The only person I’d ever love was dead.
No.I would not believe it. We didn’t come this far to lose her. Not now.
I’d seen an article on the Twelfth Line, and what they did for people with heart failures who couldn’t get to magical doctors. They pressed their chests, beating their hearts, breathing into their mouths to fill their lungs, until they could breathe for themselves.
Pushing Hayle out of the way, I ignored his snapping growls. I pressed on Avalon’s chest, and prayed. I prayed to the Goddess that she wouldn’t forsake her now.
I prayed to the stars, that they’d give her their light.
I prayed to her dead mother, who’d loved her so much, to guide her back to me. To us.
Nothing helped, but I wouldn’t stop. Either Avalon came back, or I’d join her, wherever she was.
Twenty-Eight
Avalon
I’d smashed thetal,and the magic had burst over me like a fireball, eating at my skin, my muscle, my blood, until there was nothing left. Hayle’s wide eyes were the last thing I’d ever see, and honestly, it wasn’t a bad way to go.
Thetalwas gone, meaning balance would be restored. Western Ebrus would get its magic back, would have things to trade, would be able to prosper once more without this monstrosity sucking the life out of them.
The darkness was warm. Honestly, death wasn’t that scary at all. It kind of smelled like cookies, and who didn’t like cookies?
“That is a very interesting point, Avalon Halhed.” This woman, who was now so familiar, though I’d never be able to draw her face, sat beside me. “I never thought much about how this place smelled. But you aren’t in the afterlife, fortunately. Just here with me in the inbetween.”
I blinked at her sadly. “Are you lonely too?”
The Goddess huffed a soft laugh. “Sometimes.”
I swallowed hard. The guys all had each other now; I could stay. “You don’t have to be anymore.”
Two hands—or at least, I thought they were hands—reached out and cupped my cheeks. “Oh, sweet, sweet Avalon. You werealways the perfect choice for this, despite the pain that you’ve had to endure. A heart so big, so full, even now, when you’ve given everything.”
The touch of those hands was like falling into a soft hug that wrapped around you entirely. “No one deserves to be lonely.” I sat up, looking around. “Dermet!” My face screwed up as I blinked back tears. “Dermet,” I repeated, a lament this time. “He made me… He made?—”
Her hands stroked down my hair. “I know. Sometimes, the right thing to do is the hardest thing. Dermet knew what he was doing, and he’s here with me too. Free and without pain. It’s the only thing he’s ever wanted, and you gave him that.”
Letting out a shuddering breath, I nodded.Good.
Someone’s shadow dipped over mine. “She’s here? It’s done already?”
I looked up into another face, but this one, I knew so well that I could draw it from memory. Ellanora Halhed stared down at me, her beautiful face looking ethereal in whatever light emitted from the inbetween.
“So pretty,” I whispered, making Ellanora laugh softly.
“As are you, Ninth Daughter of the Ninth Line.”
I screwed my nose up. “Thanks for all the vague hints, by the way. It made my life so much easier.”
They laughed at my sarcastic tone, and Ellanora shrugged. “There are rules, and trust me when I say I skirted around them as much as I could. Thank goodness for the Librarians; they really stepped up where they had to.”
I had so many questions, but I was also sotired.I just wanted to close my eyes, to fall into the warmth of the darkness around us.
A hand stroked my face. “You better stay awake, Avalon. This is the important part.”
I blinked up at the Goddess. “You mean destroying that statue wasn’t the important part?” I groaned, flopping backwards onto the grass.
Actually, the grass was new. I didn’t think that had been there before.
