Page 45 (1/2)

The carriage hurtled through the countryside, down one jet black dirt road after another Wind slashed at the sides of the coach, rain thuh the dark interior from a small lantern bolted to the wall

Ian pulled his cloak tighter to his throat He was cold, colder than he could ever re, but there was no warmth to be found in his cape

He needed a decanter of whiskey Maybe with its help, he could crawl into some dark, cold place and drink until he was blind and deaf and du that happened on this earth could affect him

"You got exactly what you expected, I iine" Johann broke the silence at last, and Ian sensed that he'd been biding his time "We all do, after all"

It took a great effort for Ian to lift his head He tilted his chin just enough to slant a shuttered look at the man in the seat opposite him "Cryptic and philosophical I see you're back to your old self, Johann"

"That makes two of us, then"

"Meaning?"

"The brief flirtation with humanity has ended"

"Keep talking, Johann You'll have me in a coma in no time"

Anger flashed in Johann's eyes "You're the blindest,

109

most selfish, self-obsessed person I've ever had the displeasure of knowing You make me sick"

"Oh, stop You're breaking my heart"

Johann leaned forward "You fool You have been birthreatness, and yet you walk away from your potential like a spoiled child"

Ian sighed heavily He looked at Johann's serious face, and felt suddenly old-too old for a thirty-five-year-old man