Page 100 of Night's Reckoning
He will be there.
He will do this for me.
“Tiny?”
“Ben, be still.”
He forced his neck around so he could see her face. “You’re crying.”
“It’s the rain.” The storm had come on them swift and sudden. She could hear thunder in the distance.
“It’s red though.” He was starting to slur his words.
“Ben, be quiet.”
They were halfway there. Over halfway. She could feel his blood dripping between her fingers. It had slowed but it hadn’t stopped.
“Tenzin.”
“I told you to save your strength.”
“You were right about Johari.”
Rage burned in her chest. “She did this?”
“We found the sword. It was with the glass like you thought.” He started to slur his words again. “Glass ca-cash. Case. Like… bubble. Bread. Weird.”
She didn’t know what he was talking about, and she couldn’t find it in her heart to care. She didn’t care about the sword. She didn’t even care about Johari yet. Soon she would, but for now all she could think about was her father in the courtyard. Drinking tea. Waiting for her.
“I feel I am needed.”
Why else would fate have brought him to her? Why had any of this happened? Why did she still live? Why had she survived? Why had he survived until this moment?
The tears and the rain mixed together. “Everything will be as it will be,” she whispered.
“Tiny?”
“Shhhh. You need to be quiet.”
“I need to tell you something.”
“Tell me later.”
“No, I n-need to tell you now.” His voice took on a strange clarity. “I need to tell you now, Tenzin.”
“Don’t—”
“I love you.” There was more blood staining his lips. “I love you so much. And I’m dying, so you need to know that. That I love you. I love you more than anyone I’ve loved in my life.” He swallowed hard.
“Benjamin—”
The corner of his mouth curled up. “You never talk and now you want me to shut up, but I’m dying and you need to know…”
The rain lashed her face. She could see the lights of the city on the horizon.
“You’re… lovely.” He sniffed. “Lovable. You’re… worthy of that.” He started to slur again. “I am too, I think. So when I’m gone, don’t kill anyone, okay?”
“Be quiet, Benjamin,” she whispered. “Just be quiet.”
