Page 153 of A Broken Throne of Bronze

“Cryssa,” he pleads. Tears race down his cheeks, his face twisted in anguish. “Cryssa, don’t close those eyes. Those beautiful, beautiful eyes.”

I’m crying now, too.

“It should have been me.” His voice trembles. He shakes his head, as if he can’t contain his raging emotions. “Damn it, Cryssa. You should have let them shoot me!”

“No,” I say, mustering as much strength as I can. All the strength I have left. “I couldn’t. I—I wouldn’t.”

“And I can’t—” He stops, pressing his lips together. “I can’t lose you. I can’t.”

I cough again, blood spurting in my throat.

“No.” His voice grows even more desperate. “Please, Cryssa. Oh gods—please.”

Numbness tugs at my eyes. Darkness clouds my vision.

“I…love…” I choke.

Viridian looks at me, amber eyes desperately hanging onto every word.

You, I want to say.

But my throat doesn’t obey.

The last thing I see is Viridian’s face above mine. His mouth moves, but I don’t hear the words. I don’t hear anything. I barely feel his hands on my face, holding me tight.

I succumb to the darkness.

Chapter Forty-One

Viridian

Ican’t feel her.

I can’t feel her.

I try to reach out again, but there’s nothing there. No one to reach out to. There’s no bond.

The doors to my mind have closed.

And she’s not there.

My wife, my mate, isn’t there.

“Damn you!” I cry, slamming my palm to the stone floor. Cryssa’s body is limp in my lap, but I can’t bring myself to let her go. “Damn your curse!”

Damn it all. Damn my father. Damn the gods who sat by and let this happen.

How could I have let this happen? I told her that I wouldn’t let anything happen to her.

I failed.

I couldn’t—I didn’t—protect her.

I lean my head back, my face pointed to the ceiling. Heaviness sets into my chest. The weight of her absence in my mind is unbearable.

She can’t be gone.

She can’t be.

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