Shadows of Avarice - Book #1 (BxB)

Chapter 54

When the dagger entered Osiris' chest, he didn't feel pain, but it felt as though his mind had finally cleared. Whatever hold the curse held over him was gone the moment the dagger stabbed him. He looked down at where he was stabbed, but there wasn't any blood either. At least, there wasn't any blood on him. Instead, when he looked at Xia, where Osiris had been stabbed, Xia was bleeding. It was as if he was the one who was attacked and not Osiris.

Xia released his grip on the dagger. Osiris didn't have to remove the weapon from his body as the dagger disintegrated, as though it was never there to begin with. The dagger did as it was supposed to. Xia couldn't ask for anything else as he felt his body become weak. Before he collapsed to the ground, Osiris grabbed Xia around the waist. The sultan held Xia close, not caring that Xia's blood was getting on him. He watched as the life drained from Xia's eyes, and he stopped breathing.

"Xia . . . ?" Osiris quietly called out his name, but there was no response. There wouldn't be a response ever again.

Osiris collapsed to the ground, holding Xia in his arms. Just a moment ago, Xia was alive and well. How could things turn out like this? Osiris couldn't accept this outcome as he looked down at the man he had feelings for. The sultan gently touched Xia's face, hoping for some sign of life, but there was nothing. The eyes that looked back at him were lifeless. Osiris' heart clenched. The past was repeating itself. The last time he lost someone he loved; it was all his fault. Xia died because of him now as well.

The darkness that had overtaken the kingdom was gone, and the effects of the curse with it. By now, the people of Rasea would wake up from what felt like a deep slumber. Soraya wasn't affected by the curse, but she could feel its presence gone for good now. Despite the fear she felt before, Soraya stood up from the throne and slowly walked towards the sultan. She couldn't see everything from her position before, but now as she approached Osiris and Xia, she could see the horror that awaited her. She covered her mouth, her heart beating fast as she looked down at Xia's lifeless body.

Without giving it much thought, Soraya was quickly on her knees in front of Osiris and Xia. She might not have liked Xia, but she didn't want him to die. Soraya held her hands out over Xia's wound, and with her divine powers, she tried to heal him. Maybe there was still time to save him.

But no matter how hard she focused, it wouldn't be enough to bring him back. The wound might have closed, but Xia was still dead. Divine powers weren't enough to bring back the dead. She knew that, but she wanted to give it a shot. Maybe by some miracle Xia could be saved, but it was all in vain.

Sadly, Soraya looked at Osiris. It hurt to see the tears running down his face. "Osiris, I'm sorry. I can't save him."

Osiris slowly nodded. "It seems that no matter what happens, I will always be doomed to lose the ones I love. Xia died to release me of my curse. Now . . . I'll never be able to tell him how I feel."

There were many things he could never do with him again. Osiris wished he would have confessed his feelings when he had the chance. He wished that he had never told him to leave, even though he had done that to protect him. He wanted to hold him in his arms again and look down at Xia's smiling face. Why did things have to end this way? It wasn't fair.

Before Soraya could offer her condolences, the energy in the room shifted. Soraya was the first to sense the magic in the room, and shortly enough, there was a bright light, and a woman appeared behind them. Soraya gasped when she took in the witch's appearance. She was an elf with tan skin, purple hair, and blue eyes, just like Xia.

The woman looked down at the scene that lay before her with a smile on her face. She chuckled when she saw Xia's body. "I didn't expect him to actually risk his life to save the cursed king of Rasea. He wasn't lying when he said that he loves you."