Leo knew what had happened immediately, of course. One does not simply die without noticing. Nor can one receive half of another's heart without at least minimal awareness. Opening her eyes to the weather witch standing over her was still extremely disconcerting. She might have screamed, except she'd been half expecting it for most of her life. And it had been her idea to climb the mountain to find the weather witch, after all.
But not like this.
She would have taken them back down the mountain after the bear if she could have. She should have left Wren behind and saved herself. She could have done anything to prevent this very moment. But she had wounded herself and destroyed the trail to save Wren and now she had died and she had lost and it was all her fault.
A dead witch, after all, is no match for a live one.
"Do not worry," the weather witch said. "He is still alive."
Leo felt as relieved as she did hopeless. Wren was alive. Leo couldn't move to check on him. She was like a tiny bird trapped in a cage of her own making. Leo hated herself for it. She glared at the woman. "You tricked him," Leo said.
"Yes." The weather witch smiled at her. "And you made it possible, my sweet little sparrow." She pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Leo's head. Her lips came away bloody. "Oh, how I had missed you."
YOU ARE READING
sparrow and lion
Fantasya noble & an orphan meet in an alley & make a promise they were always doomed to break. new chapter every thursday. random letters at random times.
