The Darkling slumped back in his chair. “Fine,” he said with a weary shrug. “Make me your villain.

You live in a single moment. I live in a thousand.

I've been waiting for you a long time, Alina" He said. "You and I are going to change the world.

In this moment he was just a boy -brilliant, blessed with too much power, burdened by eternity.

The problem with wanting," he whispered, his mouth trailing along my jaw until it hovered over my lips, "is that it makes us weak.

What are you smiling at?”

I whirled, peering into the gloom. The Darkling’s voice seemed to float out of the shadows. He walked down to the stream, crouching on the bank to splash water on his face and through his dark hair.

“Well?” he asked, looking up at me.

“Myself,” I admitted.

“Are you that funny?”

“I’m hilarious.