supposed to happen.
What was supposed to happen, then?
He rose over her, touched her hair, swept his thumb across her jaw. Everything in him willed him to do something, but what? What could he do? Whispers, dark and taunting, swirled in his head from an unknown source, telling him that it was over, that he had lost, to let her go. The whispers turned to laughter and resonated through his whole body, made him feel as though he'd been robbed of his very soul.
Garren braced himself, knowing he was losing his grip on reality. He glanced down and saw her chest rise one final time, filling her lungs with air, before she stilled and he knew she'd breathed her last.
'No,' he whispered, 'it is not over.' The fury in him reeled against the voice and rose against it, urged him to act. He leaned down and kissed her, keeping her hand to his chest, clutching against his heart.
It started there, with her hand, as it warmed to the touch. Then, a light swelled around them, so gradually at first that Garren didn't notice it. It intensified until it burst forth to fill the immense room, spilling into the hall. The force of it threw Garren several feet.
Michael and the others rushed into the room. Garren couldn't move, his whole body stiff and weak. He rolled to his side to catch a glimpse of Michael leaning over Ariana.
He saw everyone moving around, but couldn't decipher what was being said. His vision blurred and he felt himself losing consciousness. It was all he could do to lie back, facing the ceiling, before he blacked out. As the darkness took him, he heard another voice, this one strong but soothing.
Rest now, you will need your strength.
The Dark Lord Azrian clenched the chalice in his fist before hurling it against the wall, roaring as it shattered into pieces.
'So be it!' he snarled. 'You wish it to come to this?' He lifted his gaze to the east and knew that though he couldn't see him, the Creator would hear his words. 'You wager so much with so little!'
His breath came in short huffs, his face bright red with rage. 'An Adorian healer's blood. Clever, though not clever enough. Do you think this changes anything? Do you think the Sword of Ereubus will call to Garren any less?' He roared indecipherably, debating whom to kill for this, and was about to act on his decision when he caught a glimpse of her face out of the corner of his eye.
His voice became a whisper as he leaned over the pool of water to gaze at her for the brief time he would be able to. 'So beautiful, even in this fragile form he has chosen for you. I wonder, does it please him to see you so weak, so powerless. Mortal enough for a blade to drain the life from you. I would never have done this. I would never have allowed such harm to come to you had you stayed by my side.'
He whipped upright at the sound of Usilet entering his chambers. 'I didn't call for you.'
She bowed low to the ground, 'No, my Lord. Ciara wishes to speak with you.'
He laughed, genuinely amused. 'Tell her my answer is the same. If she wishes something from me, then she may ask it when her part of the covenant has been upheld. Then we will see.'
Usilet nodded, 'Yes, my Lord.'
'Before you leave — ' He held out his hand for her to kiss it, 'I want you to go to Caedmon. In dreams if you must. There is darkness in him, I can see the hatred in his eyes and it pleases me. Remind him how much Garren has taken from him.'
Dismissing her, he walked back toward the pool, tightening his jaw as he saw the water, now dark and visionless.
'Make him remember, Usilet!' he screamed. 'Do whatever is necessary!'
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Michael pulled up Ariana with one arm around her waist, the other at her shoulder. The color had returned to her face and her breathing had steadied. He moved her shirt from her shoulder, exposing unharmed flesh. Her wounds were as gone.
'Ariana,' he whispered, his voice wavering with emotion.
Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him, a dazed expression on her face. 'Where am I?' Her voice was low, hardly a whisper.
'Adoria. You are home, dear heart.' He half-laughed, half-sobbed with relief as he sat on the bed beside her. 'Do you remember anything?'
'No.' She reached up, noticing the injury on his arm. He'd forgotten about it himself. His wings were bleeding in several places, and he had a rather large gash in his leg, but he couldn't feel any of it now.
She gasped, her memory having returned to her. 'I'm so sorry, Michael, I shouldn't have — '
He hugged her, stopping her mid-sentence. 'Ssh. Don't be sorry. Had I been more forthright, you would've felt more comfortable confiding in me. I'm simply grateful that you are… Ariana, you were barely breathing.'
Jenner was seated on the opposite side of the bed from Michael. 'Child, I bore witness to this. It was he who entered and spoke life back into you.' He stood, stepping aside for Ariana to see Garren.
To Michael's surprise, she recoiled into his arms at the sight of Garren.
'I haven't the desire to so much as look at him,' she said bitterly.
Michael waved his hand, indicating for Garren to be taken from the room. He appeared to be out cold; whatever he'd done had drained him completely. Michael turned his attention back to Ariana as Jenner ushered everyone else from their presence. He didn't speak again until they were alone.
'I'm sorry about Sara. Forgive me, please, for not speaking with you more candidly. Know that she had no choice in the matter, her words were not her own.'
'I know they weren't,' she said, her expression wistful. 'She's a hollow shell of who she once was. But she is among the living.' Her countenance fell grave as she reached up to her left shoulder, rubbing where the sword had pierced her. It seemed to all be coming back to her. 'What has he said to you?'
'It was not a short journey here. We discussed many things, least of which is his maternity. He is part Adorian; I saw this for myself as he entered without hindrance. The only thing that kept me from killing him in Eidolon were the Adorian words that came from his mouth. You were right on several accounts. He wasn't responsible for your wounds or the visions that you've been having. He has been experiencing the same, or so he claims.'
The expression on her face as he spoke of Garren turned sour. While part of him wanted her to feel that way, the other part of him noted it as significant that her perception of him had changed.
'This is a new reaction for you.'
'I heard things come from his mouth that felt untrue, yet seem without reproach. I recall well being wounded by one of his men and him coming to me as I lay bleeding on the ground, saying the only reason he wanted me alive was because I had knowledge of Adoria that the Ereubinians wanted. Did I dream that he stayed with me through the night? I felt his presence each time I regained consciousness, but at the same time I heard him say clearly as I speak to you now that he was responsible for the dead who were left outside of our borders. There was nothing but vile retribution in his tone, Michael. I witnessed evidence with Sara that he'd spoken for her as a breeder. Her lip was bloodied and her cheek bruised.'
Michael brushed aside a piece of hair that had fallen into her face.
'Where was he when he said these things, when you witnessed this interaction with Sara?'
'Observance.'
It took him a moment to realize she wasn't being sarcastic. 'You were in observance? How did you go unnoticed?'
'The humans wear white cloaks. I slipped in with them. It was easy enough. Besides, I didn't go unnoticed. There was a young boy who knew you, who discovered me.'
'Micah. He was the one out of twenty-two men who we let return to Eidolon on our last run-in with Garren's men.'
