From the Ashes

Chapter 58 ~ The World Set Alight

    Tarion struggled for breath as blood pooled in his throat and spilled over his lips. More warmth gushed down his chest, staining his father's legendary white blade with his blood. But Tarion's spotted gaze was fixed on the limp figure beside him, her skin gray and lifeless.

    Tears carved salty trails down his cheeks, both from his own pain and from the sight of her. She wasn't gone. She couldn't be gone. Tarion strained for her hand and managed to brush his bloodied fingers over hers. Her skin was unnaturally cold, but not the cold of death.

    Please, he mouthed. Morana, please. He choked on his next shuddering breath and a cough sprayed blood from his mouth. He could hear sounds of a struggle behind him, but couldn't find the strength to roll over and see what was happening.

    He kept his gaze fixed on Morana instead, even as his eyes began to drift shut. Please, he breathed once more, and darkness stole him away.

•༻☽☾༺•

    Neeri didn't have a chance to react before Gaelen threw himself at Rhidian, his usually stoic features contorted with rage. The two males fell to the ground, a flying pile of nails and fangs. She didn't spare a thought for them. Let them kill each other if that was what they wished.

    Lonan fell to his knees beside the Prince and touched two fingers to his neck, then stuck his palm beneath his nose. "He's alive," he said. "But barely. I can't remove the sword without someone to heal him. He'll bleed out too quickly."

    Neeri whirled around to where Rehema had been laying, but Arlon had already carried the Elder to safety and the pair were out of sight. "Arlon took Rehema to get help but there's no way they'll be back in time to save him."

    She faced Lonan once more and saw his gaze dart to Morana's body. Sorrow glazed his features as he squeezed his eyes shut. "Is she..."

    "No, she's not dead yet, but if Tarion dies..." Lonan trailed off, but Neeri understood regardless.

    She'd heard the words exchanged between the pair and witnessed the blood connection they'd made. She'd only heard about mates a few times before, in the stories her mother had told her, and her younger two sisters and brother as children.

    She'd thought such things couldn't be real, but something had passed between Morana and Tarion. How much stronger was their bond than that of those in the story, because they were both descended of god-blood and had claimed one aother? How much more terrible would the loss of each other be?

    "I know how it felt when my own mate died," Lonan murmured. "And how our bond feels now, still stretching between us in death. I won't let my daughter experience the same." He met Neeri's gaze, his own rigid with determination. "Bring me a torch," he ordered. "Hurry!"

    Neeri gave a curt nod and spared one last glance at Rhidian and Gaelen. Both males were heavily injured, but braced to continue their attacks. Gaelen's gaze shot to hers for a split-second. His chin tilted as if encouraging her to go.

    Neeri drained any emotion but rage from her features. Forget what he'd done to protect her. He had still used her to his advantage. He'd used her to get close to Morana and to entice her friend to trust him, all so he could kill her.

    Others might forgive him for being willing to make the sacrifice to save them, but not her. Morana was all she had left and Gaelen would've killed her anyway. She shifted into her wolf and gave him a parting snarl before plunging down into the flaming battlefield.

•༻☽☾༺•

    "You're a fool," the shadows whispered to her. "He doesn't love you. He'll just use you again. Why would you bind yourself to someone who betrayed you? The bond is eternal. It can never be broken."