The mage snapped off the front of the metal-tipped arrow, then removed the shaft from her back. The moment it left her chest, he murmured something, and a black haze shot out of Leya and the arrow. His expression hardened. With a wave of his finger, he transported both the weapon and the black fog into a lead canister and shut it.
Aerén gently moved Leya onto her back. Blood pumped out of her wound like a broken faucet, soaking her top…and he sensed her heartbeat slowing, barely a beat now—
“No!” he cried and shot to his feet, clutching her icy hand. “You were supposed to save her, not watch her die!”
“I need true death for what I must do,” Aethan said quietly.
A dagger appeared in his brother’s hand. He hunkered down next to the bed and sliced her top down the middle, revealing her drenched bra and skin.
Aerén’s heart stuttered in anguish, staring at the blood still gushing from her fatal injury.
I cannot live this life without you,caeli mea. You have to come back to me.
Aethan held his hands an inch above Leya’s chest. A familiar, silvery blue light coalesced and flowed into the gory wound. The hole slowly sealed.
“Good thing you severed your mate bond,” Aethan murmured. “When she goes through true death, it won’t pull you in with her.” He put his palms on Leya’s healed chest and looked up. “This will hurt you if you hold—”
Aerén glared at his brother, didn’t bother to inform him they weren’t soul mates because, in his heart, they were.
Allatus frowned at him.
He ignored the mage.
“Okay then,” Aethan said, waiting.
Then Aerén felt it. The final beat of her heartbeat…and her chest stilled.
Leya…His tears for her fell—
A rush of Aethan’s power swept through Leya, and her body bowed. The searing surge jolted through Aerén, worse than his own powers, as if every lightning blitz in the universe were plugged into him. He stumbled back, but didn’t let go of Leya’s hand, needing to hold on to bring her back.
Again, Aethan put his hands on her chest, letting his powers flow through Leya, and her petite body curved up and fell back once more. He repeated it with another surge of energy. A white power flowed into her, and her fragile body bowed yet again then fell back on the bed.
Aerén frowned, watching his brother. He hadn’t known Aethan had this type of ability. It wasn’t like anything he’d ever witnessed in his long life.
Aethan watched Leya, waiting…
Aerén knelt by her side.C’mon, c’mon,Leyamea. You have to come back to me.He bowed his head over her hand, pressed it to his lips…
Thud…thud…thud.
His head snapped up, the sound so faint… Then he heard it again, the distinct beat of her heart.
Tears welled. He pressed her slowly warming hand to his wet eyes.
“She will heal,” his brother’s rough voice drifted to him. “But it will take time.”
Aerén didn’t care as long as she lived. He swiped his wet eyes on the filthy sleeve of his tunic.
“There’s something else you should know, Ren.” An enigmatic little smile kicked up one corner of Aethan’s mouth.
Aerén frowned.
“When she awakens, she will be like us.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, she will be immortal. It’s a side effect of my ability and affects mortals.”
