Page 57 of Kiss of Smoke

Finally, she sank to her knees next to her daughter, resting her hand on Aurora’s back. Her head hung in defeat. “I know.”

I dared to take another step closer. If I wasn’t bound and injured, I could’ve easily thrown myself at them.

“It doesn’t have to be that way.” I swallowed hard, my throat tightening. “I… I could give you peace. Both of you.”

Carabosse raised her head, squinting up at me. “I murdered your kind. Your friends. Why would you do that for me? I deserve no peace.”

Blood dripped down my hands. Blessed Branches, it hurt. “Because that’s what I do. I’ve been terrified of you this whole time…but I also cared for you, and in a way I understand. Everything you did was for love.”

It didn’t excuse her actions, or pay back the lives she had taken. Not by a long shot.

But I found it impossible to turn my back on her, or on her tormented daughter, who had never asked for this.

I couldn’t sit in a courtroom and testify against her, and then watch my father take her life.

“Take this chain off,” I whispered, coming uncomfortably close to her. “I can help you. We can end this here.”

As I looked into Carabosse’s eyes, I was horribly aware that those same hands had ripped the souls from Fae, and had left them to die horrible deaths.

I was taking my life in my hands and offering it to her… if only she would take me up on it, and let me return the favor.

Carabosse raised a hand, and for a moment I was sure she was going to plunge it into me and take everything that made me Briallen, stuffing it into a tiny glass lamp—

But she just gripped the cold iron chain, unwinding it and relieving me of the terrible burning pain. Cuts opened and bled as she pulled it from my skin, then she flung it over the side of the cliff, into the sea.

I almost gasped with relief, and Carabosse returned to stroking Aurora. She pulled the sobbing girl into her lap, holding her close.

“Will it hurt?” she asked, sounding tired and hollow. “Aurora doesn’t deserve that. I’ll take all the pain if she can go free.”

I knelt next to her, looking into her eyes.

All this time, I had been looking into the Ghosthand’s eyes.

“She can’t go free,” I told her quietly. “Even if the queen wasn’t looking for vengeance, what Brightkin did to her…there’s no coming back from that. No number of souls will fix what was destroyed. But I can promise you that I won’t hurt either of you. You will have nothing but peace.”

Carabosse let out a hiccuping sob, clutching Aurora closer. “I only wanted her back.”

“I know.” I reached out and gripped her shoulder. “And you will be together forever. I promise.”

She let out a shuddering breath, stroking Aurora’s hair… then nodded at me. “Do it. Do what you have to do.”

I nodded, then put my other hand on Aurora. The girl’s shoulder shook under my palm as she let out breathless little cries.

I closed my eyes. There was something I’d thought of after seeing my Blood Tree—a tree borne of rage and anger—and my tree in Annwyn.

In Annwyn, I had poured my hopes and dreams, everything good about me, into them.

I could pour peace and love into Carabosse and Aurora, and give them an ending that didn’t result in more blood and pain.

I pulled on the magic of the grove around me, feeling my fellow trees lean in and lend their support, whispering encouragement in voices only I could hear.

My palms ached and burned, but I sent that peace into them. Carabosse’s harsh breaths and Aurora’s sobs faded, and I heard a whispered, “thank you”, as the magic flowed through me.

Peace, love, and healing. I focused on nothing but that as I worked, and when I finally opened my eyes again, I was dizzy from the sheer amount of power I’d channeled.

My hands were no longer on warm human shoulders, but sleek, brand new bark.

Two trees rose in front of me, their branches intertwined, leaves glossy and bright. One rose over the other, curled around it like a mother.

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