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“No,” she growled, shaking him off. “Don’t you dare give me pity. He’s not dead. He can’t be. He wouldn’t leave me like this.”
I squeezed my eyes closed, trying not to fall apart even though everything inside me was swirling into a strange panic. I felt disjointed, like a puzzle whose pieces were scattering in the wind.
This was just all wrong. It couldn’t be real. Urban was the most vivacious person I’d ever met. He was… He was… He was my one true love, dammit. I didn’t care if we could only be together in dreams, he couldn’t leave me either.
Soren appeared at my side, shaking his head. “He can’t die like this,” he chanted, looking stricken. “He can’t die like this, not saving my life. It wouldn’t be fair. He’s supposed to be my enemy, not my fucking hero. Why did he die like this?”
I turned toward him slowly. Urban had saved him. He could’ve just as easily let Soren blow himself up.
Without my husband keeping us apart, he and I could’ve finally been together.
I knew this was exactly what would’ve happened too. If Soren had died instead of him, I would’ve gone to Urban. In fact, as I stared at my discombobulated husband, it was what I wished had happened.
But Urban had saved him…for me.
Swerving to me, Soren grasped my elbow. “Vienne, you have to fix this.”
I blinked at him, utterly confused. “What?”
“Fix it,” he growled sharply. “Fix him like he fixed you. He brought you back from the dead, didn’t he? Doesn’t that mean you can bring him back? He can’t die saving me. I won’t allow it.”
“I…” With a gasp, I veered my gaze back to the dead man on the ground. It didn’t seem possible that a simple kiss could fix all this. But the hope that lit inside me had me acting immediately.
I had to at least try.
“Someone hold the baby,” I said, already thrusting my child into Yasmin’s arms.
“Move over,” I told Allera as I stepped across one of Urban’s legs. “I’m going to bring him back.”
The princess merely looked up at me through tear-stained lashes before she shook her head miserably. “I don’t know if you can. You don’t have the mark.”
“I don’t care,” I said. “I’m going to try, anyway.” As I knelt next to her, blood instantly soaked my skirt, and a sobbed worked its way up my throat.
“Oh God. Urban,” I moaned, scarcely able to see him through the thick layer of tears gushing from my eyes.
Even if I could bring him back, it would hurt terribly for him to recover from this. And his arm… How could he ever use that arm again in such a condition?
“I’m sorry,” I gushed. “I’m so sorry.”
This was all my fault. If I hadn’t been so determined to remain married to Soren, then Urban wouldn’t have felt the need to rush in and save him for me, taking his place in the explosion.
Or maybe he would’ve done it for anyone, because he was just that kind of man. A protector.
In any case, “I don’t want you to go yet,” I said softly so only he could hear me. “Not without me.” Gently cupping his face in my hands, I closed my eyes and lowered my mouth to his.
Please work, please work, please work, I begged inside my head as his blood smeared against my lips and my tears dripped onto his cheeks. I think I love you, dammit. Don’t go yet. Don’t leave me.
As if hearing my thoughts, he tensed under me. Then he coughed against my mouth.
I jerked upright, wiping blood away from my mouth as he winced and coughed some more before clutching his chest, using the very arm I was sure he’d never be able to use again.
“Urban?” Allera asked, clutching my arm and shaking me in excitement. “Are you…are you okay?”
“Holy shit,” he muttered, squinting his eyes open. “That fucking hurt.” Then he tried to sit up, groaning and swaying until Allera, Brentley, and I surged forward to help him steady himself.
“Whoa there,” Brentley cautioned as he clasped Urban’s shoulder. “Take it easy, mate.”
Urban sent him a confused glance, his eyes still squinted as if everything were too bright for him. “What the hell happened?”
