Page 202 of Curse of Darkness
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“Amaya.”I stride toward her, and she lunges into my arms, wrapping her legs around my hips. Grimm vanishes at the last minute, reappearing on the ground with a dismissive sniff.
I don’t care.
My daughter smells like the soap we use. And she’s warm in my arms, warm and safe andmine.
And crying. Her entire body shakes with it.
“Grimm said you were going to die….” She gasps. “If I didn’t come, then you were going to fall.”
I kiss her hair, breathing in her scent. Grimm’s been right too many times about the future for me to argue against him. And he loves her. He wouldn’t have brought her here if he thought she’d be in any danger. “You were so brave. And we’re safe. He’s gone. We’re all safe.”
Amaya squeezes me tight.
And then she slowly lifts her tearstained face as Thiago approaches.
“It helped you?” she whispers.
“It did.” He holds out his hand, staring at his skin. “You did exactly what you needed to do.”
Amaya bolts into his arms.
He staggers back, not expecting it. But then he lifts her into his arms, pressing his face against her neck. Every inch of him curves into her, his arms gripping tight as if he’s afraid to let go—as if he’s been waiting for this moment for so long, that he just needs to absorb it.
“Did I miss something?” I ask.
He smiles at me over her shoulder. “She managed to give me the seed of Darkness within herself. The essence of the creature inside her gave itself up in order to save us all—and ultimately her.”
“Does that mean—?”
He looks troubled. “I think you were right. What is within me was shaped by me.” He hesitates. “Absorbing the others has only strengthened the psychic entity I know. It has not changed, only grown whole.”His gaze shifts over my shoulder and he tilts his head. “I think your sister wants a word with you. I’ll have a moment with Amaya.”
I spin around.
“Vi.” Andraste stops three paces from me, her smoke-stained pink cloak swirling in the breeze. Tall and lean with muscle, she looks every inch the warrior. Every inch a conquering queen.
It’s what I always aspired to be. She was my idol, my older sister, my inspiration. And when she shut me out—when Mother insisted we were no longer to share the same tutors or the same wing of the castle—it felt like I lost everything that mattered to me.
I didn’t fit in.
Once upon a time, I resented her for that. For not caring. For walking away. For letting me believe I was… nothing.
I look at her, and all I can see are two little girls giggling in the forest as they clasp hands together and swing in circles. My heart breaks for those two little girls, soon to feel the shadow of their mother’s jealousy sweep over them.
We never had a chance to be allies.
We never had a chance to be sisters.
“Andi.” My voice is raw.
There’s a flash of black and pink and gold, and then she slams against me, staggering me back. Warm arms lock around me, and I throw myself into the hug, squeezing her tight.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispers. “For everything. I have tried to make amends. I have tried and tried and tried, but if you never forgive me….”
“There is nothing to forgive. You saved Amaya for me.” Tears heat my eyes. “I never got the chance to say thank you.”
“You don’t have to say thank you,” she whispers. “I’m sorry I never dared do more. I’m so sorry if any of my actions contributed to the hurt you bore.”
