Page 50 of Witch Untold
Vlad crouched beside me, his features no longer withered and wrinkled. They were smooth and pale with high cheekbones, dark brows, and rich, deep-amber eyes that were filled with longing as he looked down at me. “I’m truly sorry.” He stroked my forehead with icy fingers and then stood. “Finish it.”
Pain sliced into each wrist as Mircea and Radu fed off the last vestiges of my lifeblood. My heartbeat slowed. My breath caught and stuttered, each one shorter, the gaps longer.
This was death.
This was the end.
I heard Fee’s infectious laughter. I felt Tor’s lips on mine and Leif’s gentle hands cupping my cheek. I saw Rune’s wonderfully sunny smile. My vision blurred with hot tears that spilled down my cheeks as the world slipped away and darkness swallowed me.
I didn’t want to die.
I didn’t—
Chapter Sixteen
Tor
“She’s going to love it,” Leif says, surveying the newly decorated room in the main house.
Pale pink, cream, and a deep purple. We want it to be feminine but not over the top. Neutral enough for her to add her stamp on it. There’s no walk-in wardrobe here, but we’ve converted the room next door into a dressing room and added a connecting door. It took a while, but it’s ready.
Now all we need to do is decide who’ll take her shopping for new outfits when she gets back.
Redecorating Charlotte’s room, removing traces of the old anchor and tailoring it to Cora, has been a great distraction while she’s off doing dangerous shit. And now is the perfect time to put on the finishing touches, now that she’s gone to a place where none of us can follow.
It’s only been a few hours, but it feels like forever. I won’t be sleeping tonight. I won’t be sleeping until she’s back.
My heart sinks as I remember where she is. That she isn’t on a regular patrol or training with Sloane. That she’s on the other side of the world facing an ancient threat that can’t be killed while we’re stuck here by duty. Trapped by an ancient oath that I’m no longer even fucking sure makes sense.
When I think about it, my blood begins to boil.
“Is Tor angry?” Wren asks from his spot in the center of Cora’s huge bed.Ourhuge bed, because there is no way I’m letting her out of my sight when she gets back.
“I’m fine, buddy.”
“Tor doesn’t look fine.”
Rune climbs onto the bed and settles behind Wren, acting as a huge cushion for the tiny creature.
You do look like you want to smash something.
“And you don’t?”
Of course I do.
“Tor’s fine,” Leif says to Wren. “We’re just worried about Cora.”
Wren’s bottom lip sticks out. “Cora should have taken Wren. Wren would protect her.”
Yeah, he’s not letting that go. Got to give the tiny guy credit for wanting to head into danger so readily. He’s a brave thing.
“Cora cares too much about you to take you into danger,” Leif says. “She wouldn’t be able to focus if you were there. She’d be worried all the time.”
Wren sits up with a frown. “Cora thinks Wren can’t take care of himself. She thinks Wren is weak?”
Oh, shit. “No.” I run a hand over my face. “She doesn’t think you’re weak, but having you there might makeherweak. You’re a weakness to her because she cares too much about you.”
Wren leans back against Rune, who licks the top of his head to soothe him.
