There she is.
The sight of her steals my breath and fills me with something far more potent.
Maybe it’s relief, maybe it’s hope. But no words could describe what I feel as my vision narrows to her and her alone.
I decide two things in this moment.
One: I want that. One day when we’ve rid this world of our enemies and set everything right, I want her walking down an aisle tome.
And two: If I have to wait for it, I will. But I want her to choose me.
To choose us. Forever.
I’m halfway down the aisle, my mouth forming her name when Serena lifts the dagger into the air and drives it through her chest.
My entireworldstops spinning to shatter into a million pieces.
“NO!”
Crippling pain slams into me, taking me to my knees.
Kylian staggers back, clutching his chest as if she’d struck him instead. Someone is shouting her name from somewhere in the room, but I can’t tear my eyes away.
Can’t make sense of what I’m seeing.
If I ever doubted hell was real, this just proved me so sickeningly wrong.
Chaos erupts around me. Kylian lunges forward as Serena collapses, catching her head and easing her down. I grip the edge of the nearest pew, dragging myself upright. I try to run, but all I can do is stumble forward through debilitating pain, each step like trudging through a nightmare.
I’m too slow. I need to get to her.
Damn it, why can’t I move!
“You stupid, stupid witch,” Kylian says, smoothing back her hair. He rips the dagger free, sending it clattering to the marble floor. Black blood spreads like spilled ink over her ivory gown.
A fist tightens around my heart, unrelenting and brutal as I make it to the altar.
Serena is dying.
I’ve never known such pain as I do now. Such horror as our bond is stretched to its limit, her soul threatening to exit this world and leave me behind. The pain of that stretch, the fear of it snapping and splintering for good, makes it impossible to breathe.
With all of my strength, I knock Kylian backward and pull her into my lap. She sucks in slow, labored breaths.
“No, no, no. Don’t do this to me. Don’t you dare leave me.”
My hands cradle her face, leaving ebony streaks over her porcelain cheek. She’s so fucking pale. Her glazed eyes link with mine for a brief second.
“She’s dying,” Kylian rasps, dragging himself back to her side.
It’s fear I see on his face—genuine fear. He reaches out a trembling hand, and I snarl, shoving it away as I bare my fangs.
“Don’t you fucking touch her.”
“Let me heal her. I can heal her.” His wide blue eyes plead with me.
More shouts from behind. More blood spilling out of her, soaking my clothes, my hands. I glance up at Kylian and nod numbly. Light flows from his palms as he presses them to the gaping wound on Serena’s chest. But her eyes still, and I can feel the last of her life slipping through my fingers like sand in an hourglass.
“It’s not working,” Kylian growls, staring at his hands in disbelief. “Why isn’t it working? Damn it!”
