Death wasn’t as terrifying as some described.
Death was quiet.
Death was peace.
The last thing I remembered was exhaling one final breath, knowing I didn’t have the energy to inhale another.
Chapter 29
DRUSTAN
Vanessa’s eyes were glassy.
I worried that she was losing focus as she weakly whispered, “I will.” I’d been longing to hear a form of consent from her for months, and yet, when I finally did, her body immediately fell limp in my arms.
No, no, no, no.
“Audrey!” I roared. Vanessa didn’t move. Didn’t even flinch. The sensation of black tar burning throughout my core continued to spread to every one of my limbs. Rage and agony were battling for their spotlight within me. Finally, my cousin was there, dropping to her knees as she swatted my hand away from the wound. I didn’t remove my father’s knife, terrified that it would cause Vanessa to bleed out even more. Expediting her demise.
The squelching of my father’s body behind me ignited conflicting emotions. Peace and relief, because the halfling was currently ending him once and for all. Anger and rage, becauseIwasn’t the one to end the sorry excuse of a male for myself.
“She’s still there,” Caelena muttered, her eyes looking distant as she reached for Vanessa’s consciousness.
Then my sister was there, dropping to her knees next to us, silently slapping her bloody hands onto Vanessa’s body. I could feel the heat from the halfling’s healing touch coursing throughout my mate’s mangled body.
The ash that surrounded all of us landed on her cheeks, and I used my thumb to brush it off. Revealing my mate’s flawless freckles.
The city’s fire control bureau had arrived and was currently putting out all the flames. Drones, capturing all the footage of the battle, flew overhead. Undoubtedly reporting the story to news stations all over Hyvenmere.
But none of those details mattered. Vanessa groaned, and the three of us watched as Vanessa’s core twitched. Blood still drained from her stomach.
“He hit an artery,” Audrey muttered, inhaling a deep breath before channeling more healing into her touch.
“You’re taking too long,” I scolded, holding Vanessa tighter to my chest. “You need to heal her faster.” I leaned down, resting my nose in the dark curls falling around her head. Her floral scent filled my senses, bringing a brief hint of ease into my muscles.
I was struggling not to shake as I held her unconscious body in my arms.
“I’m drained,” Audrey groaned. “It’s going to work—just be patient,” I growled in annoyance at her. She clenched her teeth and growled back at me, while continuing to heal Vanessa.
Finally, Caelena wrapped her fingers around my father’s blade and yanked it out, making Vanessa release a soft cry from the pain of the open wound. However, Vanessa’s bleeding started to slow.
“Shh,” I cooed into her hair. Tears streamed down my cheeks. That was too close. My father almost killed my mate.Part of me wished that the halfling could heal him after she was finished with my mate, just so I could kill him again myself.
I could picture the feeling of my hands ripping his limbs from his body after sinking my claws deep into his throat. Unable to sound one single cry as I plucked him apart. Slowly. Torturously. His fearful and angry expression would be enough to soothe me into a peaceful slumber every night for the rest of my days.
“You’re holding her too tight, Dru,” Caelena scolded.
Dru. What Vanessa called me. The nickname she gave to my human identity. The nickname that I pretended was for my real name every time I stepped foot in her realm. The real me. I loosened my grip just enough to allow the halfling to keep working.
Against my stomach, Vanessa’s ribs expanded on a deep inhale. Healing. My half-sibling was right, it was working. It was just taking far too long.
“Aud!” The fae prince’s shrill voice made me frown as he dropped to his knees, landing on the other side of my mate’s body, next to the halfling, “Get your hands off?—”
I snarled at the fae. A feral sound of pure threat. Hanging onto what was left of my sanity was difficult enough without the fae wailing and trying to take my mate from me.
He halted his sentence and stared at all of us with wide eyes.
I frowned at the halfling and her mate, as I realized how good they looked.
