He gazed at her with a fondness so profound that she almost stumbled back. “Death created the curse, Reyna. Only death can break it.”
“No.” All the blood drained from her face. “I won’t believe it. I won’t. I—”
“I’m almost gone, Reyna,” he whispered, lifting a hand to touch her cheek. “I managed to wrestle for control long enough to tell you goodbye, but soon there will be nothing left of me but him. He’s driven me out. I can’t hold on any longer. Even if you save his life, you won’t be saving mine. You have to do this. You have to save your kingdoms. And I know you will…because that is why I love you. You always do the hard thing. Even it shatters you, you always choose right.”
Reyna’s heart thundered in her ears. “I can’t do this.”
“But you have to.” His hand dropped to his side, and his body began to buck against the throne. “He’s coming back, Reyna. I can’t hold him off much longer, and he’s stronger than you think he is. He’ll leap off this throne. You won’t be able to stop him.”
“No, don’t go,” she whispered, her tears so thick that she could barely see his face through them. “Please, I can’t do this. You’re wrong about me. I can’t choose the world over you.”
“Yes, you can.” He smiled. “I love you.”
Lorcan’s eyes went blank, and his lips quirked up in the corners. For a moment, the entire world slowed. She stared at him. Her lover. Her best friend. His words echoed in her ears.
Even if it shatters you, you always choose right.
With a roar of pain and rage, she hauled back her sword and shoved it into his heart. The ground rumbled beneath her feet, and a force as strong as a hurricane wind threw her across the floor. She slammed into the vine-covered walls.
Her breath hurtled from her lungs as she shook away the stars. Slowly, she dragged her gaze up to the dais, trembling. A brilliant emerald flower burst open, sprouting from a vine at the top of the throne. Just beside the fae she’d never forget, even if twenty centuries passed her by. She closed her eyes, weeping.
The curse was broken. And Lorcan was dead.
52
Reyna
Time passed in a meaningless blur. Someone grabbed her arms and dragged her out of the Tower of Thorns and threw a blanket over her shoulders. Feathers brushed her cheek. A beak nuzzled her ear. She let the hands pull her into a dark room and ease her onto a bed. They patched up her palm, spreading soothing ointment across the scar.
A soft voice whispered in her ear, telling her to sleep. Silver ribbons tickled her face, and then they were gone. But she soon found she could not toss the world from her mind.
She threw back the covers and padded to the open window. Her entire soul ached, and even the dim light on the horizon speared her eyes.
“Wingallock,” she said in a hoarse voice. “I need you to find another bird to send to Father. He needs to know the curse is done.”
Her owl cooed and took off, spinning through the clouds. He would take care of this for her. She plopped back down on the bed and stared at her hands.
She’d killed him.
Sorrow rushed over her like a tidal wave. Sobs shook her whole body and knocked her to the floor. She clutched at the ground with shaking fingers, failing to breathe through the crushing pain.
The door flung open, and footsteps scuttled across the floor. Eislyn knelt beside her and gathered her into her arms. Her sister held her like that for hours, kissing her forehead, brushing her tears from her cheeks. Holding her and never letting go.
* * *
“Hello, Father,” Reyna said tiredly as she drooped forward at the head of the meeting hall table. “I’m assuming you got my message.”
He gave her a gentle smile. “I certainly did. Your brave actions have saved a lot of lives.”
New tears sprang into her eyes. She sighed and glanced away. She was so tired of crying.
Murdock uneasily cleared his throat. “I realize this is a sensitive time. However, we do need to discuss what this means for the kingdoms going forward.”
“Murdock, careful,” Cos Darragh snapped. “My daughter is grieving.”
“Aye. And we’ve all done our fair share of grieving over the years. I lost my daughter in the battle for Tairngire. That was little over a month ago, and the wound is as fresh as newborn babe. Still, I got on with things then, and we need to get on with things now. Our people need us to.”
Reyna closed her eyes. “You want to know who should rule the Shadow and Wood Courts.”
