𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐖 (𝟏) | 𝟏𝟖+

xl. the night before.

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‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐔𝐍𝐓 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐃𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐄. Although sedated, Elowen finds comfort in the slowing rhythms of his breath. She closes her eyes, counting each inhale and exhale like counting sheep. For that, she thanks the stars that he's still alive, still breathing, still hers.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎She rolls over, combing her fingers through charcoal cloves of hair so her nails drag against his scalp. He's changed so much in such a short amount of time. He's lost some muscle definition, and his usual tanned cheeks are gaunt from lack of nutrition. His skin is mostly scorched by blight, blistering and cracking at joints until it's all but raw. Elowen longs for those meadowed eyes to open and meet her own, just a glimpse of assurance that everything will be okay.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎But it's not okay.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎It's been almost a week since Morrow's been awake, and the full moon encroaches with every second. When that night strikes, the terrans will come for Tabrien's throne. They'll want Morrow's blood to spill into the cracks in the palace floors, but Elowen refuses to let that fate bestow him. It's why she's so determined to unlock her magic.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎But nothing seems to work.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎He'd told her they were the instruments, and her magic would be the song. It's a theory she held onto with white knuckles, but their melody would never be a victor's aria.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Even now as she lays underneath his quilts, she searches down her bond and attempts to enter Morrow's dreams. She's done it once before, and it felt so... real. She could feel his breath fan against her cheeks, only to combust under the heat of featherlight kisses. His heartbeat played against her fingertips, a steady thump-thump that syncopates to her own. She'd burn this world just to go live forever in that reality, because it would mean that she and Morrow would live for eternity.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Only, she finds herself living in a world burning in hell.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Tabrien relies on her now, and she's far from being a leader that can deliver them from the evils of the terrans. Even Ronyn, who's been trapped in silver chains for weeks now, still awaits to be rescued. She still vows to save him. It's what Morrow would do first.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎She knows she can't do it all alone.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎With a scratch behind Morrow's ear, she curls up against his heartbeat and sobs. She's losing him. Fast. She's afraid to blink, because it'll all come to an end. Even her creature whimpers in the corners of her mind, anxious to confront Morrow's weak, helpless aura. All she longs to do is protect him in the same ways he'd shielded her, but how can she when there's no more sand left in the hourglass?

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎"‎‎‏‏‎Please," she cries into his bare chest. "Just one more day..."

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Just one more...

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‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐎𝐅 the near full moon and the sunrise, the alpha's heart ceases to beat, and her world collapses into a dark oblivion.

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:)

ivy <3