AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He turned immediately, walking closer to them as he spoke. “It is done. Your sacrifice will never be forgotten, little one.”
With a lurch that was almost anti-climactic, his essence left my body as easily as breathing, slipping away with a soft caress that gave me back control of my limbs. Yet I had no strength left, and I crumpled to the ground in a limp heap as my legs refused to support me.
My heart fluttered feebly as I forced my head to move, using the last drops of strength left inside me to turn my face to the three men who held my heart and soul. My pulse faltered as I cast my eyes over their faces, almost believing they could be sleeping as they lay so still and calm in the silent room, and as my vision began to darken, I finally felt more than just helpless grief.
I felt peace.
Chapter Thirty-One
Cordelia
Theworldwasdarkand still, so the sound of a throat clearing loudly made my brow crease into a confused frown.
As the noise came again, more pointed now, my eyes flickered open and my hand rose instinctively to shield them from the bright light of the sun.
“That’s right, child, wakey wakey.”
Awareness slowly began to creep into me at the sound of the blunt but warm voice, the croaking rasp somehow familiar. Glancing down, I blinked in surprise as I found myself laying in the exact same spot as I had been before. I was still covered in blood, though I couldn’t seem to actually feel my body at all, and everything seemed eerily silent. A glance forward showed me that the guys’ hadn’t moved either, though I didn’t let myself dwell on their faces now. The witch guards were still cowering against the far wall, frozen in fear as they tried to get away from the Great Wolf’s wrath.
I squinted at them as my eyes struggled to focus, my hand pushing the hair back from my face. They literally didn’t seem to be moving at all, not even blinking.
My head whipped around at the sound of the throat clearing again, a part of me aware that I felt no pain at all at the sudden movement.
“Feel free to notice me anytime you like,” the voice spoke, dripping with impatient sarcasm now.
Hunched and ancient, the keen, bright eyes of the crone met mine as she stood a few feet away, bent low over her gnarled walking stick.
“Um…”
She raised a heavily wrinkled brow at me. “Well that was articulate.”
Planting my hands on the stained carpet beneath me, I pushed myself up to sitting and faced her. “Ok, how about, what the fuck is going on? Is that any better?”
She grinned wickedly at my sass, wagging a withered finger at me. “That’s more like it. I always enjoyed your spunk.”
I breathed out a disbelieving laugh and ran a hand through the mess of my hair. “Ok… but…”
“You’re dead,” she announced, cutting off my words and making my jaw snap shut in shock. “Or at least, most of the way. You let that idiot convince you to jump on the bandwagon and fulfil that damn prophecy, and now you’re fucked.”
I gaped at the frail old woman who was now standing strong and mouthing off at me. “Excuse me?”
She sighed and waved a hand, conjuring a battered old rocking chair out of thin air and lowering herself into it.
“Child, you gave up everything for his plans. So that he could have vengeance.”
I narrowed my eyes at her, offended. “I had no choice! She would have destroyed everything!”
She hummed thoughtfully and gave me a considering nod as she began to rock in the chair, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. “Yes, that is most likely true. But that doesn’t do you much good, does it? You’re dead either way.”
I looked down at myself again, brushing my hands over my skin and feeling nothing. “How exactly am I talking to you? Or moving? I can’t feel anything.”
She looked at me like I was an idiot. “Magic.”
I nodded, taking a deep breath to steady myself and realising that I had only been breathing when I’d needed to speak. I was pretty sure that my heart wasn’t even beating. A shudder ran through me at the thought, but the crone stole my attention again as she spoke.
“I’ve been watching you for a long time, child,” she said, her eyes piercing as she watched me. “We knew that the Wolf had a hand in your birth, and I was sent to watch over you and ensure that he did not upset the balance.”
“Who are you?” I asked simply, my mind spinning.
