I leaned forward, and so did Yanric, gripping the fabric on my shoulder tightly. “How?” I didn’t want to miss a word of this. In fact, I should have brought something to write with so I could take notes.
“You, Fallon Bane, were born with two chances at life: your fae one and your Nightling one. You must cross over into the Realm of Eternity, switch powers back with Ariyon, and give up your opportunity at rebirth, give up your Nightling life.”
I scoffed. “That’s all? Done! I don’t want to be a Nightling anyway.”
His face grew somber. “Before you decide, you should know a few things.”
I swallowed hard. The moment Yanric feared felt like it was coming.
“One, when you give up your Nightling life, your ability to control the dark magic you carry will be lost.”
I gasped.No.He saw that? Did that mean I would go dark? If so, how quickly? My heart began a frantic war drum beat against my chest as my breathing came out in quick bursts. The edge of a panic attack loomed over me as I fought for composure.
“And two, by this time next year…you will be dead and unable to be reborn because you will have forfeited that second life to save Ariyon.”
I folded in on myself, the crushing weight of depression sinking in on me. A sob formed in my throat as the shock of his words crashed into me one by one.
Dead by nineteen? No. It wasn’t enough time. Eden, my dad, Ayden, Ariyon. A year wasn’t enough time to be with those I loved. He had to be wrong. His gift wasn’t perfect, right? Yan snuggled into my neck, and I reached up with a shaky hand and stroked his feathers as my heart threatened to stop beating.
“Are you sure?” I asked, panic seizing me in its grip as I fought for composure.
“I have never seen something that has not come to pass. That being said, I do not see everything. Just snippets in time, like a series of pictures.”
I met his violet gaze. “If you have seen it, then you already know I will choose to save Ariyon and give up my chance at a second life,” I told him.
He nodded. “I do know that.”
Yanric nuzzled my neck again, and I sighed. So it was true, my death within a year’s time. “How do I die?”
Emmeric beamed at me, pride, much like a father would have for his child, in his gaze. “Saving the people of The Gilded City. I saw you die a hero, Fallon.”
A lightness grew in my chest, chasing away the depression like a bad dream. If there was a chance to save all those people I cared about, then death was a small thing in the grand scheme. Truth be told, I wasn’t afraid of death so much as I was afraid of going dark and hurting those I loved.
“I think I’m okay with that,” I told him.
‘I’m assuming I die a hero too? Do they chant our names in the street afterward or what?’Yanric wanted to know.
Emmeric and I both burst into laughter.
As weird as it felt, knowing when you were going to die was kind of freeing. I was going to make the most of the time I had left and know that when I did cross over, I was doing so a hero, saving those who I loved.
“So how do I do it?” I asked him. “How exactly do I save Ariyon?”
Emmeric folded his hands. “You need to travel to the Realm of Eternity on a dying body. Only bring your soul,” he said, and I winced. I literally just did that with Solana. I guess I would need to wait for someone else to be mortally injured? Not ideal, but okay.
“And then?”
“You ask to see Ariyon. The Grim will allow it. Once you get to him, you need to quickly switch powers. It will weaken you considerably at first, but then you will be stronger than everbefore. Ariyon has been using your magic to stay alive in his fights, and he’s unlocked more power than you are used to.”
That was slightly terrifying.
“How do I switch our powers back?”
He frowned. “You don’t know how to do that yet?”
I shook my head.
He shrugged. “You’ll figure it out. I saw you do it.”
