Page 209 of The Iron Flower

I turn to find my aunt framed in the doorway.

“Did you do this to him?” I croak out in disbelief.

“You are a disgrace to this family,” she snarls with disgust. “Bothof you. I was a fool to let you raise these children, Edwin. A fool in so many ways. But I willnotmake the same mistake again. Elloren faststoday. Give me permission, or I will have it beaten out of you.”

“Fasting?” I cry. “What’s going on?!”

“The fasting spell,” my aunt says. “It won’t work without your guardian speaking the words of consent.” She points at my uncle. “You will speak them, Edwin.Today.”

“Leave him alone!” I cry, protectively shielding him with my own body as Uncle Edwin wheezes for breath. “You’re hurting him!”

“All he has to do is speak the words,” my aunt hisses.

“No,” my uncle chokes out, the word barely audible.

I wheel on him, imploring. “Say whatever she wants,” I beg him.

He tries to speak, but his voice is too weak. He can only stubbornly shake his head at me, his expression anguished.

“Please, do what she says,” I implore him, tears running down my cheeks as I take one of his hands in mine. I rack my brain, panicked and desperate to find some way to save him.

I turn to my aunt, fury rising. “If he dies,” I spit out through my tears, “Rafe becomes eldest male in the family, and he’llnevergive in to what you want. Uncle Edwinmight, if you give him some time. If you let me nurse him back to health, I’ll talk to him. I’ll get him to agree to my fasting.”

My aunt runs her fingers over the silken gloves in her hand, a dark smile twitching at her lips. “You forget, my niece. Rafe doesn’t turn twenty for three more days. If something happens to your uncle,Ibecome your guardian for those three days. So, it’s in his best interest to cooperate. I will give him ten minutes to decide.”

She leaves and shuts the door.

Fear slices through me, its taste cold and metallic in my mouth. “Please tell her what she wants,” I beg my uncle, hugging him, crying into his shoulder. “Please, Uncle Edwin. I can’t lose you.”

“Elloren,” he says with incredible effort, still wheezing and clutching at his chest. “I’ve failed you. I was wrong...” He stops, his breathing increasingly labored.

“I don’t understand,” I cry. “Wrong aboutwhat? You’ve never failed me. Not ever.”

“I raised you—” the weak breath in his chest rattles like bones “—to think you are weak... I didn’t want them...touseyou...you arenotweak...you mustfightthem... I was wrong... Your power...” He stops, his eyes going wide as he gasps for breath.

His shaking hand finds mine, and then he slumps back, his head lolling, his eyes glazing over.

And I know he’s gone.

I fall into him, sobbing, hugging him tight to me.

For ten minutes.

Then the door opens behind me, and I hear the click of her heels on the floor.

“Get up,” my aunt orders.

I whirl around to face her.“You evil witch!”I scream, launching myself at her.

Her guards jump to her side, roughly pushing me back and restraining me.

Aunt Vyvian looms overhead as I struggle like a feral animal to break free of the guards’ rough hold.

“I suggest you calm yourself down,” she says coolly. “Or I shall have to pay a visit to the Kelt boy you were in bed with. Yvan Guriel, was it?”

Go ahead, I seethe.Go ahead and pay him a visit, you witch. Go seek out Yvan Guriel. He’ll set you on fire, and I’ll dance on your ashes.

Wild with grief, I look back at my uncle, lying dead on the floor behind me.

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