Inessa wasn’t surprised when the servant once again read a note from Martin wishing her well, but unable to talk to her tonight. It was nice of him to keep writing notes, but she understood a High Elder would be busy, especially now with the war getting so close. Frightfully close. After dinner, they all climbed on top of the roof to see the Kiam campfires right outside the wall. There was still no word from Nathaniel, either through the trees or through Ana, so it meant he was still, somehow, alive. But it was taking a toll on Rosa. Between no word from her husband and watching her eldest boys training to fight to protect the city, Rosa was barely eating and sleeping, even with Sara’s efforts. Inessa wanted to help her, as she had been such a help with her, but she simply could not comprehend what Rosa was going through. It was to the point where when she heard Rosa crying alone in a room, she picked up her skirts and went to find Ana. Ana always knew how to comfort Rosa, because she understood far better than Inessa.

Inessa pulled the pins and ribbons out of her hair once she knew Martin wouldn’t come tonight. Despite all the notes the past week, there was still a chance Martin might come, and he was always more comfortable when she had a dress on instead of her nightclothes. She didn’t know what would happen once he needed to sleep with her, but it seemed like Martin was determined to change the law before that happened.

Inessa eased out of her dress and into her night clothes, tying them before putting on her bed robe. She settled at her desk and picked up her brush.

“One, two, three, four,” Inessa started to say. She made sure to get to the roots, pulling it through the tangles of the day. Once she had done her hundred strokes on each side, she went to a basin of water and splashed her face, washing away the lotion and grime. She dabbed her face, looking at herself in the mirror when she heard a tap on the window. She looked, thinking it might have been a bird. There was another tap, and in the flickering candlelight she was certain she saw the outline of a human. She picked up the candle, going closer before her eyes grew wide. Despite everything she thought she knew, Indenuel was there in a tree, right outside her window.

Inessa set the candle on her desk before opening the window and stepping aside to let him in. “What are you doing here? I thought you were in the dungeon. No one gets out of that dungeon.”

Indenuel climbed through the window. “Right, well, an interesting story that I… I can’t exactly tell. I just needed to see you once more.”

“Why? What’s going on?”

Indenuel sighed. He ran a hand through his hair, and Inessa ignored the fluttering in her stomach. She couldn’t forget what he did not that long ago. “Another story I cannot tell.”

“Where’s Tolomon?” Inessa peered out the window, trying to see the man.

“I might have drugged him,” Indenuel said.

Inessa’s eyes widened. “Might have?”

“He wouldn’t approve of me coming here. Especially at this late hour.”

Inessa was so confused. And frightened. Indenuel looked horrible. She had of course heard about him being in the dungeon, and being chained as a marked individual couldn’t have been easy, but there were dark bags under his eyes, and he lost so much weight. It was difficult to look at him and not see the mental torment he must have felt trying to get the mark cleansed.

“I’m not sure… not sure how the next few days will go. But I took an opportunity to…” Indenuel paused, leaning against her desk.

“Indenuel?” Inessa asked.

“Sorry,” Indenuel said, tears in his eyes. “I’m so sorry.”

Inessa was confused. His face was genuine. “Sorry for what?”

“You were kidnapped. They threatened to rape you. To kill you. You were practically left abandoned by the High Elders. No one should have to feel that way. And then for them to continue to treat you how they do. Not only that, but… I’m sorry for what you saw me do. The slaughtering of those Kiam soldiers. It was one of my lowest moments.” He finally looked away. “Still in my lowest moments, to be honest.”

Tears came to her eyes, and she was surprised by them. “You murdered them all. Quite brutally.”

Indenuel nodded. “I did. I’m going to Hell because of it.”

“What? No, don’t speak that way. You are being cleansed. You’ve come to apologize. I mean, I don’t know how you got out of the dungeon, but I’m certain you didn’t kill anyone to do it,” Inessa said.

Indenuel paused, then lifted his shirt up, just enough. Enough for even the candlelight itself to quiver at the darkness of the mark. Inessa gasped, backing away until she hit the wall. There was a fear she couldn’t deny. She’d never seen the marks this close by herself, let alone ones so dark. Indenuel lowered his shirt again. “I can’t say much. I’m sorry. I just wanted to see you one last time.”

“One last time?” Her voice quivered. “What are you talking about? You… you’re not going to die, are you?”

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Indenuel said nothing, he simply bowed. It was as though they were at a formal dinner instead of him breaking out of the dungeon with a dangerously dark mark. “Thank you for letting me visit. I am certain you have some trepidation about it all, and I’m sorry. I may not be in the best state of mind, but I hope you understand my apology was sincere. I did not mean to frighten you.”

Indenuel headed for the window, and there was an ache in Inessa’s heart. How could he possibly leave after all that? How could she let him go to his death so easily?

He had the window open, one leg out of it, when Inessa let the words escape her. “Indenuel, wait.”

He paused, then turned his head, the rest of his body toward the window. It was the first time since arriving in her room that he glanced down at her nightclothes before swiftly reverting them back to her eyes. Inessa became aware exactly how thin her nightclothes were. The bed robe had fallen loose, and she didn’t do anything to tie it up again.

“Yes?” Indenuel asked.

