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“It seems we have no other options. You realize the possible outcomes, don’t you?”
Adrian nodded, his fingers reaching for his sword. He unsheathed it slightly, a sharp clink echoing as he jammed it back in the scabbard.
“Yes…” Adrian replied solemnly. “I understand it.”
Jacques looked at the king and then back to Adrian.
“Then let’s go,” he said. “The sooner the better.”
Jacques pointed at me as if he knew that I was getting ready to step forward.
“Youstay with the king,” Jacques said. He pointed to Luc as well. “Both of you. The stone affects you, even as an incarnate. I won’t allow what happened last time…”
He trailed off, seeming to not want to finish the sentence. He swallowed, instead, and with a shake of his head he started to walk toward the door, motioning for Adrian to follow.
“Jacques!” I called out.
“No arguing with me!” he called back barely turning around. “You’ll stay here where it’s safe. I can’t keep saving you—”
“Be careful!” I barked. “That…that was all I wanted to say.”
He stopped. He met my eyes only for a moment, only to give a nod and turn back toward the door.
Adrian didn’t follow Jacques right away. He reached out and took my hand in his.
“I feel like every time we say goodbye, we jinx it,” he said with a laugh.
“Adrian…”
“I’ll be back to say goodbye again,” he replied. “So wait here for me.”
He squeezed my hand gently and then released it. I opened my mouth to say something but didn’t have the chance.
“Esmeralda…” the king whispered. “Come here.”
With my mouth still open to speak, I turned around, shutting it on the way to his bedside. He reached up for my hand and I gave it to him, then sat next to his bed.
“Are you okay, Your Majesty?” I asked.
“Eventually, I’ll be fine,” he said. “You, on the other hand, are having great difficulties.”
I swallowed. “If I had my wings, I might be able to help.”
He gave a weak, breathy chuckle. “You think your wings give you power? Perhaps they do. But the question is, what kind of power will you have?”
“What do you mean?”
He let go of my hand, reaching his hand up to gently stroke my cheek. His fingers were cold, but not unpleasant, like a small breeze on a warm day.
“You had your wings once…” he said. “And with that power, you succumbed to great darkness.”
I glanced at my arm, remembering what Jacques had told me. I had killed the Guardians. The king knew this as well. Perhaps he knew that even before Jacques read my arm.
“I don’t have the power to give you wings,” the king continued, “but I have just enough to give you sight.”
He reached out, touching his hand to my forehead. It burned my skin, making me gasp.
“It’s time for you to see,” he said. “To see who you once were.”
