Page 106 of King of Fire and Flames

“I don’t know why you’re helping us,” I said, “but I’m very grateful.”

Ruhh circled me like a wasp about to get tangled in my hair. “My brother bound my body to this realm, but the Zareen has promised to restore it.” She bared decaying teeth in a deranged smile. “Just think, one day soon, I may be able to hug you.”

I laughed. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather throw me off a cliff?”

“Since my death, I have realized many men are stupid, making decisions with their egos and cocks instead of their hearts and brains. We females must stick together and clean up their messes. But, please, tell Arrow not to get too comfortable in Coridon. If I know Melaya, he will find a way back from the fringes of the cosmos and cause him more trouble.”

With a heavy heart, I nodded, and then spun on my heel, wiping sweat and blood from my face as I moved quickly through the arena, searching for my friends. For my love.

“Leaf!” Ari shouted.

I ran toward the sound of her voice, finding her back in the arena and huddled over a dark shape slumped beside the ancient gates. A body. A large male with his wings flung limply over his bare torso.

Arrow.

No, no, no, no, no.

Please gods, no.

I’d do anything if only he was alive.

Anything.

I let out a scream and bolted forward. Skidding across the dirt on my knees, I knocked Ari sideways as I crashed into her, then stopped by Arrow’s body.

Golden tears painted her face, and she wrapped an arm around me, an offer of comfort that I shrugged off as I leaned over Arrow, sobs wracking through me.

I smoothed hair off his face, tucking strands behind the points of his ears. Blood trickled from his mouth, his feather glyphs a dark flesh color. No pulse thudded through his veins.

“No, Arrow. Please. Please, no. Come back to me. I can’t do this without you.” I kissed the blood from his lips and soaked his blanched skin with my tears.

“Help him, Ari,” I said. “Please. I’ll do anything. If you need blood, I have plenty to spare. A life in exchange for his? I’ll gladly give mine. Just don’t let him die. I couldn’t bear it.”

Fires raged around the arena, small ones merging and growing, smoke obscuring the stars. The flames roared around us, cleansing, purifying, clearing space for new beginnings.

New blades of grass.

New saplings.

New kings and queens.

My Aldara mark suddenly flashed, searing the flesh of my neck as white sparks from its magic singed my hair. That was a good sign. It meant Arrow was reviving.

Didn’t it?

But then the magic faltered, falling dormant with a final, soft hiss.

And I knew without a doubt…

The Storm King was dead.

Chapter 33

Leaf

I flung myself into Ari’s arms, my mind and heart shattering into a thousand painful shards that tore through my trembling flesh as sobs wracked over me.

“No. I refuse to live without him. I don’t even want to. How can I keep going?”

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