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.They fit perfectly together, as if they had been designed for each other.Balin had the urge to wrap hisarms around Damir s narrow waist, and it took all his strength to keep his hands to himself. What of yourself? Damir asked, snapping Balin from his wandering thoughts.Balin pushed up on his elbows and looked at Damir, who kept his gaze trained on the wall acrossfrom him. What of what? How did you get here? What were you doing in the forest? Damir asked, finally turning to lookat him.Balin thought carefully before he spoke.There were many things he could tell Damir.None ofthem would be favorable.So he chose to pick out the bits of truth he knew would suffice. I wastraveling to the capital on a merchant airship.It went down during a storm a few days ago.My crewand I landed in the mountains.I was the only one to make it out.He couldn t tell what Damir was thinking.His warm blue eyes glowed with a sincere sadness thatBalin didn t understand.The man seemed to empathize with the world, even when the world was shit. Are you an angel? Balin asked before he could take it back.Damir s eyes grew wide for a second before a smile spread across his face.Electricity raced upBalin s veins, delivering powerful volts to his dead heart in an effort to kick it back to life.Yes, Damirwas an angel, even if the man denied it.Only angels could smile like that, could make him feel thisway. No, I m not an angel. Damir laughed, and the sound was heavenly against Balin s ear.You could fool me.Balin nodded, unconvinced.He settled down beside Damir and stared up at theceiling.He was acutely aware of Damir beside him.The shallow breaths the man took resonated inBalin s mind.His arm accidentally brushed Damir s, and warmth spread from where flesh rubbedagainst flesh. How many men? Damir asked softly.The question pulled Balin back to reality. Ten, he lied.What had come of the men from the Windbreaker? Had they survived the crash? He would neverknow their fate.Perhaps that was for the best.Damir shifted so that he faced him. I m sorry.Were they your friends? No, Balin answered,  but they were all good, brave men. They are with Lar now.Take comfort in that, Damir whispered.If that was an attempt to comfort Balin, it was lost on him.Balin whispered harshly,  Lar? Take comfort in the Child-God s doing? Those men lost theirlives, and I m supposed to be grateful for it?Damir blinked slowly.Shock materialized across his face. No, of course not.That isn t& that snot what I meant.I merely meant to take comfort that they are no longer in pain and that they are allin nefl with the Child-God. Better place? That is a fairy tale.There is no better place out there, and only a fool believes insuch daydreams, Balin snapped.Nefl and peace were words for free men.He put more faith in malltod existing than nefl.Balin refused to believe in the idea that there wasparadise waiting for him when his life was over.Zoria was a refuge for the vile and wicked, and anyChild-God that allowed such wretchedness to exist was not a god he wanted to believe in.Damir flinched like he d been struck.He shook his head and grabbed Balin s hand with both ofhis. No, that isn t true.You mustn t think that.You mustn t give yourself into that darkness.Believing is half the battle.Balin let out a harsh bark of laughter, but Damir held tight to his hand, refusing to let him go sothat he could sink into the abyss of blight.Balin s laughter sobered up.He stared down at Damir,amazed at the sincerity that sparkled in his clear eyes. You do not jest? Believe? In what? A ghost? A dream? I have better things to do with my timethan blindly follow a stone idol.Damir strengthened his hold on Balin. I refuse to think that.While we may not understand whyhorrible things happen, we have to believe that there is a purpose for all of this.I trust in the afterlife,and I know that when my time comes, I ll find solace. Then you are a fool. It s a fool who believes in his anger and not his happiness, Damir whispered.Balin dropped his gaze to their clasped hands.Damir s palms were rough from toiling in thestables.They were calloused like his but radiated so much more warmth. Sometimes all a man has is his anger, Balin murmured. There must be light before there can be darkness.Damir smiled at him, and Balin wanted to believe, believe in the light that was eclipsed by hismemories. Let s sleep, Balin whispered in response.Damir nodded and pulled the covers close.He turned his head to face Balin.Damir reached upand gently twisted a lock of Balin s hair with his finger.A shock wave rolled down Balin s spine atthe touch. You re the first man I ve ever seen with hair the color of raven feathers.Balin wrapped his hand around Damir s, halting his twisting finger but not pulling the appendageaway.Damir s breath caught, and he froze like a frightened fawn.Balin could still feel the heavinessof life in the air, but it all seemed to be a little better when he stared into those eyes. I could say the same about your eyes.I ve never seen a pair so beautiful before.They re thecolor of the Oculus Caelum [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]