“Then let me spell it out for you,” she snaps.“Youcan go back to the time beforeIcursed you and your fellow priestesses and resume your safe, quiet little life.Yourblue eyes…your untouched innocence…your precious reputation—all of it restored.”Hergaze sharpens.“Butif you do that…the prince stays dead.”
My stomach drops.
“What?Butwhy?”
“Because that is the nature of sacrifice magic,” she says coldly.“Perhapsyou intended to go back to that timeline anyway.Thatwould have worked—beforeIkilled him.Butnow…”Shespreads her hands slightly.“Nowdeathhas entered the weave.”
Her voice lowers, sounding almost thoughtful.
“So you see, you may use your magic to save him…or to save yourself.Youcannot do both.”
I stare at her, my mind reeling, wondering if she can possibly be telling me the truth.
“You have a second choice, of course,” she goes on.“Youcan go back to the moment beforeIkilled theLostPrinceand try to stop me.”Hersmile widens, cruel and confident.“Buteven if you manage to defeat me—and you won’t, little priestess, because my power is a hundred times stronger than yours—even if you succeed, your life will beruined.”
Her gaze drags over me, deliberate and cutting.
“You will never get back your blue eyes.Neverreturn to innocence.Youwill be an outcast—a half-breedFaegirl with green eyes and no husband.”Shelaughs derisively.“Howveryscandalous.”
My cheeks burn, butIdon’t look away.Shereally is telling the truth—I’mcertain of that.She’stoo arrogant to lie.
“Just remember this,” she adds.“ATimeWeavingcan only be performedonceby a magic practitioner.Sochoose carefully.”Hervoice drops to a whisper, thick with malice.“Returnto your temple.Liveyour safe, dull, untouched life.Forgetlove.Forgetdesire.Letthe prince lie dead and never know what you lost…”
Her eyes flash.
“Or go back and fight me.Fail.Watchhim dieagainand live your life as an outcast forever more.Thoseare your options—choose wisely.”
I feel sick.TheCourtis still frozen around us, silent witnesses to my choice.
Grizalyn’s gaze pins me in place, certain of the choiceI’llmake.Soconfident thatIwould never dare confront her again—thatI’lldo anything to regain my lost honor…my lost virginity.
She already knows what she thinksI’lldo.She’ssure of me.
A small voice whispers in the back of my mind.
She’s right–you know you can’t beat her.She’sstronger than you—far stronger.You’llonly fail and watch him die again.
And afterTherondies a second time,I’llstill be ruined.Stillalone…still an outcast still a half-breed girl with green eyes and no husband.
My gaze drops toTheron’sbody.
His face is still,toostill.ThestrengthI’vecome to know in him is gone, replaced by something cold and empty that makes my chest ache so badlyIcan barely breathe.
He’s gone.Gone.Thethought shatters something inside me—Ican’t accept it.
Iwon’taccept it!
I press my hand against his chest, as thoughIcan somehow will his heart to beat again…but there’s still nothing.
My throat tightens and tears sting my eyes.
You could have a safe life,the tempting little voice whispers.Youcould go back to the temple.Forgetall of this.Forgethim.
Forget him?Theidea feels like a blade sliding through my heart.
No.Never.Ican never forget the bigDrakeShifterand all he means to me.Ican never forget the time we spent together–the love we shared.
I lift my head slowly, my tears drying on my cheeks as something else rises in their place…resolve.