Land of Light and Shadows

Chapter 54

Chapter 54

Jai's panic was met with the scorching, searing pain of the venom as it continued ravaging through his body, devouring every single bit of magic he had left in him. He wasn't struggling to breathe then, but rather to keep his roaring screams of pain bottled up inside him. His teeth went straight through is tongue as his jaw clenched tight, face growing bright red, eyes bulging.

Then Elys was above him, screaming his name, tears and blood covering his face. The seven-year-old Elys, the one he would save over and over again even if it meant he would go through this.

And then Gideon, who had all but dove to his side, sliding on his knees through the grass and ash and blood. Immediately, he covered the wound on Jai's chest with his hands, attempting to put pressure on it, but it wasn't going to help. Not when he finally looked up and saw the gray veined pattern along his skin.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" he screamed, then looked back. "Someone help me! Alberich, you've got to..."

But his words died in his throat as he looked back at Jai. Saw there was absolutely nothing they could do, even if Alberich did what Lyv had done just a few years before. There was no pushing the venom out using water magic. There was no stopping it to save him.

Then his father was there, lifting Jai's head and holding it steady in his lap. Jai's body jerked and convulsed as the pain continued, but his eyes were on his father's face above his. At the horror and tears in his eyes. Even though his father was seeing nothing but the pain and fear, he could also see his silent I love you, his quiet goodbye before Emmeric leaned down to kiss his forehead.

Gideon still had his hands against Jai's chest, trying to staunch the bleeding. "Don't you dare leave, you fucking bastard," he growled at him through his own tears. "I swear to Mother and all the gods above, I will kill you myself if you die on me."

Elys was still screaming his name, clutching at the fabric of his bloodied tunic. "I can't see you anymore!" he cried as he wrapped both arms around Jai's neck. The movement made Jai clench his jaw as fire laced outward. "I can't see you. Don't leave me, Jai. Don't leave me!"

The little boy was being pulled back by Thia and Bridget as Alberich appeared. Kalla let out a string of curses as soon as she, Allel, and Mik found them with Camilla and Soren still sweaty and bloody beside them.

"Try something, anything," Gideon pleaded Alberich, voice cracking. "Please."

He didn't even have to beg. Before he even spoke, Alberich was already pushing as much healing magic as he could through Jai's body, but to no effect. The only thing it managed to do was dull the pain enough for Jai to breathe.

"No," Gideon whispered. "No."

"I'm sorry," Alberich said quietly then. "His magic...it's going after his magic. It goes for the heart to spread...and it was there the moment the dagger punctured his chest. There's...there's nothing we can do but try and help him with..."

Nothing.

Even more so now, Jai wanted Lyv.

I love you, he whispered down the bond to her.

He moaned as the waves of the pain fought against the healing magic. He was ready and waiting for it to scorch through him again, but he needed to say one thing to them all.

But it was Gideon he was looking at when the words finally came out. "I love you."

Gideon froze, hands still pressed against Jai's chest, determination bright in his eyes before it dulled into realization.

Realization that this was Jai saying goodbye.

"I love you," Jai whispered again.

His best friend, his brother sagged under the weight of his words, his head dropping as he let out a sob. Shifting to look up at him, Gideon gave him a wavering smile. "I love you, too. I never told you that enough."

"Lyv..."

He nodded, fighting back his tears as he furiously swiped them away. "I'll...I'll take care of her, just as I always have. You don't have to worry, all right?"

Jai's hand reached for his, clutching it tight as a weight pressed into his chest from the inside. He cried out before he started choking on what was rising in his throat, and then blood trailed down the corners of his mouth. His whole body jerked again, bowing off the ground as the fire pulled him up.

His father held him, strong and steady and silent.

He was surrounded by his family.

And Gideon...gods, Gideon was talking him through it all.

"Just try to breathe," he told him, his tears streaming as he took Jai's face in both hands.

But he couldn't. He was choking on blood and tears and utter fear. He couldn't focus, couldn't see those faces anymore.

Then Gideon was there again, smiling and crying. "Jai, it's all right. I know you're scared, brother, but you'll be all right. It's time...it's time to just rest...and we'll see you again someday. Until you go...I'll be right here with you. I'll always be here with you, so just breathe."

Finally, he let out a shuddering breath.

In and out.

Just once.

I love you.

In and out.

In...

...and out.

And he kept repeating those words as he began to drift, as the pain started dulling, until they were just a whisper down a fraying bond until a peaceful silence pulled him under.