Page 62 of An Accident Waiting to Dragon

“I didn’t realize the cost of my choices until I died and watched him struggle with how the blood oath meant hiding things from people he loved and taking the blame for my death.” Goran leaned forward, intent. “He would have saved me, Gwen. You know that deep down.”

She wanted to look away. To take a moment to absorb all this. But she couldn’t and they were running out of time. “It never made any sense, but he wouldn’t tell me the truth.”

“Because of me.” Goran’s expression pinched. “Because he couldn’t.”

“Oh, Goran,” she whispered.

“Tell him I release him. Tell him I’m sorry I ever put him in that position.”

Gwen’s ribs moved with a long inhale. Asher would probably feel the oath lift, but she nodded anyway. “I will.”

“And I’m sorry to you, too,” Goran whispered. “For keeping you and Asher apart. For not seeing what was right in front of me. Tell Mom and Dad the truth and the others, too. Tell them I hope they can forgive me.”

She looked at Goran. “Other than this regret, are you…okay?”

His smile was more than she deserved. The warmth. The contentment. “I’m more than fine, Gwen. Tell them and I’ll be able to rest finally.”

Her eyes stung hard with tears, but she blinked them back, not wanting to miss a second of being able to see his face. “I will. I’ll tell them.”

After a second, he nodded.

The candle on the table flickered. Just a little. Growing dimmer, bringing the shadows in closer.

“Time’s up, my lovelies,” the elder sing-songed.

“How long do we have?” Gwen didn’t know who she was asking.

“Seconds,” Goran said. He leaned forward, already starting to sort of…fade away. His voice turned echoey, like he was calling down a long corridor. “I love you. I love our family.”

“We love you too,” Gwen choked, staring at her brother’s beautiful face, trying to commit it to memory.

The candle went out, pitching her into total, obliterating darkness again.

Only this time, she was too overwhelmed to be afraid. Emotions battered her from every side, and she had no idea which to respond to first.

When the elder lit the candle again with a regular match, this time it was normal, yellowish light and they were back in the cozy, cluttered room with the food on the table.

The elder sighed in what sounded like deep content. “That boy didn’t know how to quit,” she said. “Visiting me all the time. Trying to get me to come to you, but that’s not how it works. He knows that.” The small face drew into a smile. “He’ll be at peace now.”

“I hope so,” Gwen whispered.

“You’ll miss him,” the elder said to the chair, paused, then quieter, “Yes. I will, too.”

Gwen hardly noticed. Her heart ached in ways so raw, and yet, it was already healed thanks to time. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to cry or laugh or just smile, sitting with her brother’s ghost. She could still feel him. Like the way it felt when he’d sleep in her room whenever she’d had nightmares as a little girl. Even if she kept her eyes closed, she knew he was there for her.

“Thank you,” Gwen whispered.

The elder smiled in a way that was pure sunshine on her face. “This was one of the happier ones,” she said.

Gwen didn’t want to know what the sad ones must be like. “If I can ever do anything for you…”

The elder waved her off. “A visit every so often would be nice, but this is my gift. I was meant for this.”

The same way Gwen was meant to wield magic with moonlight. She nodded her understanding as she pushed back from the table.

“Don’t get up,” she told the elder.

Then she felt compelled to lean down and kiss the papery skin of the very ancient cheek, receiving a tickled chuckle in return.

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