“Look.” Remy pointed in the distance.
The mist opened, revealing a scene below. As if she was watching from the boughs of the trees. Casimir held Ava’s limp form, clutching her close to his chest as he wailed into her hair.
“Oh, Cas…” she whispered, her heart breaking at the sight of his grief.
Raine knelt beside him, holding Ava’s hand to his chest, his face a picture of devastation. Her brother knelt on the ground, head in his hands, shoulders shaking as Quinn tried to console him.
Jorrar and Kai clutched each other with quiet sobs. Pax stared up at the sky, numb. Even Imsel’s face was crumpled with sorrow.
Animal companions paced and whined.
Everyone was there. A crowd of fae, some kneeling, some heads bowed. All of them grieving.
So many people, watching.
“What’s happening?” Ava whispered.
Jareth stood behind Casimir, saying something Ava couldn’t hear. Casimir spoke back. Jareth cut his palm, and handed the dagger to Casimir. Gently, Casimir laid Ava’s body on the ground as Raine scooted back, still on his knees. Maeryn stepped close and he immediately buried his face in her stomach, his shoulders shaking as she held him tight, her own eyes glistening.
Jareth knelt. Casimir sliced his own palm, then grasped the astral prince’s hand.
A moment later, the brothers began to glow.
Casimir placed his other hand on Ava’s chest.
The light around them grew brighter. So bright the crowd had to shield their eyes. It extended to her body on the ground before the scene disappeared.
A tingle began in her chest. A pull. And those golden threads reappeared…she could see them before her. She gasped, reaching out, trying to touch them. Her hand glowed, the light moving up her arm. Seconds later her entire body illuminated the fog around her.
She could feel them. Could feelhim. Casimir pouring his magic into her, Jareth pushing his own through him to help. It called to her.
Come home. Come home, princess. This is where you belong.
A smooth hand clasped hers. A small rough hand clasped her other.
“It’s time,” her mother said.
“Yes yes yes,” Remy said from her left, smiling up at her. “It’s time.”
“Ava?” Ava met eyes with her mother.
“Yes?”
“I want you to give a message to your brother. I’ll tell you on the way.”
Then they walked forward into nothing.
56
With a gasp, Ava opened her eyes. “Mom…Remy,” she murmured, searching for them.
But her hands were empty. She wasn’t in the white place. Clouds moved away, the warmth of the sun beaming down on her skin. A face came into view above her. A brown beard. Long hair. A scar down his neck, covered in dirt and blood from battle, but beautiful just the same.
“Cas…”
His face crumpled with anguish and relief, golden eyes swimming with tears as he gathered her to his chest, cradling her in his lap. Tears of joy leaked from her eyes. He peppered her head with kisses, rubbing her back, murmuring, “My love. My soul. My heart. You’re here…It worked…Oh, gods, it worked…You came back…”
He pulled away, pressing his forehead to hers, still clutching her as if her life depended on it. “You were gone…I felt you leave…” He kissed her nose. “I felt you die.”
