Page 109 of Curse of Darkness
Mydaughter.
A gasp escapes me as I collapse forward into Vi’s arms. The heat of her skin is a shock against the chill of mine. There are little marks inked into my arms with pure shadow, I realize as I wrap my arms around her and hold on. Absorbing the heat, the light, the… remnants of who I am.
But for the first time in my life, I don’t know if I have the strength to hold on to who I am.
And as if it knows it, the Darkness within me chuckles.
I’ll wait….
“Thank you.” I press my forehead to Vi’s, thumbs digging into the soft flesh of her cheeks. “Thank you.”
“I love you.” Her wan smile begins to fade. “I want you to… always know that.”
Suddenly, I realize she’s not just embracing me, she’s leaning against me.
“Vi? What’s wrong?”
She’s dying, you little bastard. She just hasn’t realized it yet.
Vi’s eyes roll back in her head, the light in her gaze winking out as I catch her.
23
THIAGO
Footsteps echo up the spiral staircase within the tower as I swing Vi into my arms. “Go to your room,” I tell Amaya bluntly. She doesn’t need to see this. I lock gazes with Grimm. “Get her to her room. I’ll take care of her. She’ll be fine. She’ll befine.”
Finn bursts through the door, one hand on his sword hilt as he scans the area. “What happened? What—?”
“Send for Mariana,” I snarl, slamming through the brass doors that lead into the tower. The court healer is the best of her kind. She’ll fix this. I know it.
Vi moans, her fist curling in the fabric over her abdomen.
There’s no blood. Not even a sign of damage, but I saw that blade strike her deep. I will never forget the feeling of hurtling out of the sky, knowing I was going to be too late—
“Come on, Vi. I’ve got you.” I force the words through my teeth.Not her. Anyone but her.
Finn vanishes as I power up the staircase. Vi’s head lolls against my shoulder, as if that last vestige of stubbornness that was keeping her conscious has faded.
I slam my shoulder into her bedroom door, and haul her inside.
Easing her onto our bed, I smooth the hair from her face. The worst part is that I don’t know how badly she’s injured, because there’s nothing visible. Reaching out, my hand hovers over her abdomen, and that’s when I feel it.
Death stealing through her middle, creeping with icy cold fingers through her warm skin and stealing the life from her veins.
“Stay with me,” I whisper, kneeling on the bed and slapping her cheek lightly. “Vi, don’t you dare do this to me. Not now.”Not after everything we’ve fought through to win. “He’s dead. He’s gone. You saved us.” I capture her face in my hands, pressing my forehead to hers. “Don’t you leave me, Vi.”
Because there is no Darkness for her.
If she leaves me… she’ll be gone forever.
“Thiago?” Finn bellows through the door.
His voice cuts through the anguish lodged like a stone in my chest. “In here!”
He crashes into the room, hauling Mariana with him. The court healer is usually a calm woman with tidy brown hair and an apron, but she looks like he’s dragged her in out of the wind.
“What happened to her?” Mariana demands as her gaze settles on Vi.
