter what’s coming.”

Her gaze flicks to mine. There’s fire there. And fear. But behind it seems to be a flicker of trust.

It’s buried deep, but it’sthere.

She scoffs, bitter. “You don’t get to promise that.”

“I just did.”

“You don’t know what that means.”

“I know exactly what it means.”

She takes a step back, eyes sharp. “Dante,loving meor simply being with me is a death sentence. Do you hear me? You think this is some epic romance, some ride-or-die fantasy where we save each other and walk off into the fucking sunset?”

She laughs—hollow and hurt. “It’s not. It’s blood and ruin. It’s me waking up in a circle of bodies because Ilost control.It’s Seraphiel calling me his like I’m a goddamnobject.It’s the Veil cracking open with my name written in every fracture.”

“I know.”

“No, you don’t?—”

“Iknow,Liora,” I growl, stepping toward her. “I know what he is. What you are. What thisis.I know the prophecy. I know the risk. Know what it could possibly do to the world even. I know I’m probably gonna die fighting beside you.”

Her mouth parts.

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