Light flared in her palms again as she laid her shaking hands over his wound. ‘It’s going to be fine. You’re going to be fine.’ His eyes closed as Aidon kneeled next to her, his hands pressing against where the blood continued to soak Will’s shirt.
‘Open your eyes,’ Aya ordered, her voice cracking. He didn’t. Aya tugged on that healing light with every ounce of strength she had. ‘Fight with me,’ she said through her teeth. Will’s breath was thinning. Aidon was saying something, but she couldn’t hear him over the roaring in her ears.
She dove into her power with reckless abandon, dragging up every last drop she could find, not caring if she emptied herself too quickly, if it destroyed her entirely. ‘Fight with me.’ Her head pressed against his as she kept that healing light pouring into him, as Aidon kept his hands pressed to the wound as it knitted together too slowly.
So much blood. He’d lost so much blood.
‘Please,’ she begged.
The wound finally closed, but Will did not open his eyes.
Aya pressed her lips together, choking on a sob as Aidon sat back on his heels to give them space. To give her time to say goodbye as Will’s chest stilled.
But he’d made her a promise.
No matter how far the fall.
‘Don’t you dare leave me,’ she spat as she sent a pulse of healing power into him.
‘I will never forgive you.’
Another.
‘I will drag you back from the hells myself and kill you for it.’
Another.
‘I mean it.’
Will gasped at that last pulse of power, his eyes fluttering open as he sucked in air. His breaths deepened as he stared at her, his gray eyes focusing on her face.
‘With threats like that, I wouldn’t dream of it,’ he wheezed, his voice raspy and weak and nothing like him at all. It was still the most beautiful sound she’d ever heard. Aya pressed her lips together, a sob racking through her as she leaned her head against his chest.
Will’s fingers tangled in her hair as he slowly sat up, keeping her head against him. She felt him tense, and she followed his gaze to where the king lay. Aidon was still kneeling beside her, his eyes glazed as he stared at his uncle – at the blood that pooled beneath him.
Zuri’s footsteps were steady as she walked to her son’s side. Carefully, she removed his jacket, which she laid over Dominic’s body. Aidon continued to stare at the figure, his hands clenched at his sides.
‘Aidon,’ Aya said, her voice gentle as she reached for him. He jumped as she touched his arm.
‘You knew,’ he rasped. It took her a moment to realize he wasn’t addressing her; that his eyes were wet as he looked up at Zuri. ‘You knew.’
78
You knew, and you did nothing.
They were the words Josie had screamed at Aidon when he snuck into her room and faced her rage. He had taken every blow she’d given him until he could finally explain. Then he’d left her to deal with the guards while he smuggled Viviane into a carriage. They’d be in the mountains by now.
It was the first step in his repentance.
You knew, and you did nothing.
No. It was worse, so much worse, than that.
He had known … but he hadn’t known enough, hadn’t solved this puzzle fast enough to ensure no harm came to any of them.
Aidon stood, his hands trembling as he met his mother’s gaze.
‘You knew,’ he breathed. ‘You knew he sought out a Diaforaté to save Madelyn.’
