The gray sheen over Keelynn’s skin vanished, and she sucked in a ragged breath.
A cry broke from Aveen’s throat and she hugged her sister close.
My human had done it. She had saved us all.
If only I could move my legs to carry me over to where she knelt. If only I could lift my arms to hug her close. Soon enough. For now, I’d settle for the smile lifting my lips…
Tears streamed down Aveen’s cheeks as she embraced her sister. Then I saw the blackness spreading from beneath her short nails to her knuckles, over the backs of her hands, twisting through her veins.
No.
I win…
No.
Aveen had killed the Queen with the cursed dagger.
NO!
Aveen was a true immortal.
A growl wrenched from my chest. “No!” I couldn’t lose her. I refused to.
Aveen’s eyes locked with mine; tears streaked down her blood-splattered cheeks. “I’m sorry.”
She’d wasted the Queen’s life force on her feckin’ sister when she should’ve saved it so I could bring her back. And now…
Now she would die.
Aveen swayed. I crawled toward her, stones scraping my knees, ripping my breeches. I caught my wife, easing her onto the ground. “I love you, Rían,” she murmured. “More than life itself.”
“Don’t say that,” I managed through my own tears. “This isn’t goodbye.”
Blackness had reached her upper arms. It was only a matter of time before the curse reached her heart.
Her heart.
If she didn’t have one, the curse wouldn’t be able to take her from me.
My tongue seemed to swell as I tried to speak the words of my mother’s spell. My hand began to glow, but I didn’t have enough magic. My final stand against the Queen had depleted my stores. I’d let myself grow so weak that I couldn’t even save the only person in this cursed world worth saving.
A hand landed on my shoulder. Keelynn’s. A rush of magic filled my empty well from the Queen’s life force thrumming through her veins.
Another hand pressed against my back. Tadhg’s.
Magic swelled. I whispered the words as quickly as I could, watching in horror as Aveen’s eyes drifted shut and praying to anyone who would listen, begging them to save my soulmate.
56
Pity the girl from Graystones
Who loved a heartless prince.
For the only way to save him
Was at her own expense.
57