Page 219 of War

War’s face is naked emotion. Disbelief and joy fill his features, chasing away his tears.

His hands clasp my cheeks and he searches my eyes. “I am having one of your human dreams,” he says. “This is too wonderful to be real.”

“Ithinkthis is real.” Right?

I glance around me. We’re not in the grave anymore, but we’re nearby, the dead still scattered around us. I remember that—and I remember trying to save War. I’d been so close, but then his hand slipped. I don’t remember an explosion, but I don’t remember anything else either. My memory simply stops.

“What happened?” I ask.

War’s throat works. “When I woke …” he draws in a shaky breath, “You weregone.” His eyes are wild with emotion. “You came to save me andI couldn’t save you.”

I glance down at my body. My clothes are in charred tatters. Just seeing the state they’re in … there must have been an explosion. One that I don’t remember and never felt.

I take in my outfit again. The fabric is almost completely burned away, and yet my skin remains unblemished.

The abrupt end in my memory … I must’ve been hurt badly enough to black out. Which could only mean that War somehow healed me.

“Youdidsave me,” I reply, confused. How could he say he hadn’t done so? If he hadn’t, there would be wounds, and I would be in pain.

“Not with my own two hands,” he admits.

My brows furrow. I don’t understand.

“Then how?” I ask.

He strokes my hair back. “I am free, Miriam.”

I must’ve hit my head really hard because I’m not following. “Free of what?”

“My purpose.”

It’s as much as he’s admitted before, but this time, I truly process his words. “You really aren’t going to kill anymore?” I say.

He shakes his head. “Not unless it’s to protect you—or our daughter.”

I raise my eyebrows, then glance down at my stomach. “Ourdaughter?”

He smiles at me, and that smile seems to stretch to every corner of his face. He’s so painfully gorgeous. “Sorry to ruin the surprise.”

Ourdaughter.

“How did you find out?”

“I told you, I didn’t save you. My brother did.”

“Your brother?” I say quizzically.

“Death.”

With that one word, my light mood vanishes.

There’s only one reason why Death himself would save me.

“I … died?” I can barely force the words out.

War stares at me for a long moment. “For a time.”

Oh God …I died.

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