A Court of Stars and Memories

85. A Final End

    Lysander didn't know how much time had passed. Only that the last of the daylight had faded away leaving inky blackness and moonlight surrounding them. He still held Mitsi and although her tears had ceased, shivers still wracked her limbs and she hadn't loosened her hold on him.

    Lysander stroked her hair softly while partially observing the other females nearby. Mina knelt beside Colette, her gaze distant and empty as she stared off into the trees. She held one of Micah's hands in her own.

    Colette still held her son and was rocking gently, her eyes squeezed shut. Viviane hovered behind her, one hand on Colette's shoulder and the other holding Eliana's. The young girl's face was buried in Viviane's side.

    Lysander's gaze shifted to Ebner Rohese's body which lay a few feet from Micah's. Mitsi's head turned and she drew a shaking breath. Micah and I killed him, her distraught voice spoke in his head. Father was going to kill me, but Micah took the blow and stabbed him. He...he bought me enough time to recover my dagger and...

    The image she showed him in lue of words both shocked him and filled him with pride. He saw her dagger cleaving through her father's throat and emerging at the base of his skull, killing the male instantly.

    Lysander pressed his cheek to the top of Mitsi's head and buried his fingers in her hair. He protected you like any brother would, he replied.

    How are we going to tell Cyrus? Her voice wavered even through the Bond. And Wynter and Ellie? How can I leave after....after...

    A few tears dripped down her cheeks and Lysander hugged her tighter. We won't leave until you feel ready. I'll stay with you.

    Mitsi nodded slowly, her grip on his leathers loosening, but only just. What about Julian? Is he dead too?

    I don't know. I left with Eliana before I could see what happened. I'm sure they managed to capture him though. Wynter, Elodie, Corbin, and my parents were there, and you claim Kallias went too. I'm sure Cyrus is with him.

    How can we tell him? Mitsi asked again, her voice choked with sobs. How can we tell him his son...my brother...is...

    Her pain swept through the Bond, terrible and unrelenting. Every part of him ached to take it from her, but nothing could do that. Lysander just continued to hold her and pressed a firm kiss to her temple, then her cheek.

    And, as horrible as it seemed, he couldn't help but feel grateful for Micah's sacrifice. It had spared his mate's life, though he wished he could spare her this grief too.

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    Mitsi didn't raise her head again until a gust of wind and the sound of crunching snow reached her ears. She looked over her shoulder to see a group of familiar figures approaching, and Julian Frazier chained in the midst of them.

    She watched Cyrus as he caught sight of Colette. His eyes fell to Micah, and a look of utter shock and horror blanched his features. He hurried to them and crouched beside Colette, his lips parted but no sound emerging.

    Cyrus reached for Micah, but his hand paused a few inches from him, visibly trembling. After a moment, he steeled himself and smoothed dark hair from Micah's forehead. His expression twisted in sorrow and he blinked rapidly, but a few tears managed to escape.

    Cyrus lowered his head and whispered something to Colette. She shook hers in turn, her arms tightening around Micah. Mitsi was hardly aware of Lysander's worried touch roaming over her as she continued to watch her parents. Mina didn't even seem aware of the newcomers. Her gaze was still empty and far stretched.