Slowly, Harper turned and shifted around Belimai to reciprocate. Belimai moved with him, never lifting his head. They curled around each other, mirroring thrusts, sucking, and arching against each other in a driving rhythm. Shocks of pleasure jolted through Harper's body as Belimai swallowed him deeply.

Harper drew Belimai's hips closer. Ravenous, Harper sucked at Belimai, exulting in the mounting speed of Belimai's response. Harper's own body already raged beyond his control. Belimai's thrusts quickened, and Harper matched him. They moved together, their bodies locked in desperate motion and exquisite pleasure.

Ecstasy burst through Harper's body. It washed through his bones, blood, and muscles. It engulfed him in a thoughtless purity far deeper than even sleep. Harper lost himself—every fear, rage, hope, and desire—in a flood of physical joy.

Then the moment passed. Harper felt utterly exhausted. He managed to turn around and drape one arm over Belimai's spent body. He could hardly keep his eyes open as he pressed a kiss against Belimai's lips. Belimai shifted against him and pulled the blankets over them both.

"All right," Belimai whispered so softly that Harper hardly heard him, "I do find you charming."

Chapter Eleven

'Liar

When Harper awoke, he was alone in the bed. The dull light of a few streetlamps poured in through the broken windows. Twilight winds tumbled through the torn curtains, carrying fat droplets of rain inside. Harper looked around the room and caught the outline of Belimai's thin body. Belimai moved cautiously. He held his shoes in his hands as he pulled on a coat. Then he crept toward the door, stepping expertly past the floorboards that might have groaned or creaked.

"Where are you going?" Harper asked.

Belimai spun back on him.

"Out for a walk," Belimai said.

"It's raining." Harper sat up. A chill hung through the room.

"I need to stretch my legs a little." Belimai took another step toward the door.

"I'll go with you."

Belimai's secretiveness worried Harper. It seemed utterly at odds with the way he had behaved only a few hours ago. Harper grabbed his scattered clothes from the floor. He pulled on his pants. The cloth was unpleasantly cold and still damp from the morning rain.

"Harper, don't," Belimai said. "Don't come with me."

"Why shouldn't I?" Harper already had his suspicion.

"You need to get more sleep."

"I'm already up." Harper forced a smile. "Try again."

"I would just rather do some things by myself." Belimai's voice was oddly soft.

"Are you going to look for ophorium?" Harper quickly crossed the space between them. He should have guessed that Belimai would be tempted to feed his addiction once he returned to the capital.

Belimai turned to Harper and looked directly at him. Up close, Harper could see the strange expression on Belimai's face. His eyes were wide and oddly shiny. He pressed his lips closed, drawing quick breaths in through his flared nostrils. Belimai had worn the same expression after Mr. Scott-Beck had nearly gutted him. Seeing it again, now, alarmed Harper.

"Most men are tempted to go back to it." Harper tried to draw the accusation out of his previous words. "It's a hard thing to give up. Normally, people slip a few times before they can make a clean break."

Belimai said nothing, just stared at him. It wasn't like Belimai to be so quiet or to look so fragile after a mere remark. There was something more to this, Harper knew. But he didn't know what.

"Look, Belimai. I know how hard this has to—"

"Be quiet." Belimai held up his hand. "I'm not going out searching for a fix." Slowly, he drew back from Harper. "I'm going to the Inquisition."

"What?" Harper could hardly put breath behind his voice.

"I have to turn myself over to them. We both know it," Belimai said.

Harper thought that someone might have shoved a steel blade into his guts. A shocking, hard pain wrenched through him. He stared at Belimai in stunned horror for a moment. His sister must have told Belimai about Sariel. There couldn't be any other reason that Belimai would turn himself in.

"You can't do that." Harper grabbed Belimai, knocking the shoes from his hands. "Why can't you just forget about him? All he's ever done is ruin your life!"

"What are you talking about?" Belimai stared at him.

"You and Sariel." Harper knew his voice was rising with rage, but he couldn't seem to stop it. "Do you think I'm just going to let it happen all over again?"

"Harper, have you gone mad?" Belimai asked.

"You aren't going to turn yourself in for Sariel," Harper stated flatly.

"I was never going to, you idiot," Belimai snapped. "I'm doing this for you."

"What?" Harper's anger and pain dropped into an abyss of confusion.

"I ought to jab you in the eye for making me have to say it out loud," Belimai growled.

"You can jab me anywhere you like; just explain what you're talking about."

Belimai glared at him, but Harper found the expression almost reassuring after that strange, wide-eyed look Belimai had given him earlier.

"You did say you were turning yourself in to the Inquisition. .." Harper spoke with slow deliberation, watching Belimai's face with each word.

"I didn't say anything about Sariel. Why did you bring him up?"

"Why else would you want to turn yourself in?" Harper brushed past Belimai's question.

"Sariel's not even—" Belimai cut himself off as a realization came to him. "He's been arrested, hasn't he?"

"Joan didn't tell you?" Harper asked.

"No."

"Then why were you going to the Inquisition?"

"You're an idiot, aren't you?" Belimai demanded.

"Yes, I am. So, tell me why you were going to the Inquisition."

"Because of you, you moron," Belimai said. "Look at what I've already done to you. You're tired and filthy. You can't go home. The Inquisition is hunting for you. You're a mess from trying to protect me."

"So, you were going to turn yourself in for my sake?" The idea was touching, but also terrible. Harper knew he couldn't have lived with himself if he had been the reason Belimai turned himself over to the Inquisition.

"I wouldn't be doing it for my own sake. Of course it would be for you." Belimai scowled.

"Don't even think about it, Belimai." Harper shook his head. "Do you think I could stand it if—"

"If what? If you finally got rid of a pathetic junkie? That would be a shame, wouldn't it?"

"No. You know that isn't how I think of you."

"Weren't you just accusing me of going out to find a fix? Wasn't that you, Captain Harper?" Belimai forced his mouth into a smile, trying to look as if he took pleasure in proving his point. "You know, you're not fooling anyone but yourself. You know I'm trash. You wouldn't have a use for me any other way, would you? You need some crust of Prodigal shit to rescue so you can feel like a savior. So you can sacrifice yourself. Who knows, if you could get yourself killed, someone might even decide to make you a saint."

Harper opened his mouth to tell Belimai that he was wrong, but Belimai went on in a rush.

"Well, fuck you!" Tiny rivulets of blood seeped from Belimai's eyes. "I don't want to be saved. I don't want you to be my personal martyr. I'm going to turn myself in and save you."