Prologue:
Paine stumbled into his arms. Her breathing was hoarse and her body was going limp. She knew she was dying and so did he. Baralai. Her partner. Her companion. Her lover. Night-dark eyes met blood red as he pulled her into a passionate embrace. They were both crying as if their tears were the debt repaid to all the suffering. But no matter how hard they tried, the war would not end. Baralai pulled her tight and kissed her with a fire that had not burned in Ifrit's chamber. Paine wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed back with an equal passion, but as the blood seeped through the wound in her stomach, out flowed her life too. Baralai pulled her away and watched her the pools of scarlet blood in her eyes fade to a blurred grey. As much as he denied it, the hopeless pain kept throbbing in his heart. His beloved was dead.