“Hang on,” I told her. “Just a moment longer.”
“You did it,” she whispered. “Both of you.”
Bloodred tears filled my eyes, slowly starting to drip onto her.
The bond was going haywire between us, urging me to help, but I had no idea how. We had pumped her full of venom, but it didn’t seem to be working.
Suddenly, there were two witches from the Underground at our side, their hands reaching out to Cedar.
I pulled her closer, and Vesper growled.
“We have magic,” one of them whispered, looking us in the eyes as if trying to show us their sincerity. “Let us try to help.”
I looked at Vesper, and we came to a silent agreement to let them touch Cedar. Their magic glowed to life underneath their palms and sunk into her.
They looked at her with the utmost concentration, their eyebrows pulled together and sweat shining on their foreheads. I knew what they were going to tell me, though.
They pulled away, their faces grim.
“I’m sorry… It’s too late.”
“Don't you dare leave us,” Vesper whispered, her hands caressing Cedar's face.
I pushed Cedar's hand against my face. “Please. Please stay.”
She gave us one small smile. Her final one.
“I wish I could spend forever in your arms. I never felt more at peace than I do now. Knowing both of you will be safe and live happy lives together.”
“It's not happy without you,” I forced out.
“We'll all be together. Please, Cedar?—”
“Meeting you two and loving you has been the best part of my life. Thank you. I'm sorry I…” She let out a cough, blood splattering.
“Don't force yourself,” I said, touching her, wanting to fix her. Fixsomething. But I didn't know where to put my hands or what to do.
She was dying right in front of me, and I couldn't save her.
I didn't care that my brother was dead.
I didn’t care about the fucking prophecy.
I would throw it all away if it meant having her here for one more day.
“I need to say it. I'm sorry I can't be there to see what your life will look like. But I know you’ll be together, so you’ll be in good hands.”
“We love you,” Vesper whispered. “Please don’t do this. Please. I’ll do anything.” Her own bloodred tears were falling from her eyes and onto Cedar.
“I'm sorry I didn’t love you enough,” I said, regretting all the time I’d spent worrying about revenge and the prophecy instead of loving my people. Lovingthem.
“Your love was so much more than enough. You two were more than I ever dreamed…”
Her eyes widened, and her words slowly trickled off into nothingness.
Then there was nothing.
No light in her eyes. No magic. The only thing left of her was the slowly retreating part of our bond.
