Page 73 of Return to Me Always

So I rushed past it, deciding to continue on. Maybe try for the front gate. This path would slow him down too, and I was already more than halfway across it.

I hurried on as quickly as I dared, hearing him steadily coming up behind me. With one hand, I kept trying to hold onto the wall. The path grew even more narrow. Three quarters of the way now.

Suddenly, in front of me, I heard a noise. And a face came around the corner that I was slowly approaching.

I heaved a sigh of relief at my future husband. My warrior. My savior.

"Almost there," he said, worry etching his face.

I was so close to safety, to my love, to my protector. He reached out his hand toward me, ready to grab me the minute he could.

Footsteps sounded behind me. Close. Too close.

Oh, God, please help me.

I held my breath as I took those last few steps until I could grab his arm.

Please, God, let me make it.

The path was only inches wide here. I had been told that no one ever came this way. I kept my eyes on the ground, not daring to look up, not daring to look at my warrior. One foot at a time. One foot in front of the other.

"Reach out your hand."

I looked up. Only inches away from his hand. Safety.

Oh, God, please.

Stretching out as far as I dared, I couldn't quite make it. The path was barely wide enough for my foot.

Please, God.Please.

Just one more step, and I could reach him.One more step.

More noises behind me. I made a hesitant movement forward. But the unthinkable happened. My foot slipped. My warrior lunged for me while I reached for him again.

It was too late.

The ground crumbled away. My eyes found his one last time before I screamed, before I fell.

I had lived here. I had loved here. I had died here.

Chapter Twenty-Two

A noise woke me. An annoying beep that would not stop.

I bolted upright.

"Oh, no, hon! Lie back down," a voice demanded, a familiar voice. "You're okay. Just lie down."

Mom?My mom was here?

I struggled to open my eyes. The light blinded me. Someone needed to turn off some of these damn lights. My head throbbed. But the need to know where I was and who was there overwhelmed all else.

Ignoring the pain, I forced my eyes open to see I was in a hospital bed, my mom's worried eyes staring back at me.

"Mom? What's going on?" I croaked.

She handed me a cup, and I took a greedy drink from the straw of the iciest, coldest water that tasted like heaven on my raw throat. As I drank, she didn't speak, which was kind of weird, considering she talked all the freaking time. Like seriouslyallthe time.

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