Page 91 of Bone Year

I cup her face with my other hand, and her eyes find mine. The pain is fading out of them. Something else taking over. Something soft and far away.

“It doesn’t hurt anymore.” Her voice is barely there. “That’s bad, isn’t it?”

“No, that means it’s getting better. You’re gonna be okay.”

“You’re a bad liar.” She almost smiles. “It’s okay. I know.”

“Nella—”

“I’m not mad at you.” Her fingers twitch against mine. “I know you tried.”

“I’m gonna save you. Hold on.”

“Tell my brother something for me? Tell him it wasn’t his fault. The riftling, none of it. Tell him I never blamed him.” Her eyes are drifting. Losing focus. “Tell him I love him.”

“You can tell him yourself. You’re going to be fine. Stay with me and keep talking to me.”

“You promised I’d fly again.” She looks at me and there’s no anger in her eyes. “It’s okay. Some promises can’t be kept.”

“Nella—”

Her voice diminishes with each word. “I dreamed about flying one more time over the Obsidian Falls. The water looked like liquid night. It was so beautiful.”

“Nella stay with me, please.”

Her eyes close. “I think I’ll fly there now.”

Her hand goes slack in mine.

I feel the exact second she leaves. One moment she’s here, and the next she’s...gone.

“No.”

I shake her.

“No, Nella, wake up.”

I press my ear to her chest. Nothing.

“NELLA!”

I slam my fists against her sternum the way my dad taught me.

Nothing. I start doing chest compressions. I can’t lose her, not like this.

The corruption stopped spreading. It doesn’t need to anymore. It won.

I hear footsteps behind me. Someone grabs my shoulders and yanks me back.

“She’s gone.” A voice I don’t know. “The necrosis reached her heart.”

Gone.

The healer pushes past me and picks up the bone saw. She presses it to Nella’s wing and starts cutting.

I hear metal on bone and flesh, grinding that I’m going to hear forever.

Nella’s body jerks with each stroke, but she doesn’t feel it. She’s not in there anymore.