Betrayals of Spring (Forever Fae #2)(63)
“Then I guess you’ve made your choice,” he decides.
The dark sorcerer pulls out the iron dagger from behind his back. With the gloves on Kalen’s body they’ll be protected from the iron, but if he cuts him with it, it’ll spread in his blood and kill him in a matter of minutes. I’m frozen in place as the realization of what’s about to happen hits me like a ton of bricks. Deep in my soul I think I’ve always known he would never leave Kalen’s body, but I just wanted to believe that I could save him. The dark sorcerer lifts the dagger high facing it downwards. All he has to do is thrust it down and it will go right into Kalen’s heart. I begin to panic and the tears begin to fall as desperation consumes my body. I struggle to breathe as the thought of losing Kalen overtakes my mind. A life without him will be no life at all. I can’t lose him now, not when he’s right here in front of me. My power is strong, but I don’t know if it’s strong enough to save him from the iron poisoning if he were to be stabbed.
“Would you like to give Kalen a kiss goodbye?” He asks with a sadistic grin. “I know I would love to taste you again.”
Knowing he’s been intimate with me disgusts me to the core. The memories will stay with me forever and yes he was right when he said they’ll haunt me. I just always thought Kalen would be there to help me through it. I ignore his last question and close my eyes, taking in a deep breath. I have no choice with what I’m about to do because if I don’t, Kalen will die. I can’t leave him at the mercy of the dark sorcerer anymore. I believe in myself and in my power… I can do this. I will save you, Kalen, and this I promise you, I vow to myself wishing with all my heart that he could hear.
I grip my bow tightly and take aim for Kalen’s chest. The dark sorcerer looks at me incredulous and laughs. “How does it feel to know you failed, Meliantha? I’m going to enjoy watching you scream when I take your prince away from you.”
Even though I’m torn inside, I give him an evil grin and shake my head, “That’s where you’re wrong. Your game made me stronger instead of breaking me. I didn’t fail…you did! I hope you rot in the Black Forest!”
The dark sorcerer’s eyes go wide and then everything begins to move in slow motion. He takes the dagger and begins to plunge it down into Kalen’s chest, but my swiftness with the bow beats him to it. Before the arrow hits, he looks into my eyes one last time. The roar he lets out is full of venom and malice when he’s thrust out of Kalen’s body with a vigorous force. The real Kalen screams in pain when he is returned to his body. He looks down at the arrow protruding out of his chest in anguish. I drop my bow and run over to him. I catch him in my arms before he falls to the ground, and I hastily remove the cuff around his arm. I throw it across the room before lying him down gently on the floor. He looks at the arrow and then back up to me with pain in his eyes.
“I’m so sorry, Kalen,” I sob, tears streaming down my face. “I’m going to make you better. It was the only way to get him out of your body. He was going to kill you if I didn’t do it myself.” I pull the arrow out and he screams in pain. My hands are shaking uncontrollably as I place them over his chest. I concentrate with all my heart and soul on healing his wound. My arrows do not contain iron, but they still have the components of mine and Ashur’s blood making it a lethal weapon. The warmth of my magic builds inside my body until it is ready to burst forth. It flows from my fingers into Kalen’s chest and I can see the light of my magic being absorbed into his body.
He reaches his hand up and places it on my cheek. His voice sounds raspy and weak when he whispers, “Thank you for saving me, Meliantha. Just know that I will always love you.” His skin color is turning white and his eyes are beginning to cloud over. No! This can’t be happening. I’m sending my power, but it looks like he’s getting worse.
“Damn it, Kalen! You stay with me, you understand? I am not going to let you die! Stay with me…” I plead, screaming. I close my eyes to concentrate and I use every ounce of energy I have to search into the deepest depths of my magic. My true power is there and I can see it glowing bright and ready for the taking in my mind. I have finally found what I need to save Kalen. I grasp that power with all my heart because all that matters to me is healing Kalen no matter the consequences. He has to live.
I pull the depths of my magic from my body and as I do the strength I once had has diminished to where there is nothing left. I give one final push to send that magic into Kalen’s body and when it does, the room explodes with the brightest light I have ever seen. My body is too weak to keep myself upright and I end up falling over beside Kalen. The end is close to coming and there is nothing I can do to stop it. I slowly turn my head to look at Kalen and he is frozen in place with his eyes closed. Tears are pouring down my cheek as I look at the man I tried desperately to save. I’m so sorry, my love. Please forgive me. I swallow hard and it takes all the strength I have left to whisper my final words.
“I love you, Kalen.”
I open my eyes slowly to a world of light. The air blowing around me smells fresh and clean and I notice that every single thing here is colored in all shades of white. The ground is white, the trees are white, and even the sky is white. I look down at my body and I myself am in a long, white dress. Am I in the Hereafter? How can I be in the Hereafter if I am alone? There should be other fae here as well, but as I look around there is no one. The landscape before me rolls on for miles and miles in all directions. How did I get here? I close my eyes to concentrate and that is when the memories begin to start flooding back. I fall to the ground in despair when the final memory of my life resurfaces. I remember seeing Kalen pale and motionless on the floor after he said his final words to me. I failed to save him and now he’s dead. How could I let this happen? I cry for what feels like an eternity until I hear the sound of the one voice I have been longing to hear.