Page 211 of The Dawn of the Cursed Queen

“It was so stupid that they thought you’d fight that hard for Reggie.” I groaned, the sound as hoarse and harsh as Dianna’s voice had been. Reggie stood on the other side of the room, his hands folded in front of him. I forced my eyes to focus on the fate, keeping as still as possible because even breathing hurt right now. “No offense.”

Reggie said nothing, and my gaze flicked to Dianna. Her arms were more healed than mine, with only a little discoloration that I knew would be gone in days. Only one person could heal her from godly weapons that well, and I knew it was the man standing next to her.

My head spun, and I couldn’t help the sound that left my lips. My eyes burned, and I wondered if I had lost my mind. Or maybe I had died, and this was Iassulyn, being forced to face all of them. I had felt something when I arrived, but I thought it was Dianna I was sensing. I pushed myself up, trying to stand and go to him. My scream bounced around the cell as my back tore open, and I collapsed onto the cot with a sob. Samkiel rushed past the bars and knelt before me, gripping my hand.

“It’s okay. I’m here,” he said.

His voice was like music to my fucking ears. I hadn’t just lost my leader and my king when I thought he’d died, but also my best fucking friend.

“Are you real?” My voice cracked. “Or is this another sad dream?”

His eyes softened, but it was true. Every time I closed my eyes, I dreamed I had saved him. I dreamed I had fought, saved Xavier, and we had stayed. Gods, I hated myself. It hurt to cry, the sobs wracking my body and reopening my wounds. I couldn’t stop the tears. Every bit of fear and guilt and regret and grief came pouring out.

“I’m real.” His hand was gentle on my shoulder, and a soothing coolness settled over my aching, cracked skin. I knew he had tried to heal me, too, just from the parts of me that weren’t split open. I suspected after healing Dianna, whatever power he had was depleted. It had to be since it still colored the sky. He leaned against me in the weirdest hug I had ever been a part of, his head on mine as if he was afraid to hurt me.

“But you died. We all felt it,” I choked out between gasps for air.

“Dianna brought me back.”

I lifted my head and turned toward Dianna, nearly throwing Samkiel off me. Tears still flowed from my eyes as I stared at her in shock. Dianna smirked and shrugged.

“Brought back? From the dead?” I practically screamed. “How is that even possible?”

“It’s a long story,” Dianna said. “I’ll write a book one day. Now, what do you know about Nismera and her whereabouts?”

Samkiel ignored her as he patted the back of my head. “I missed you too, Cameron.”

Another cry left me. “Oh, gods, it’s really bad then if you are saying that.”

Samkiel’s touch suddenly disappeared, and the cool balm of his healing dissipated. The pain was still bad, but nowhere near the agony it had been. Panic squeezed me like a vise. Had this been another dream? Was this all just punishment for what I had done? I looked up and saw Dianna holding his wrist.

“Samkiel, you have to stop,” Dianna commanded, tugging him away from me. “You’ve already used too much power trying to heal us both. You can barely stand, and this is further draining you.”

“I can’t leave him in pain,” Samkiel protested.

“We won’t, but you’re no good to any of us if you sleep for a week from exhaustion,” she snapped back. “Miska can make him some healing teas. It will be a slower process, but it will help.”

Another sob tore from me, and they both spun toward me. “Gods, I’ve missed hearing you two bicker.”

Dianna shook her head as Samkiel snorted, a single hand running across his brow.

“Do you remember where you were? Where Nismera is?” Dianna asked again.

I opened my mouth, eager to tell them, but my throat tightened. My brows furrowed as I tried to force it, but nothing came. I wanted to tell them where I’d been and what I had seen, but only flashes of gold and cream pierced the fog of my memory. “I . . . I don’t remember.”

“How can that be?” Dianna asked, glancing between us.

Samkiel shrugged. “Witches, perhaps. Camilla was strong enough to cloak Kaden and you from me.”

Dianna’s gaze raked over me. “Is she? Is she cloaking her?”

“I highly doubt it.” I groaned as I turned toward them. “Camilla is too busy being obsessed with Vincent and vice versa. I know she’s working with her, but I don’t think she is doing that. Nismera has more witches than Camilla. It is possible one of them is doing so.”

Samkiel sighed. “That proves my other theory.”

“Which is?”

I watched how they worked together and smiled, resting my head on the soft furs. He had been looking for this for so damn long. Samkiel finally had his queen, and she was worthy of him in every way. She would have torn the realms apart for him and hadn’t even let death come between them. I sunk deeper into my cot. Despite the pain of the burns, my body finally relaxed after months of constantly being on guard. Samkiel was alive, and I was finally safe.

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