Shadows Between Hearts

The Things We Cannot Bury

Chapter 13: The Things We Cannot Bury

A week passed.

The city repaired itself with noise, traffic, and denial.

Broken streets reopened. News channels moved on. People laughed in cafés beside buildings that had nearly fallen. Humans were talented at forgetting what frightened them.

Lena was not.

She returned to work, answered polite questions, smiled when expected, and slept badly.

Every night she dreamed of two things:

White fire.

Gray eyes walking away.

On the eighth night, thunder woke her.

She sat upright in bed, breathless.

Something felt wrong.

Not danger exactly.

Absence.

She threw on a coat and climbed to the rooftop.

Rain swept across the skyline in silver sheets. Neon signs blurred below. Wind tugged at her hair.

“Still dramatic,” said a familiar voice.

Lena turned sharply.

Adrian stood near the ledge.

No shadows surrounded him now. No unnatural stillness bent the air. He looked more human than she had ever seen him—rain-soaked, tired, hands shoved into coat pockets as if unsure what to do with them.

And somehow that unsettled her more.

“You shouldn’t be here,” she said.

“I know.”

“Then why are you?”

He glanced over the city.

“Because I tried leaving.”

“And?”

“It was intolerable.”

Against her will, her mouth almost curved.

Almost.

“You wrote a farewell letter.”

“I regretted it halfway through the second paragraph.”

“You still signed it.”

“I was committed to the performance.”

She looked away so he would not see the softness in her face.

Silence settled between them, lighter than before and heavier than ever.

Then Adrian’s expression changed.

“There’s movement in the lower courts.”

Lena stiffened. “Selene?”

“No. Worse.”

“That is an impressive statement.”

He met her eyes.

“They know I’m mortal.”

Cold moved through her.

“What does that mean?”

“It means ambitious people smell blood.”

As if summoned, a scream echoed from the street below.

They rushed to the ledge.

Three figures in dark coats dragged a man into an alley. Their movements were too fast, too fluid.

Court hunters.

Lena’s hands lit silver instantly.

Adrian caught her wrist.

“You’re still healing.”

“And they’re hunting.”

Before he could answer, she leaped to the fire escape.

He swore and followed.

By the time they reached the alley, the man was unconscious against a dumpster.

The three hunters turned.

Their eyes gleamed black.

“Well,” said the tallest. “The fallen king arrives with his pet.”

Adrian stepped forward.

“Careful. I’m in a terrible mood.”

The hunter smiled. “Good. Dying bored is embarrassing.”

They attacked together.

Lena moved first, silver light striking one hunter into brick. Adrian ducked another blade and drove a fist into its throat—less elegant now, more human, but no less dangerous.

The third hunter lunged at Lena from behind.

Before she could turn, Elias slammed into him with a trash can lid.

“No one,” Elias said breathlessly, “ever tells me where the action scenes are.”

Lena stared. “Why are you here?”

“I tracked you.”

“That is not reassuring.”

The hunter recovered and swung.

Elias yelped and ducked.

Adrian kicked the attacker across the alley.

“Your human is loud,” he observed.

“He is not my human,” Lena snapped.

Elias pointed. “I heard that first part.”

The fight ended quickly after that.

One hunter fled. Two lay unconscious.

Adrian looked after the escapee grimly.

“They were probing.”

“For weakness?” Lena asked.

“For access,” he said. “If they cannot reach me, they’ll reach whoever matters to me.”

His eyes moved to her.

Then to Elias.

Elias straightened. “I dislike being included.”

Lena’s stomach dropped.

This was not over.

Not even close.

From the alley mouth, slow applause echoed.

All three turned.

Selene stood beneath a streetlamp, dressed in black now instead of white.

Smiling.

“I do love reunions,” she said.

End of Chapter 13

Say Chapter 14 when you're ready.