“Are you the Guardian?” Reeve breathed. “The Guardian of ElverdineIsle?”
The man looked amused. “I’m evenmoresurprised you know thatterm.”
Reeve’s gaze flicked to Viri,as if, like her, he couldn’t believe the legend they’d grown up hearing about was really before them. In an incredulous whisper, he said, “You’re a mage.”
“I am,” the Guardian said solemnly. “And I’m breaking some very strict rules by being here right now.” He swiveled back to Viri. “But as I said, I believe I can help you. You just have to make your wish.”
Viri looked toward her parents and tremulously asked, “Can you—”
“I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do for them,” he said gently.
“But—in the story about the three hunters—” Viri hiccuped. “Their magewish brought the child back to life.”
The Guardian’s blue eyes turned guarded. “That was a different situation, and the wish had already been spoken before the babe passed, so the magic had no choice but to find a solution—the cost of which was far graver than anyone could have imagined.” He shook his head. “Not all stories have happy endings, and despite what you may have been told, that one certainly didn’t. I’m sorry, but I won’t risk it happening again. I can’t change your parents’ fates.” He paused. “But I can help in another way.”
“How?” Reeve asked suspiciously.
The Guardian’s gaze remained locked on Viri. “You said you can’t live like this. Well, I can make you forget.”
She sucked in a breath. “You can?”
“Not everything,” he warned. “Your parents will still be gone, but I cangive you a purpose beyond your pain. I can make it so you don’t remember what happened with the obelisk and the role you played in their deaths, and so you don’t feel the loss of your brother on top of everything else. You’ll recall that your parents died and that Braedan is gone, but your mind will create a reason that removes the guilt from your shoulders. It will still hurt, but it’ll be bearable, enabling you to keep your promise to live—and eventually, to live happily.”
“Are you saying I’ll f-forget Braedan?”
“No. But you’ll forget the sacrifice he made for you, and your longing to free him from the Reaper Lord’s clutches. You’ll likely forget about the Reaper Lord entirely in order to have peace of mind about the future without any threat hanging over you.”
Viri was shaking her head before he even finished speaking. “I can’t do that to Brae. I can’t just—justforget, and live my life like nothing happened.”
The Guardian held her gaze. “Isn’t that the whole reason your brother accepted the Reaper Lord’s deal? So you could do exactly that?”
Viri swallowed. “It doesn’t matter. I can’t—I can’t—”
“Viri.” Reeve’s voice was gentle but insistent. She turned to find his silver eyes soft on hers. “This is what Brae would want. What your parents would want. You’re going to drown in guilt otherwise. I think—I think you shoulddo it.”
“But—”
“No buts,” Reeve said. “This is the only way you’ll be able to keep your promise to Brae.”
“But he’s all alone,” Viri whispered, another tear falling down her cheek. “If I forget what he did for me…” Her gaze lost focus as she turned it over in her mind, coming to a decision. She clutched Reeve’s shirt and declared, “You need to go after him.”
His eyes rounded. “No. I’m staying with you.”
“I can’t go through with this unless I know you’re with him.”
His arms tightened around her. “I told him I’d look after you.”
“This is how you do that,” Viri said hoarsely. “He needs you more than I do—I won’t need you at all if I don’t remember what happened.” That was a lie, since she would always need Reeve, and the thought of being away from him made her want to start crying again and never stop. But then she imagined her brother on his own for the next however-many years, and she couldn’t stomach that unless she knew Reeve was with him. Viri’s wish would keep the worst of her grief at bay—her brother didn’t have that luxury, so the least she could do was make sure he and Reeve had each other.
“I don’t want to leave you,” Reeve said quietly, his eyes dark with sorrow. “But if this is what it takes for you to use the magewish, then I’ll do it. I’ll go after Brae, I’ll keep him safe. And one day, we’ll all be together again.”
Viri’s chin wobbled as new tears pooled in her eyes, soaking into his shirt when he pulled her into a tight hug.
“I swear it, Little Shadow,” Reeve whispered into her ear. “We’ll see each other again.” A shaky breath left him. “Now make your wish.”
Viri didn’t want to let him go, but the longer she waited, the harder it would be for him to follow Braedan and the Reaper Lord, so she pulled away and croaked out, “My heart will always remember you, Reeve Ashton. I might forget what happened today, but as long as I live, I’ll never forget you.”
She turned away from his sad silver gaze and announced to the Guardian, her voice trembling but firm, “I wish to forget.”
