And everyone in it was going to die.
Loren tried to move. But she only sank further onto the roof, legs spreading wider as she tipped face-first onto the ground. She was so tired.
So very tired.
—
Darien made it to Loren with two minutes to spare. He could feel it—the pressure increasing in the air. The Well was seconds from exploding. His head was going to pop like a balloon, the shrieking in his ears so sharp it felt like his brain was leaking out of his nose.
By the time he found her, Loren had made it halfway down the tower. She was barely on her feet on the outdoor landing—the strip of cristala that curved like a sheer blade around the perimeter. Blue blood was spattered across her bodysuit, and her sun-bright hair was dusty, most of the strands having shook loose from her braids.
“Darien,” Loren croaked. She limped the last few feet toward him, and he caught her around her middle, where she collapsed in his arms, as shaking and utterly spent as he felt.
He breathed her in, breathed in the scent of her. He couldn’t slow his racing heart, couldn’t smother the sickness twisting in his gut, but holding her eased the tension in his mind and brought him some peace at last. Regret cut his heart in half as he realized that he would never get to do this again—never get to hold her, touch her.
“Lola,” he sighed, burying his face in her soft hair. “Thank heavens you’re safe.”
“Can you jump?” The words held a tinge of hope, and he felt like screaming—because it was no use. No use at all. Even if he could survive the fall, they wouldn’t have enough time to even make it to the pavement.
“We’re too high.” He drew her to him, gathering her into his arms and kissing her soundly—desperately. His thoughts were a nonsensical roar, but she was here with him now.
They were together.
A feeling of calm washed over him as he took her hands into his own and kissed her again.
“Darien,” she mumbled against his lips. Tears were streaming down her face. He could taste the salt of them, the dampness wetting his own cheeks. “We’re going to die. Aren’t we?” The sound of her broken, pained words ripped his soul apart.
“Not you, Loren.” He kissed her again, holding tightly to her hands. “You’re going to live, you hear me?You are going to live.”Something like panic shone in her eyes, but before she could register the message behind his words, he bent down to kiss her again—one last time.
And in her distraction, he slipped the onyx band onto her finger.
—
Loren shook her head mechanically as she tried to dislodge the ring. But she didn’t know how, and the stupid thing just kept spinning around her finger.
The black armour of Fleet Headquarters had vanished off Darien, leaving him in a white t-shirt and blue jeans, the shining, magic-enforced leather of the bodysuit instead coveringherfrom head to toe.
“Darien.” Her voice was a wild, panicked gasp.
The tower rumbled beneath their feet as their final seconds were swallowed up. They were out of time.
She couldn’t breathe.She couldn’t breathe.“No—”
Stilling the hand that was fumbling with the ring, Darien leaned down and covered her mouth with his own, swallowing her protest. He wouldn’t release his grip from her hand, wouldn’t let her take off the ring.
A sob burst through her lips, barely audible against his mouth.
This couldn’t be happening. It couldn’t be.
His lips left hers, only for a moment. Long enough for her to say what she’d been so afraid of admitting, even to herself.
“I love you.” The words—the only three that mattered—were a strangled gasp.
Those steel-blue eyes welled with tears. The sight of them broke what was left of her—had her heart splintering into pieces inside her chest. How was it possible that she was still breathing, after all this hurt?
“I love you,” she repeated against his mouth, every word a croak. “I don’t want to live without you, Darien. Please—” He slammed his lips against hers again. She could feel his thunderous heartbeat against her chest, could feel him shaking. A sob bubbled up her throat. “Darien—”
The world was swallowed by bright light as the Well exploded and the tower collapsed.
