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Monsters and humans alike celebrate, feast, drink, and dance. They trade war stories, but I don’t feel their happiness or mirth. All I feel is grief. My heart is filled with it as I help lay the last body to rest. The field where the battle took place has become their gravesite, and they will be entombed there as a reminder of those we have lost.
Darkness surrounds us, the fires at the village and castle brightening the night sky.
Cora’s hand slips into mine as we stare at the overturned earth. Our monsters, our mates, are moving around the field, filling the holes we have placed bodies in. The mourning howls of mothers, daughters, sons, and wives fill the air around us, echoing the pain inside my soul.
I took a life, one I promised to love forever. I know I had no choice. The war had to stop, and for that, hatred must be eradicated. Merryl became a symbol, a promise, but it doesn’t stop the pain I feel at knowing I killed a man I once held in my arms.
“Without you, this would have been much worse.” I glance over to meet Cora’s sad eyes, the orange strand of her hair blowing in the wind. She wears it proudly. “The death toll would have been unimaginable. I was so blinded by my own hatred, my own need to protect our people, that I saw no other way, but you did. Even after everything humans have done to you, you didn’t let it corrupt you. You chose hope. You chose to heal rather than hurt. You broke the cycle, Kai. You are a hero.”
“I don’t feel like one,” I admit.
“Nor do I feel like a queen right now,” she replies. Her face is streaked with drying blood, and there are bags under her eyes, showing her exhaustion. We are all tired.
“How about we try again tomorrow?” I joke, and a sad smile curves her lips.
“Tomorrow. Tonight, let us just be two sisters, both hurting and tired.” Cora nods before wrapping me in her arms, and I hold her tight. “Thank you for saving me, Kai.”
“Always,” I whisper. “I should have done it back then, but I was weak and afraid. I’m not now,” I tell her as I pull back.
“You were never weak,” Cora replies, cupping my face. “You were and still are the strongest person I know. You looked at this world, and as fucked up as it was, you still saw hope. You saw love and happiness and strove for it. You saw something worth fighting for even when I didn’t. That is not weak.” She kisses my cheek and flits back over to her mates.
I watch her go as I stand alone in the field, my arms and legs heavy, burdened like my heart. My use of power drained me, and I know before long, I will need to rest, but for now, I wait likea sentinel standing above the dead, ensuring they are all offered respect and dignity as they pass onto their next life where it’s hopefully better for them.
A deep warmth gradually grows on my arm, and I glance down in surprise.
I trace the new smoky ink crawling along my skin. I didn’t notice it until after my skin dimmed. It shows two interlinked crowns—one for Cora, one for me, no doubt from me healing her.
She carries me in her hair, and I carry her on my skin.
“Kai.” I don’t know how long someone has been calling my name, but I jerk my head up to meet Weyland’s worried eyes. “Are you okay?”
“Just tired,” I reply, glancing behind him. “Are they all buried?”
“Yes, every single one. We made sure.” Kaito joins him, wiping off his dirt-covered hands.
Rook and Dade appear together, both just as covered in dirt and blood, and I hold out my hand. “Then let’s go home.”
It turnsout I’m more exhausted than I thought I was, so by the time we get back to the castle, I’m nearly dragging my feet. Dade ignores my protests and picks me up, carrying me up the stairs. I press my nose to his neck and inhale his dark scent, filling my lungs with it as I relax.
Once we’re in our room, he carries me straight to the bathroom and turns on the tub to fill it. I’m grateful because I don’t want to climb into bed covered in dirt and blood. In fact, I want it gone. It feels like a scar, a reminder of what I did.
They help me remove the armor without speaking, no doubt realizing how fragile I feel right now. When I sink into the scalding hot water, I close my eyes and dunk myself under to chase away the chill permeating my bones, staying under for a moment before resurfacing with a gasp.
“Better?” Rook asks.
“Better.” I sigh.
Grabbing a cloth from the side as they climb in, I start to wash my body. With the first swipe, the white cloth turns red and brown, and I dunk it under, swallowing at the evidence of the murder that was committed.
Scrubbing my skin quickly, I keep dunking and washing, trying to get it all off me.
It’s still there, though, like the blood is stuck to my skin and can never be removed. I start to panic, scrubbing my hands and arms.
“It won’t come off!” I sob.
“Shh, I have you.” Kaito covers my hands, and when I glance up with tear-filled eyes, he leans in and kisses me. “Let us help you.”
Nodding, I let him take one hand while Weyland takes the other, and they slowly and carefully wash each one, scrubbing my nails and hands before moving up my arms. Dade moves behind me, washing my back, while Rook takes careful control of my legs, determined to erase every inch of what happened today.
