Sacrifice.
Was it her sacrifice after all? Would her death change the tide of the war? Would it allow Rion to live to rule the kingdom in her stead? Could he even survive without her? She certainly wouldn’t want to.
Sounds in the world faded. A roar rumbled through her chest. Her vision darkened at the edges.
Those beautiful green eyes were wide now, looking down at her, clutching her shoulders tight. His lips were moving. She couldn’t hear his words.
Don’t cry.
She tried to reach up.
Would death claim her so quickly? Was this it?
A spark of pain and—
Chapter Forty-Seven
Talon
Talon watched the glorious scene unfold: Two lovers finally reunited, his friend returned, before it was all brutally ripped away.
He had followed Rion’s lead after the male had all but screamed that Arianna was coming. He’d had such light in his eyes. Such hope. It had given them all the push they’d needed to shove their enemies back. It afforded everyone a moment of reprieve no matter how small.
Their warriors had fought harder, their hope renewed when they realized their queen would join them.
They’d all had the same thoughts.
They’d survive this after all.
Arianna had found a way.
She had raced across the field like a majestic queen, the Fairy Folk in her wake, glowing as if their bodies were tiny rays of light. They glided on the air itself, riding an invisible wave. His chest had swelled with hope and pride.
But that hope had died with a single iron arrow.
Followed by another.
And another.
Magic couldn’t stop iron. They hadn’t been fast enough. They’d been distracted.
Too late.
They were too late, too late, too late.
Rion roared, the sound shattering the barriers of their world as he fell to his knees with Arianna’s body in his arms.
Talon ran, sliding to their sides, his hands already drawing the healing runes he’d engraved into his brain.
This couldn’t happen. Not like this. Not to Arianna.
He used her own blood. The runes glowed, but nothing happened. Why wasn’t anything happening? Why were her eyes closed? Why was there so much blood?
Rion held her close, trying to cover one of the wounds with his hand and failing. He’d already pulled out the arrow. Talon had pulled out another, sure the rune would close the wound but—he drew another. Nothing.
And in that moment, Talon realized one agonizing truth. He couldn’t hear Arianna’s heartbeat anymore.
And he hadn’t even heard it stop.
