I don’t know ifIbreak through the barrier or if the witch lets me through—Idon’t care.OnemomentI’mtrapped, the nextI’mat his side, falling to my knees so hard it jars my bones.
“Theron—Theron, come back to me!”Myhands shake asIgrab his face, patting his cheeks, then slapping them lightly.“Please—be all right.Pleasewake up!”
Nothing happens.
“Come on,”Iwhisper desperately.“Comeon,please…”
I shake him, gripping his broad shoulders, trying to force life back into him.
“Come back to me!”Idemand.“Youhave to come back.
But still nothing.Hedoesn’t respond and his huge body is dead weight under my hands.
My vision blurs again, but this time it isn’t from smoke.
“No, no, no…”Ichant through my tears, still disbelieving.Ipress my ear to his chest and hear…nothing once again.
There’s no heartbeat…no breath…so sign of life at all.
Theron is dead.
73
ELOWEN
My eyes burn with tears asIlift my head and look at the witch.Hatredsurges through me—hot, sharp, and blinding.Itcuts through the grief and shock–through the hollow emptiness in my chest whereTheron’sheartbeat should be.
“How could you?”Idemand, my voice breaking.“Whywould you want to hurt him?”
Grizalyn only shrugs, as thoughI’veasked something trivial.
“BecauseIcouldn’t have him,” she says lightly.“Heshould have been my son.Hisfather should have been my husband.”Herlips curl into a bitter smile.“TheRoyalFamilywould have been lucky to have me.Oh, they were polite enough—they loved having me asCourtSorceress.Butmarry into the family?”Shegives a mocking gasp, throwing one arm dramatically over her eyes.“Thehorror.Asorceress with non-royal blood could never become queen.”
My hands clench into fists.Iwant to lunge at her.Iwant to tear her apart with my bare hands for what she’s done.
Instead,Istay whereIam, kneeling besideTheron’sstill body, my heart pounding painfully in my chest.Ijust can’t believe he’s gone…
“You could save him, you know,” she says idly.
“What?”Iswipe angrily at my tears.“Whywould you tell me that?”
“BecauseIknow you won’t do it,”Grizalynreplies, giving me an arrogant smile.
“You won’t bring him back.Nomatter how much you love him.”
My breath catches in my throat—she’s only mocking me,Ican see that.
“I can’t reverse death!”Isay.“You’rejust trying to?—”
“Of course you can,” she interrupts smoothly.Hergaze sharpens as she looks at me andIfeel suddenly exposed, as though she can see everything about me.“Youhold all the elements you need to work theTimeWeavingspell.Ican see them.”
My heart stutters in my chest.Inmy grief,I’dforgotten all about the spell!MaybeIcouldsaveTheron, after all!
“Listen well, little priestess,”Grizalyncontinues, her tone turning cold and deliberate.“Adifficult choice lies before you.Youcan use your spell to go back in time and save your honor…or you cantryto save the prince’s life.”
“I don’t understand,”Isay, shaking my head.
Her lips thin in irritation.