Page 84 of Realm of Thieves

She brought me into her life and I brought death into it.

“I know, I’m sorry,” he says again. but all the apologies and words and platitudes in the world won’t bring her back.

Fuck.Fuck.

This can’t be real. It can’t be.

His grip on my shoulder tightens. “But whoever sent those people after her meant for them to get to us. To you. We have to leave.”

I shake my head and press my lips against my aunt’s forehead. She already feels cold. She shouldn’t, she should still feel warm, and yet it feels like everything that made her fiery has faded away.

“We have to leave, Brynla. Now. You, me, and Lemi. They are coming for us.”

“You don’t even know who,” I whisper. I stare into her open eyes, willing her to come back to life. My aunt had ingested suen at some point; she was strong and fast, wasn’t it possible that the substance and power could fight through death and bring her back to life?

“It doesn’t matter,” he says. “It’s either House Dalgaard or it’s Esland. Whoever they are, they want you dead. There will be more in their wake. We have to go. Now.”

I shake my head. “And I’m not leaving. I’m not leaving her.”

“Brynla,” he says, his voice hard as he gets to his feet.

“I’m not leaving her!” I scream, whipping my head around to stare up at him. He’s staring down at me, brows furrowed, eyes sad, and the memory of us together last night visits me like a butterfly, agentleness that drifts away, buried by anger and grief. None of that matters now. Nothing matters now.

He grows blurry in my vision as the tears fall.

But I’m not going anywhere.

“I’m staying with her,” I manage to say, my mouth thick. “I’m not leaving her. She might come back to life at any moment. You might still be able to save her.”

I look back down at her, hoping that maybe she’s moved, showed some sign of life.

But her body just feels heavier now.

“I’m not leaving her,” I say again. “You go. Go back to your ship, back to your land and your family. She was the only family I had. I must stay with her.”

“You’ll die if you do,” he says imploringly. “They’ll kill you. They’ll kill Lemi too.”

“I’d like to see them try,” I say, though that last part hits deep inside. I don’t care if they do kill me, whoever they are, but I don’t want Lemi to die.

“Take him with you,” I say. “Take Lemi with you, please.”

“He’ll never leave your side,” he says. “Just like you’ll never leave your aunt’s.”

I nod, trying to swallow.

This can’t be real. This must be a bad dream. I must still be asleep.

“But you know that I won’t leave you either,” he continues. He walks across the room and I look up, watching him disappear around the corner.

He can stay if he wants. Part of me wants to be that selfish, to ask him to. Maybe we can fight off the next wave of attackers. After all, there are four dead men here, four assassins that we managed to take down. We could stay and fight and I could give my aunt the properburial and respect she deserves. She doesn’t deserve to be left behind, even in death.

Time doesn’t seem to pass the way it should. Everything seems to dwindle down to just me and my aunt and I know I can’t let go of her, not now, maybe not ever. I can just sit here with her and be and as long as I can do that, then she’s never really dead, never really gone.

“Brynla,” Andor says, and I realize he’s come back into the room. He stands beside me and I tear my gaze off my aunt and glance up at him.

Sorrow furrows his brow, his eyes wet at the corners.

“Stay with me,” I tell him. “Don’t leave me. Promise you won’t leave me.”

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