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I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate. I was too afraid. Nothing would come. I collapsed on the cold, hard ground.
“Sorrel, I love you.”
Those words ignited a flame I could scarcely describe within me. The heat in my chest flooded my body, and an enormous pressure built up in me until it couldn’t be contained. A burst of light like a solar flare surged out of me.
Vincent and his father cowered from its presence and were forced back against the barrels. Eric fell onto the table and with all his might reached for his book, not quite able to grip it.
I managed to stand while keeping the light burning, buffeting his family. I crept toward Eric. “Please don’t do this,” I pleaded.
“It’s too late, my love,” he said, stilted, as if it took all his energy just to speak. “Don’t let me die in vain. Your family must live. Please,” he begged. “Please let me protect you.”
My biggest fear had come to life. Eric was going to die. For me. I promised I would be brave, but I had no idea it would come to this.
“Please,” Eric begged again.
With every ounce of courage I had left, I reached for Eric’s hand and placed it on the book, tears pouring out of me. “I love you.”
“That’s enough for me.” He closed his eyes. “I give of my life freely. With this sacrifice of blood, I pay the price. The request written on my heart must be given.”
The book began to smolder.
“I give of my life freely. With this sacrifice of blood, I pay the price. The request written on my heart must be given.”
The smolder turned into a spark and then a flame. I pushed Eric away before the Selene book consumed itself. I would not allow him to burn to death. Vincent and his father shrieked and writhed in pain until there was nothing left of the book, not even ashes, and they lay lifeless. The light within me abruptly extinguished, and I rushed to Eric’s side.
He was unconscious, and awful rasps escaped him like he was drowning. It was the death rattle. I’d heard it from my own father years ago. I placed my hands on Eric’s chest and called up the energy within me to heal him, but it wouldn’t come. “Please,” I cried. “Please.” I touched his beautiful face. “Eric, please don’t leave me.” I felt more cursed than ever.
Suddenly a light began to burn, as bright as the one that had come from within. My book, like a flash of burning magnesium, illuminated my father’s letter, not allowing me to ignore it. Hating to, I tore myself away from Eric and scrambled over to pick up the letter. The words I hadn’t been able to finish reading jumped off the page.
This family needs the blood of all three lines. You, my love, are the first to carry two Praeditus lines, and together with the last known heir of the Selene line—when he proves himself worthy and gives his life—will break this curse. You must bind yourselves together to restore the Praeditus. Queen Vita foresaw this day and sacrificed herself and cursed her own daughter, Princess Sorrel, so that not only would our people be saved but all mankind.
Use your gifts well, daughter. Always remember people over power.
Save Eric.
All my love,
Daddy
I needed to bind myself to Eric and save him. But how did I perform the binding ceremony? I frantically thought, and as if to answer my question, my book flipped itself open to the last page. Amid a swirl of every color, the binding ceremony appeared.
While Eric labored to breathe, I took his hand. I felt our powers connect and merge into one, and I began to recite the words. “With these words, I bind two willing hearts and three families: Aelius, Tellus, and Selene. The sun, earth, moon, and mortals will forever be bound. Our love will stand as a testament and witness of their combined strength. With the gifts of each we restore the Praeditus now and forever.”
An indescribable feeling swept through us and filled the room. It was as if I could feel the weight of unseen chains lift off me while a beautiful peace knitted my heart to Eric’s.
Eric took a deep breath and began to cough and splutter. His normal color began to appear in his face and limbs. I took his hand, kissed it, and placed it against my own cheek. I needed to feel his warmth and strength returning.
He smiled up at me. “I’m alive . . . and free.”
I bit my lip. “Well, sort of. We kind of just got hitched for, like, forever.”
His beautiful aqua eyes popped. “We’re bound to each other.”
“Believe it or not, yes. Apparently, all you had to do was try to die and be the last remaining Selene heir.”
