See How She Falls (The Chronicles of Izzy #3)(49)
“I don’t know that I can, Izzy.” Kennan’s voice broke, almost undoing me.
“I haven’t even asked you yet," I whispered softly, hoping that I could convince him to listen.
“But I know what you are going to ask me. You’re going to ask me to promise that your death will not be my undoing. You want me to promise that I will go on living after you’ve gone. You want me to promise to protect the people you love. I can’t, Izzy. You’ve been my world for longer than I can remember. When you leave, so does my purpose.” Kennan looked into my eyes, a tear threatening to leak from his eye. I struggled to hold myself together.
“Well, I was just going to ask you to promise to give that demon hell in your Hulk-ish state.” I smiled warmly at him. “But, the other stuff is important, too. And you can go on living, because Ian and Conall will need you. After all, you’ve been bounced from the Council thanks to me. At least promise me that you will try.”
“I promise that I will try," Kennan breathed out, his promise settling over me.
“And promise not to try and stop me from doing what must be done.”
“I promise that I will try," Kennan said stiffly. “But, Izzy, a world without you in it is not a world in which I want to live.”
“Likewise, Kennan. But neither is a world in which everyone I love suffers because I was too selfish to act. I would never be able to face myself in the mirror again. It’s time we stopped running from the truth and face it head on. Are you with me?”
“Always, Izzy. Always," Kennan promised, and I knew it was the truth. He always would be with me, no matter the days, no matter what may lie ahead.
“Then just stay with me, here, now. Let’s just take this time out for us," I begged, hoping that for one night I could forget it all and live in the moment. The future couldn’t steal this from me. No matter what the Fates had in store, I could have this.
“Deal.” Kennan raised his hand to stroke my face gently, staring down into my eyes pleadingly. So many unsaid words left hidden behind the sadness.
The hours slipped slowly by as we lay there, entwined in one another’s arms. We laughed about our predestined meeting and our life in Chicago before everything fell apart. We lay silently, just listening to one another breathe. The moments ticked by, and as time slipped away, I understood that this was our goodbye. But what a beautiful goodbye it had been. I counted myself lucky that I knew enough about my future that I could tell the person I loved most in the world exactly what he meant to me before I was gone. I silently lifted up a prayer that he would keep on living after I’d gone. A world without Kennan O’Malley would be a dreary place indeed.
Chapter Twenty Five
All too soon, night called out, reminding me that I needed to rest. I could feel the coming storm, raging in the distance. Static charged the air as the darkness loomed, I knew it was time. Everything was going to end soon. As a yawn escaped my mouth, Kennan pulled me closer to his body. It was practically an acrobatic feat to not brush against any of runes, but tonight, it seemed it no longer mattered.
“Do you want me to block you?” Kennan ran is fingers through my hair, causing me to drift further towards sleep.
“No, it is best that this ends as soon as it can. If that means that I must be marked tonight, then so be it.”
“We could have one more day," Kennan pleaded.
“One more day would never be enough. I would always want for more. It is best to stop running and face what is coming head-on," I whispered silently, hoping that he understood. An eternity with him would never be long enough. One more day would be nothing more than a tease.
“I know you’re right, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.” Kennan pulled me close, kissing me deeply. “I love you Mrs. O’Malley, forever and for always.”
“I love you Mr. Boone, forever and for always.” I smiled up at him brightly, wondering how long it would take him to respond.
“I would take your name any day.” He kissed me once more, softly, before whispering “Sweet dreams.”
“Goodnight," I muttered as the last of my awareness slipped away.
It was the same vision or dream I’d been having for months. I stood on the clouds watching the Angels rage a war, only this time things were different. Events moved before my eyes as if they were moving through some viscous fluid. Nothing happened in real time, and as I made my way through the battlefield, I could see the strain on each of the faces as they battled in the war that would not end.
“It’s a pity, is it not?” A man’s voice startled me from my examination.
“Well, you’re new.” I turned, wide-eyed to face the man that the voice belonged to. Only, he wasn’t exactly a man, what with the giant wings rising up from his back and the blinding glow radiating from his body. He wasn’t a man at all.
“I am Uriel.” He bowed deeply, his downy wings dusting the ground as he went.
“Okay. I’m guessing I should know who you are. They didn’t give me the handbook, so really, I’ve got no clue.” I stared in amazement at him, totally forgetting the battle around me. I was sure there was some sort of protocol that I should’ve been following. I mean, there had to be some sort of precedence for meeting with angels. Should I bow? Swear my allegiance? Offer up a goat?