Page 51 of Hans

It was frail. Shaky.

And it ended with him pointing to a carved wooden box at the side of his bed.

A dying man’s wish.

“I’m so sorry.” Cassandra’s voice is a mumble against my chest.

I inhale her compassion, letting it trickle into the empty corners inside me. I rub my hand up and down her side. “Thank you.”

She shakes her head against me, and her back hitches against my hold. “I should’ve stopped them.”

I wrap my arms tighter around her. “Hush, Butterfly.” I press my lips to her hair. “Please stop crying.”

She sniffs.

“Want me to tell you why I call you that?” I ask her.

Cassandra nods.

“Because you remind me of one. Beautiful. Mesmerizing. Too fragile for this awful world.” I slide one hand up to palm the back of her neck. “A pretty little butterfly I can’t help but want to protect.”

She sniffs again, then leans back just enough so she can look up at me. “Is that really why?”

I nod. I thought it the first time I saw her.

“That’s really nice.” Her wet lashes glitter. “I’m not fragile though.”

I swipe my thumb across her cheek, catching a tear. “You’re like spun glass.”

The side of her mouth pulls up. She thinks I’m teasing her, but I’m not. She’s the most precious thing to me.

Cassandra brushes at my shirt. “Sorry for crying all over you.”

“It’s alright.”

Her hand stills against my chest. “I always wanted a sister.”

I place my hand over hers. Not sure how to answer.

“What was her name?”

I close my eyes.

It’s been so long… It’s been so incredibly long since I’ve said her name.

“Freya.” I say it so quietly that I can barely hear the hitch in my voice.

My throat burns, and I have to swallow twice before I can pull in another breath of air.

Cassandra tips her forehead against my sternum, and I’m sure she can hear my thudding heart.

“Freya,” she repeats. “It’s a pretty name.”

I nod my agreement, even though Cassandra isn’t looking up at me. Hearing someone else say my sister’s name is… I fill my lungs again. It’s cathartic. It… it makes her real, having someone else say it. Like not every part of her is gone.

CHAPTER35

Cassie

Source: www.allfreenovel.com