Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
“You’re too late,” Jasper sneered. “He’s dying, so my daughter can finally live.”
“Is it worth it, Jasper? Taking my son for your daughter?” I gently laid a hand on the beautiful girl, frozen in a coma, frozen in time.
And my beautiful boy, pale as his blood transfused, mixed with hers.
I moved to touch Malcom, but the cold barrel of a gun pressed against my back froze me in place.
“Don’t. Move.”
I held up my hands. “I’m just going to check his pulse.”
“What’s the point! He’s dying! LET HIM DIE! You didn’t even know he was your son until a few days ago! You think that I forget what happens like Benjamin? EVERY single time we get closer and closer, and now finally, we’ve figured out the serum! I’m going to save the world. Let him be the ultimate sacrifice!”
His eyes were crazed; sweat poured down his face.
“You’ve been taking it?”
“Does it matter?”
“It’s forbidden,” I whispered, slowly turning around to face him. “One day, maybe not today, but one day you’ll be punished, and you’ll beg for death.”
“You’re right,” he scoffed. “That day isn’t today, Luna.” The gun pressed against my chest as he shoved me back against the other side of the room. “Today, you get to watch your son die just like I’ve been watching my daughter die every day!”
Aengus chose that unfortunate moment to kick the door open; his hands looked fried with smoke as he flicked his wrists and glared, blood and sweat poured down his face.
Where was Benjamin?
Aengus winked like I shouldn’t be worried.
But I was.
Because this seemed typical of Aengus and Ben.
Bursting in the door.
Saving the day.
Asking questions later.
Movement caught my eye from the open window in the hall. It was angled away from Jasper, and slowly, Benjamin made his way into the hall, looking every inch a pissed-off Fae prince as he moved down into the room right behind Jasper.
He always was such a sneak, wasn’t he?
The floor creaked.
And it happened much like I imagined, in slow motion, as Benjamin lunged to protect me from the gun.
But instead of letting him…
I snapped my fingers and prayed. I prayed that this would work. Even though it didn’t make sense.
Love you, Ben.
And my son.
My precious son.
A wall of ice hit Benjamin in the chest, sending him backward. The bullet hit through the first wall of ice in front of me, but I kept shielding and shielding, and when my fingers burned from the sudden frozen exposure, I did it again.
Because I was Luna Damanta, Princess of the Winter Court.
And sometimes… you needed to save yourself to protect those you love.
The ice shattered in front of me as a surge of power flowed through my veins. I was home.
I sucked in a sharp breath at Jasper’s shocked expression. “My turn.”
Like riding a bike or remembering how to play the piano, I rubbed both hands together and pulled them back, creating a bow and arrow made of ice. A slow smile tugged at my lips as I drew back the string… and released the shot.
Jasper flew backward against the wall and stayed there, pinned by my icy arrow.
I collapsed onto Malcom and quickly started undoing the blood transfusion equipment.
Benjamin jumped to his feet, his expression one of complete shock as he ran over and helped me pull out all the different tubes that were sucking blood from our son’s body. Jasper’s daughter still hadn’t woken up, but her skin had color to it—probably from the magic.
“Why isn’t he waking up?” My ice-cold hands shook. “Ben? What’s wrong?”
Ben, very slowly, gave me a kiss on the forehead. “You broke the curse, and I love you more than you will ever know.”
A tear slid down his cheek.
“Ben?” I clung to him. “What are you doing?”
“Take care of her,” Ben whispered to his brother and then smiled at me. “Wait for me, princess.”
“Ben!” I clawed at him. “Ben, you can’t leave me!”
“He’s life itself,” Aengus whispered. “You broke the curse; now let him save your son.”
My son or my soul mate?
Why was there always a choice?
Why couldn’t it be everything?
My heart burned in my chest as I stood there and sobbed.
Benjamin was fully restored.
All his power.
But I’d imagined he was weak.
Too weak to do this if he was saying goodbye.
Because that was what he was doing, saying goodbye to me.
“Ben,” I hiccupped.
“Love you from this life to the next, forever, my soul mate, my true moon.” He looked back to Malcom and pressed both of his palms to his chest. A golden glow started to spread down Ben’s arms.
Ben swayed on his feet. “Malcom, live!”
Malcom let out a moan, and his eyes flickered open briefly. “D-Dad?”
“You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear that word,” Benjamin rasped, cupping Malcom’s face with both hands. “Take care of your mom while I’m gone.”