Page 7 of A Dagger in the Ivy

A nursemaid hovers nearby, her presence a hushed witness to our grief. She tidies some stray washcloths, setting them beside a bowl of water. With a silent gesture, I dismiss her, needing a moment alone with my brother. As I kneel beside him, his eyes flutter open, a bit unfocused yet still filled with a flicker of warmth.

I take his hand, noting the pale pallor of his skin, which used to match the warm, almond undertones of mine. His hand is limp, and the truth of how frail he has become sends a jolt of heartbreak through me. Bennett, my beloved brother, the man who was more of a father to me after our mother had died than our own father, is slipping away, succumbing to the relentless grip of illness. Though I’ve braced myself for this moment, the reality of it cuts deep, tearing at the fragile threads of my resolve.

But I refuse to let it overwhelm me. There is still hope. There must be.

“Bennett,” I whisper, my voice choked with emotion as I squeeze his hand. “I’m worried.”

He takes a raspy breath as his gaze moves over my face. One corner of his mouth twitches. He reaches for a lock of umber hair that’s fallen loose from my braid, but his strength fails, and his hand drops. “In this light, you look like Mother.”

“Tell me you will fight this. Please. I don’t want to lose you.”

He smiles weakly. “Celeste, my fighting days have come to an end.”

I shake my head. “No. It’s too soon.”

“And yet it feels like this illness has been plaguing me for ages.” His fingers tighten around mine, but the strength in his grip only lasts a moment. “You’ve grown into a remarkable woman, stronger than I ever could have imagined. I’m so proud of you.”

My chest hurts, as if it’s collapsing in on itself. “Bennett. Please.”

“It’s your turn now. We both knew that, eventually, you would have to step in.”

Tears blur my vision as I cling to his words, each one a balm to my shattered heart. “I don’t know how. You can’t leave me until I’ve learned.” Desperation creeps into my voice. “I need you.”

Through his struggle, he actually smirks. “Since when do you need anyone? You’re the strongest, most stubborn woman I’ve ever known. Ask anyone who’s ever come face to face with your dagger.”

“I don’t know how to rule a kingdom.”

“I believe in you. You may wield a weapon like a soldier, but you have the heart of a queen.” His trembling grip tightens on my hand, his gaze steady despite the pain etched upon his face. “I love you, little sister.” His voice has diminished, barely a breath upon the wind. “But it’s time for me to go. It’s time for you toletme go.”

A sob escapes my quivering lips.

“Don’t spend too long mourning for me,” he adds. “Continue my work. Fight for the people. Live, fall in love, and honor my memory with every step you take.”

His words push down on me, making me numb and paralyzed. There was a time when my brother almost took a bride. The fair Lady Marette from the neighboring land of Podrosa. But when my brother began to grow ill, when he began showing signs of madness from his faepowers not manifesting, it proved too much for Lady Marette to handle, and she returned to her homeland. A part of me feels as though this drew Bennett’s madness further to the brink.

I don’t know if I can do what he says, move on without him. In this moment, the world doesn’t make sense. Yet even as my heart breaks, even as my vision blurs from my tears, I know that his message is important. I am the future of Delasurvia, whether I think I can handle it or not.

“I love you, too, Bennett.” My breath hitches.

His features contort, his lips pressing together as if trying to suppress a moan. After a second, he turns to me, his brows scrunched. “Tell Mother I forgive her.”

“What?” I shake my head. Our mother has been dead for years. Even before we lost Father. This must be the madness twisting his mind.

“Tell her I understand why she did it, and I forgive her.”

There’s no use correcting him. He’s had these episodes of delusion for a while now. One moment, he’s coherent, and the next, he speaks about things that don’t make sense. It breaks my heart that he’s succumbed to the madness of not developing his fae powers. A madness I fear will find me one day.

I pat his hand. “I’ll tell her,” I say to appease him in his final moments.

His eyes close, and his breathing slows. Something tells me it will only be a matter of minutes. With a trembling sigh, I lean forward, pressing a kiss to his forehead, an unspoken farewell to the brother I hold dear.

And then I sit. And wait.

In the quiet of the shadowy chamber, amidst the flickering light and the weight of impending loss, I find solace in the bond we share. I allow my tears to flow for him, as I did with the tears for my parents. Each of them left me, and now I grieve alone. And as Bennett slips into the embrace of eternal slumber, I vow to carry his legacy with me, to be the beacon of hope in the darkness that threatens to consume us all.

CHapter

Four

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