“My smile faded, and I suddenly felt confused. My heart leapt in my chest. "Why would you do that for me?""What wouldn't I do for you?”

“He almosted smiled. "There you go again. Why? Why do yo keep helping me?"There were a million answers on my lips, everything from It's the right thing to do to I don't know. Instead, I said, "Because I want to.”

“You look confused," said Adrian.I shook my head and sighed. "I think I'm just overthinking things."He nodded solemnly. "That's why I try to never do it.”

“Do you know what I see in you now? The usual aura. A steady golden yellow, healthy and strong, with spikes of purple here and there. But when I do this. . . .”He rested a hand on my hip, and my whole body tensed up. That hand moved around my hip, slipping under my shirt to rest on the small of my back. My skin burned where he touched me, and the places that were untouched longed for that heat.“See?” he said. He was in the throes of spirit now, though with me at the same time. “Well, I guess you can’t. But when I touch you, your aura . . . it smolders. The colors deepen, it burns more intensely, the purple increases. Why? Why, Sydney?” He used that hand on me to pull me closer. “Why do you react that way if I don’t mean anything to you?” There was a desperation in his voice, and it was legitimate.”

“Adrian stood there leaning against the doorframe, watching me with his heart in his eyes. In my chest, my own heart was breaking. On my cheek, the lily reminded me who I was. ”

“He leaned closer to me and then seemed shocked as he realized what he was doing."Why would you do that? Why would you do that for me?”

“Roza, my self-control is ten times stronger than yours."I opened my eyes, shifting to look into his. I brushed his hair back and smiled, certain my heart would expand and expand until there was nothing left of me. "Oh yeah? That's not the impression I just got.""Wait until next time," he warned. "I'll do things that'll make you lose control within seconds.”