Inessa motioned him inside. Indenuel obeyed. She walked forward, heart pounding as she lifted his shirt again. She stared at his stomach, saw the thin, black lines feeding darkness into an already dark mark. She continued to raise his shirt, trying not to be alarmed as she saw the mark in its entirety. She helped him take his shirt off, tossing it to one side before bringing the candle closer to his chest, trying not to be terrified of it. He was using the dark powers to win the war. Tears fell down her cheeks as she reached out and touched it with her finger. Indenuel did a quick intake of breath, bracing himself against the wall.

“What have you done?” Inessa asked.

Indenuel opened his eyes, looking at her with pain. “It’s the only way to save the city. I’m sorry.”

Inessa blinked back her own tears. She looked at the marks, touching them like she heard speakers of the dead do. She tried to pull the darkness away, but she didn’t have the power. She couldn’t cleanse him.

“You can’t do this. This is going to kill you. And I… I need you.”

Indenuel held her elbows, still trying to keep the etiquette despite him being shirtless.

“I’m sorry. I truly am. I cannot let them take the city,” Indenuel said.

Inessa began to cry. She touched the marks, feeling them like ice under her palms. “Don’t. Please don’t.”

“I have to.”

“Don’t go.”

“You are in danger. I need to protect you,” Indenuel said.

“You’re going to die. There’s too many,” Inessa said. “And you can’t use this.” She placed her other hand on his chest, and he shuddered again, closing his eyes.

“I don’t know what will happen if you keep touching the marks. Please be careful.”

Despite the fear in his voice, Inessa didn’t feel the same. She kept one hand on his chest before reaching up and touching his chin. He opened his eyes, looking at her. “I know you won’t hurt me.” Indenuel said nothing, looking worried. “I forgive you, Indenuel. If that’s what you wanted to hear. I forgive you for what you did when I was kidnapped.”

Indenuel gasped, almost collapsing but Inessa grabbed him, barely holding him up. He panted, staring at her before looking down, seeing his mark. The black lines feeding into his mark were gone. His mark was a deep red color still, but it looked far better than it had before. He touched his chest, surprised, then looked at Inessa. “How did you do that?”

“I… don’t know. I don’t have the power to do that,” Inessa said.

“Well, clearly you did something.” For the first time since he entered her room, he smiled at her, and Inessa felt her heart flutter again. It seemed so genuine, and some of the torment left his eyes. “Thank you. For your forgiveness.”

They paused, looking at each other. Inessa felt her cheeks start to warm, realizing Indenuel was in her room. She was in her night clothes. He didn’t have a shirt on. Her gaze dropped to his chest, looking past the mark, before she looked up again seeing a ghost of who he was once, an innocent man thrust into a world of politics and war. A part of that man was there. He wasn’t gone yet.

“I… I should go,” Indenuel said, blindly reaching for his shirt.

Inessa grabbed his wrist, keeping him from getting it. Indenuel did nothing to stop her, even though he could have. She could not, as a follower of God, let this man go to his death while using corruptive powers. She needed to keep him here until she could get him better help, away from the High Elders. She wasn’t sure if Martin knew what Indenuel was doing, but even if he did, more people here would help. She just needed to distract him long enough to get help. And she knew exactly how to do it.

Inessa placed her hands on Indenuel’s jaw and kissed him. Indenuel shuddered, a slight intake of breath, before he placed his hands on her waist, kissing her back. Yes, this was a great distraction. He would stay. She could lull him into security before getting him help. She could think of something. She… could… think…

Her skin was alive, reacting to his every touch. Her nightclothes were so thin. Her skin wasn’t repulsed at his touch. It invited more. He moved his hand against the small of her back and she shivered, breaking away to gasp.

Adosina. Adosina could think. Something. Have a plan. To think. Get Indenuel help…

He was kissing her again, and she refused to stop him. She had gone through the motions with four old men. She knew what it was like, it couldn’t possibly be different with another man. But it was. It was different than any other time because she wanted it with Indenuel. Whatever the High Elders wanted from her, they could never actually have her. They could never have what she was willing to give to Indenuel.

Which is what made it such a great way to get him help. Once they were done kissing, she could…

He pressed his body against hers, his fingers tangled in her hair. She didn’t mind that his skin was colder. She parted her lips, reaching out with her tongue, and the next thing she knew he had her pinned up against a wall. All logical thought slipped away from her, the last remaining memory being of Beatriz who assured her she wouldn’t be fertile for another week yet. His kiss was everything. Hot in its intensity. Intoxicating as it drove away her fears. For once in her life, she enjoyed kissing, and she did not want to stop.

“Inessa,” he said between kisses. “If I don’t go now… I won’t stop…”

“I know,” Inessa answered, taking off her bed robe. It was all part of her plan to keep him here. It’s what she told herself. “I don’t care.”

He used one hand to brace himself against the wall, his other hand tangled in her hair. “I’m marked.”

“I don’t care.” Maybe it was the fear of never seeing Indenuel again. Maybe she was still in a foggy state of mind from the past two weeks, but she truly didn’t care the red mark of the devil was on his chest. She would do anything to keep him here, just as he would risk his soul for her. “How long can you stay?”

He grabbed her nightclothes and forced them off her shoulder, the string holding them up snapping. A soft moan escaped her as her bedclothes dropped to the floor and her knees turned to warm butter. He took her with his cold hands, his breath hot against her cheek. “Long enough.”