Too far.
My muscles strained and popped. My boots slid toward the edge. My voice shattered over her name.
And then . . .
Her hand landed in mine.
Chapter 66
Kiera
Aiden crushedmy hand as though he meant to never let go.
I cried out as my shoulder wrenched in its socket and my body slammed into the stony debris left from the bridge.
Aiden roared, his muscles contorting as he lifted me up.
We collapsed together at the edge of the watery abyss.
“You’re alive,” Aiden murmured, brushing my hair out of my face. “You’re alive.”
Then he sealed his lips against mine. I’d never felt such relief in a kiss. Such life. Such joy.
I smiled against his lips. Tears trailed down my cheeks as he gazed at me like I was the most precious thing in the world.
I held his face in my hands. He was alive. He was whole.
My body shuddered with exhaustion, but I couldn’t let him go.
“I almost lost you,” he murmured in a broken voice. “Why,why,did you blow up the bridge, Kiera?”
I pressed my forehead against his. “It was the only way to save you.”
“When you jumped...” He swallowed hard. “I’d never been so afraid in my life.”
I brushed my thumb over his taut brow. “I wasn’t afraid because I knew you would catch me.”
“Always.” He caressed the tears from my cheeks. “I plan to capture you in my arms at least once a day for the rest of our lives, my love.”
My heart stuttered. I stopped breathing. What was he saying? Forever?
“Kiera!”
I turned my head just as Ruru wrapped his thin arms around my shoulders.
“Fucking Four, you made it!” he cried hoarsely, as if he’d been shouting for hours. He smelled of blood and sweat, reminding me of the battle.
I pulled against Aiden’s arms, which tightened for a moment before releasing me.
We all stood up. Ruru and Aiden supported me when pain seized my body, particularly my wrenched shoulder. My body would be one large bruise tomorrow. But I was alive.
I surveyed the destruction of the Noble Quarter, my heart falling.
The battle had ended, presumably around the time I’d jumped from the bridge. Dozens of Shadow-Wolf bodies lay like bits of charcoal among other bodies. Rellmiran, Dag, and Eloren ones.
A familiar hulking figure stepped forward amid the crowd of soldiers still standing.
I cried out and rushed to embrace Maz. He clutched me against his shiny armor. “Ah, lovely, don’t cry. It’s over. We won.Youwon. And I can hardly wait to get that heart tattoo on my ass.”
