The sunset fragmented into pieces. The water in the ponds rose into the air like reversed rain. Lattices and blossom trees, stone dragons and corridors all splintered into ash.
But then...a shadow touched her.
A single finger of blackness brushed her bare shoulder, and a tiny snowflake lifted from her skin.
“No...” Grabbing her cheeks, I shook her. “Don’t you dare do this. Not again. I won’t survive it again.”
Rook gasped, her fingers locking around my wrists. “Don’t do what?”
I snarled as another shadow coiled around her neck, turning her skin translucent. Her hair floated on a non-existent breeze...swirling away into dust.
“No—” I hugged her until I bruised her, holding all her pieces together even as she kept breaking apart.
I couldn’t.
I couldn’t watch her die in my arms again.
I can’t!
“Stay with me!” My voice cracked, grief so sharp it carved out what was left of my soul. “We promised neither of us would leave. I fixed it. I fixed everything!”
Pulling back in my embrace, she searched my eyes. “Lucien...what’s happening? I-I feel...strange.”
“It’s fine. Everything will be fine.” Crushing my mouth to hers in a desperate kiss, I poured every ounce of power and love into her heart. “We survived the ascension. I rewrote destiny so we could be together. This is just madness. I’m going mad. Tell me I’m going mad and you’re okay.Tell me!” I shook her, and a cloud of silver dust erupted from her skin.
Stay. Stay. Stay.
Please, please don’t go.
A guttural, animalistic roar ripped from my throat.
Not again.
Please, not again.
Her hands glowed with hairline fractures as she cupped my cheeks, wiping away my scalding tears. “You’re burning.” She smiled with grief as crippling as mine. “You’ve always been burning, Lucien...it’s time to stop. Before it’s too late.”
“Stop? Stop what?”
Her voice turned achingly sad. The playful, insatiable woman who’d shared my bed burst into tears as truth flared in her eyes. Truth I wasn’t strong enough to see. Truth I’d give anything to ignore. “You’ve burned your soul to stay here with me, Lucien...and now...now you’re about to die.”
“You’re lying.”
“I love you, but...you have to stop.”
“No—” I hugged her tighter, burying my face in her neck, breathing in frost and honey and her. “Don’t say that. You’re real. Youhaveto be real.”
Her body turned hazy as the shadows blotted everything else.
It was just us.
Me and her.
Surrounded by darkness.
She suddenly jerked in my arms. “Lucien?” Her voice switched from calm acceptance to sharp panic. “What’s happening? It hurts. It hurts so much. Make it stop. Please make it stop.”
Fuck.
