“Do you still have the moon drops?”
“Yeah. Why?” He frowned.
“They might help,” I said.
He hesitated, then pulled the bottle from his pocket. ”Yeah, I got you.”
The liquid inside glowed faintly, silver-lilac and soft, like starlight trapped in glass.
And I drank.
Not a sip.
I downed the whole bottle in a single breath.
“Kera—” Aran’s voice jumped. “Wait. No. No, what are you—”
It hit instantly.
A cold rush tore down my spine. My limbs went numb, heavy, distant. The world tilted, then dropped out from under me.
I tipped sideways, and Aran lunged, catching me just before I hit the sand.
“Kera? Kera—shit—no, no, no—KERA!”
Will dropped to his knees beside us, sand scattering. “What’s wrong?”
“She drank it,” Aran choked out. “She drank the whole bottle.”
Will’s head snapped up. “Is that bad?” He was already pressing his fingers to my neck, searching for a pulse.
“She was only supposed to take a sip,” Aran said, his voice breaking. “The old woman warned us—if you take more than that—”
“Then what?” Licia’s voice cut through, sharp and terrified.
Aran swallowed hard. “She might never wake.”
Will’s hands were shaking as he cupped my face. “No. No, no, no—please. Stay with me. Please.” His voice cracked as he shook me gently.
I couldn’t answer. The world was already slipping away.
It was the only way.
The only way to keep them safe. To stop myself from burning everything we had left. From hurting them.
“Take me somewhere safe,” I whispered, my voice fading with me.
And I let go.
The bottle slipped from my fingers.
The world spun sideways.
And Ifell.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Falling didn’t feel like drowning.
