His eyes frantically search my body while his trembling hands pull at his chest, the light brightening the space around us.
No. He will die.
He can’t die. Not for me. Please, not forme.
My trembling arm reaches out to him, only faltering down to the ground as tears puddle in my eyes.
I’m dying. And he is dying because of me. This heartbreak of losing me is blinding him from reality.
“You can’t,” I whisper, blood dripping from my bottom, trembling lip.
“How could I not?” His eyes glisten. My favorite eyes, gentle, beautiful, yet filled with strength are replaced with fear, heartbreak. And I can never live with myself knowing it's because of me. I have put him through so much, and yet he has always stood by my side. Through everything.
Even though I never asked him to.
“There is no light without you, Spark.” His hand brushes my cheek gently. His breath hitches, mixing in with groans of agony as he removes it to grab the last bit of light from his chest. The last bit that makes him…him. The man I love.
He will be gone.
The light flickers in his palms.His life.What makes him a descendant from the Gods is sparkling outside of him. When it should be inside of him.
His beautiful light.What keeps him alive.Now his heart will be filled with darkness. Lifeless. The Koen I knew will be gone.
“There is no light without you.” He leans closer, his lips brushing against mine. “The light inside me has always been because of you.”
I sob, tasting the salt from my tears that flow out of me.
“Please don’t.” My voice breaks, stuttering a breath that I cannot catch.
“I’m sorry I failed you.” His lips press against my head. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you. I always feared the darkness would take you from me.”
My chin lifts, my head resting against his face, and I feel the warmth of him.Alive.Savoring this moment. I don’t want to feel his cold, lifeless body. I want his warmth.
Gods, I want him alive.
“You have never failed me,” I whisper, my body weakening by the second as I fall into him. I hear Florian screaming in the background. Pleading out to Koen not to do it, but it's too late. Koen is blinded by heartbreak. Blinded by me dying right in his arms.
My reckless Koen. And I am too weak to fight him.
“I’d die over and over for you to live,my Spark. I vowed that to you the night I gave you my light, and I honor my vows to you, love.” His voice trembles as he clutches my chin. “My light in the darkness.Thank you for returning to me.” He lifts me for a final kiss before thrusting the searing light into my chest.
“I can’t lose you,” I whisper. The light flickers in front of his face, his emerald hues dancing with the golden light.
“You will never lose me.” His lip tugs into a weak, gentle smile. “You aremymemory. You aremysoul.Myheart. You are the air tomylungs. You are the light tomydarkness. Only you, Spark.”
I choke on a sob as an unbearable light erupts between us, and flames cascade from the heavens above, obliterating the path for Florian and the others who desperately rush forward. They stand no chance against the wrath of the fire God. The wall prevents them from coming to us, and I catch sight of their eyes widening through the fire that whips around Koen and I. The inferno's wind unleashes a merciless, fiery tornado, encircling us in its violence. The Gods are angry.
But they should fear my rage.
Florian falls to his knees, rubbing his hands through his tangled hair.
The white, piercing light flashes around us as it absorbs into my chest, disintegrating the arrows that pierced through me, burning them to ash. I let out a cry as the wound on my thigh heals, the skin pulling together with a violent tug while small particles of light trickle up to the sky above.
I meet Koen’s eyes once more, watching the light from his emerald eyes fade to dark.
A darkness that he’ll never return from.
I feel this will kill me.
