Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 91049 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91049 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
“Mother,” the woman who comes from hiding in the woods cries out as Argon cuts off the floating woman’s arm.
The woman from the woods pales. Her hands spark with magic. I know what she plans to do before she does it. Argon’s focus isn’t on her, it’s on the woman she called mother. I move as fast as I can to cover Argon. I’m too weak to throw up another force field.
Instead, I throw my body in front of his. The bolt of magic she has sent toward Argon transforms as it builds power. It becomes an arrow, a glowing yellow arrowhead, sparking with white light at the fletching.
I have to make a choice. Mother or daughter? As I make the split decision, my memory clicks. Helenier. She’s the one who called me from the party to meet the enchantress who cursed me and sent me here.
Decision made, with my last bit of energy, I hurl my sword and it ignites with a flame. My body is in motion, moving through the air to block Argon from the arrow still headed for him.
“No,” Helenier cries out a moment before my blade pierces right through her chest.
I turn my gaze to the tip of the arrow headed for me. It’s so close and I can’t turn it to ashes. I try, I truly do. I close my eyes as it enters my chest and pierces my back.
I have no regrets. I feel the last petal fall just as I do. It’s too late for me anyway. The least I can do is save the man I love.
* * *
Argon
I silence the screams of Coralo with my blade without turning to look at her. Dropping to my knees, I draw Blaise’s body into my arms. My voice is hoarse as I cry her name.
“Blaise, wake up for me.” I reach beneath her to snap the end of the arrow. I pull it out of her chest even as it sears my palm. I’m numb. I feel nothing. “Come on, please wake up. I want to see those eyes.”
She remains lifeless in my arms. I tug her into my chest and bury her face into my neck. I try to send my spirit into her to bring her back. Nothing is working.
“My Blaise, don’t leave me. Please don’t leave me. I just found you,” I sob as I rock with her in my embrace.
My spirit reflection wraps around us both as it whines as if wounded. I understand the feeling. I hurt within my soul. He throws his head back and releases a cry that pierces the air and shakes the ground.
It’s too much. My spirit reflection retreats within me. The ache inside growing as we become one.
“Blaise,” I roar as more tears flow. “I gave you the rose, remember? You said if I gave it to someone I cared for, it would give them eternal life. I gave it to you.”
Still nothing as her blood spills out on the ground beneath us. I’m losing my mate. I don’t much care what this means for me. I finally understand my father and why he made that blood decree.
I will go with my soul match happily because I know I don’t want this life without her. Images of her smile and the sound of her laugh float through my mind. I’ve failed. With all the power I have, I don’t have enough to bring her back.
Something occurs to me deep within. I care for Blaise deeper than our spirit link could ever reach. This is more than her being my soul match. I fell in love with her. Her smile, her eyes, her laughter. The core of her, not the beast everyone sees.
I’m in love with Blaise.
“I love you,” I whisper into her hair.
Suddenly, her body starts to rise from out of my arms. I release her as she floats above my head. Blue-yellow-and-orange light surrounds her and the bloodstain on her back begins to disappear.
She slowly starts to spin as she lifts upright and the light dances around her. The wound in her chest disappears. Her hair is the first thing that I notice transform. From there, her face becomes just as I saw in the hologram in my realm.
Her smooth, silky legs are next to change, all ending with her hooves turning to cute little stiletto-covered feet. When she lands, standing before me, the smile on her face is breathtaking. I stand to my feet. She stares up at me with shining amber-colored eyes.
I rush forward and cup her face. Crushing my lips to hers, I show all the feelings I have inside. She smiles against my lips. I break the kiss and place my forehead to hers.
“I love you,” I breathe.
“I love you too. What took you so long?” she says with that gorgeous smile.