“Ariana,” Gorm called her name. When she glanced at him, he closed his eyes and nodded. “Come, sit with me.”
She viewed Clause again. Pain and rage etched into the lines of her face. “I willneverforgive you for this. I want you to know that. If you make me do this, I willneverforgive you.”There was a shard of desperation in her voice. As if despite what just happened, some small part of her hoped that her words could move him to reconsider. As if he might have cared.
She must have concluded that there was no other way but to accept his punishment. A conjuror could not fight Clause with their gifts. And hand to hand, he had an enormous advantage with his power. She believed his threat, and after what hejust did, so did I. Desiring to save as many lives as possible placed Ariana in a terrible position when it came to his demand. Given how easily Clause just took an innocent boy’s life, the lengths he would go to in order to make her into someone else was clear.
Clause’s lips curled at the side. “Yes, you will. And it is because of this that you will grow strong enough to survive this world.”
“Ariana,” Gorm grumbled.
That time, when she looked at the old man once more, her feet moved. Everyone watched as she approached him, and she settled into a seat beside him while he still lay on the bed.
Gorm reached out, taking her hand in his. “I always knew the risks. I told you I accepted the consequences.”
She let out a shaky breath. New tears fell down Ariana’s face as she held his gaze. “I can’t.”
“Yes, you can. You will.” He glanced around. “Look around you. I am the oldest here. I have less life left to live, anyway. My feet are falling apart. I am withering away. And, at least this way, my death means something. We get to protect everyone else in this room. No one else needs to die.”
More droplets rolled down her cheek. “I am so sorry,” she whispered, voice hardly audible. She tried to remain strong, but her shoulders curved with agonizing defeat. Her voice lost its strength, her gaze filled only with painful regret.
She was breaking before me.
It was unbearable to watch, yet my eyes remained fastened to her.
“I would have likely died from that last foot infection if it weren’t for you. You coming into our lives has been wonderful. Never regret that. This situation is not your fault.” He paused. “Now, get on with it.” He nodded encouragingly. The old man faced death without an ounce of hesitation.
Time continued moving, and the longer they took, the closer the Sidhe King came to taking another life.
Ariana slid her hand over Gorm’s, and he wrapped his fingers around hers.
She took a deep breath before her eyes shut. Tears streamed from them in rivers before falling from her chin. Her brows furrowed, lip quivering. She released a shaky breath, and I realized she was trembling.
The silence spreading through the room was so profound it was deafening. Solemn darkness encased the space.
Gorm’s body tensed, his eyes closing. He exhaled, then made a gagging sound. It didn’t even last a minute, but felt like an eternity.
Ariana’s shaking intensified.
Gorm twitched several times before finally stilling.
His fingers loosened on her hand.
His heart ceased beating.
Keeping her eyes closed, Ariana leaned forward. She pressed her forehead into his chest. Her words were barely a strangled whisper. Her voice crackled, breaking, as she said, “I am so sorry, my friend.”
She then released him, hand letting go of his, and sat back up, her eyes finally opening. An awful hollowness shone in them as she stared ahead.
Clause approached her and kneeled at her side.
Ariana’s distant gaze tracked him as the backs of his fingers brushed her cheek, smearing the last of her tears.
“You were exquisite,” he said to her, as though to compliment her on a task well done.
She did not reply with words, though her eyes promised of death.
His lips twitched, and he rose to his feet. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning for the breaking of our fast,” he said to her before he and his men left, one of them cradling their broken wrist.
They left two bodies in their wake.
