Half-Light, A Witch's Kiss

How long could a being endure the lack of feeling and remain alive? she wondered. Better the quick ending that came with the cold hand of death than this torturous lack of living.

“Better a half-life than no life,” Ilyas whispered in her ear.

The djinn was reading her, not her thoughts—thank the mother there were still some secrets Tai could keep from him—but her emotions were an open book.

“You’re not lost, Tai,” the djinn said.

And the warm touch of his words on her neck made her shudder.

Ilyas, the mightiest of the djinn, was hardly more than pixie light now. Or a warm breath. But a breath was enough to make her remember what it was like to feel. The warmth touched her like the ghost of a kiss. In the Half-Light memories hurt, and the pain that throbbed in Tai’s stomach bent her over. The sudden intense feeling of loss shook her, and she fell to one knee.

"HALF-LIGHT, WITCH’S KISS" is a story in the Half-Light series.