Page 61 of What Lies Within Blood & Heirs

Alora panicked.He’s going to rip himself apart.

Then the serpent’s voice returned. “Come back to me, my pet.” Why did it sound so stars-damned alluring? “They’re gone. You have nothing left.”

Like hell, he doesn’t.She’d cut that female’s head off and watch her writhe as all the life drained from hercold-blooded veins.

A sharp pain ripped through Alora’s head. The tent began to succumb to the dream again. He was pulling her back inside. Lingering halfway in a Middleworld and his tent.

The female stretched out her blackened hand to him.

Garrik wailed. The sound like someone’s world had crumbled beneath them.

On his knees, the half nightmare faded—ripped away directly before her fire-filled eyes. His head flew backward with intensive force as corded arms opened wide, summoning his Smokeshadows to?—

“Kill me!” A command that darknessmustobey.

Smokeshadows gathered until sharpened daggers formed, rising high above him, and without warning … they dove.

“No!” Alora lunged.

Colliding with Garrik, she wrapped herself around him, melding their bodies together in a perfect fit. Alora hooked her legs around his back and arms around his neck as starfire exploded, and she caught each dagger before they embedded into skin.

Somewhere within her, she bellowed deep in her chest, “Darkness,you cannot take him!”

Smokeshadows readied to strike again.

She squeezed Garrik tighter, and a voice she didn’t recognize as her own demanded, “You will obey the commands of starfire. Do not touch him!” The voice shook the tent.

Smokeshadows tore back on themselves in retreat, misting away into every corner and under every object in there.

Garrik trembled as he dropped onto his heels.

Alora frantically wept, her voice broken. “Don’teverdo that again!” Quivering arms tightened around him as if the act of releasing him would allow him to fade to dust. She growled, “Youbastard. How could you leave us?”

Icy arms embraced her, and Garrik’s head sunk into her bare shoulder. “You’re alive?” he sobbed, barely able to whisper the words.

“We all are.” She cupped the back of his head as her fingers weaved through his hair.

He repeated, “You are … alive?”

Brushing soaked hair from his face. “It wasn’t real.”

“I saw you die. I could not save you.” Agonized sobs broke through Garrik’s body; tears relentlessly flooded down his face. Corpses were warmer than his skin. His touch carried the sensation of being frozen alive. Of death.

Alora willed starfire to pulse in her palms, hoping to warm him, to calm that terrible,terriblefear as she said, “Youdidsave me.”

Again, he broke. Collapsing against the cot and pulling her with him. Garrik’s hand desperately fisted her hair, tenderly pulling her forehead to his, and hoarsely rasped, “Is this real? Are you real?”

“I’m real. Alive. I’m right here.”

“Alora.” Acceptance rippled off him in waves. He yielded to her warmth, yet their embrace never shifted.

Alora adjusted onto her knees and lifted his face to look at her. He appeared so heartbreakingly gone. Any ounce of life inthose enchanting eyes … had faded as if he still replayed the nightmare behind them.

“I lost you … failed you … I?—”

“Look at me,” Alora demanded softly, cupping his wet cheeks. Her burning fingers gently brushed away freezing tears. “You haven’t failed anyone. We’re all still here. I’m alive. You’re alive. She didn’t take us from you.” A warm hand settled over his heart, and Alora radiated heat across his skin. “Feel that. It’s not the chill of death. Feel it,” she demanded and pulsed it into his heart.

He shivered. “I cannot get her out of my head.”

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