It was getting dark outside by the time Damien showed up, though to his credit, it only took him about half an hour. He didn't even greet me before his eyes were drawn to my hand. I didn't say anything at first, and neither did he. He just took my hand, sitting beside me on the bank, his palm covering the top of my hand as if to hide the blessing from the world.
"Was it that bad?" he finally asked as the moon began to climb high into the navy sky.
"Was what that bad?" I asked quietly, the sparks between us light. Was it because of the marks fading? Or was it something else?
"When he left," he said, still not looking at me, his eyes tracing the moon's path.
"I wanted to die," I admitted, looking across the stream to the other side of the bank. "I don't know why he would leave me like th
