Page 48 of Commanding Scythe and Sky

I pressed my lips to the crown of her head. “I love you so fucking much, baby.”

“Move, August.”

I blinked into the blinding light, disoriented. “What?”

“Move, August! Now. Get up.”

“Baby?” I leaned away to look down at her, but Ally’s eyes had gone distant.

“Get up!”

The goddess in my arms vanished.

Kneeling before me, knee-deep in the water and just beyond my reach, was Ally⁠—

—and not Ally.

She looked like a phantom. Her eyes flat and hollow. Her cheekbones too sharp. Filthy clothes hanging from her frame.

As though my mind had tried to conjure her from memory and failed.

“Get up. Now, August. Please,” she demanded, grabbing my hand and hauling me to my feet as the water sloshed around us. “Now! God, move!”

“Ally?” Terror swallowed the joy of only moments before. Awareness settled over me, and I looked around—at the glimmering edges of the memory. At the way the sky shone too brightly.

Wrong.

Something was wrong.

Memory, but not…

Ally, but not.

The ear-splitting shriek of metal.

Pain.

So much pain.

“No.” It came out as a breath. A plea to remain inside that perfect bubble, where she was safe. Whole. Mine. “Stay,” I demanded, searching her face as it crumpled. Silver lined those emerald eyes. “Please. Please, baby. Stay with me.”

“I love you,” she whispered, her chin quivering. “I’m sorry.”

“Where are you? I’m coming for you. I promise—we’re not giving up.”

“I know.” Her breath hitched around a swallowed sob. “I…”

“Where? Focus, Ally. Where are you?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. I’m so sorry, August. So, so sorry.” She pressed her palm over my heart as anguish pinched her features. “Now, wake up.”

Pain burned through my chest. I looked down to find her palm glowing orange, embers crackling through her veins and climbing beneath her ivory skin as though they would fight their way through it.

Burn their way out.

“Now!”

I blinked as pain consumed my body.