Page 168 of Of Blood & Stone

“He’d refuse this the moment I brought it back; I was a fool to think I could force him to live just because I wanted him too.” He cradled her head. Her tired eyes fluttered shut as she leaned into his hand. “He has terrible survival instincts.”

Her parents touched Elnok’s arm, their faces splotched red.

“It’s selfish of me,” she whispered.

“Oh fuck that to hell, Syl,” Elnok breathed. “Now’s not the time to be heroic. You already did that by killing Distrathrus.”

Her laughter sounded like death. He held her head, the medicine vial balanced at her lips.

She grimaced. “The price for life will always be pain?—”

“I swear, if I hearonemore of you say that damned line…” His hands shook, his desire to see her live overwhelming. He let out a breath. “I’ll only do it if you want me to. I’ve let you know my choice. Let that consequence rest on me, alright? But it’s still your decision, no one else’s.”

Eyes fading, limbs falling limp, she stared at the glowing liquid.

“I don’t want to die,” she whispered, looking deep into his eyes.

“You don’t have to.” He squeezed her hand. “And I don’t want you to die either, if that was ever in question.”

She smiled. Sweat dripped down his face.

Finally, she gave a gentle nod. Taking a relieved breath, Elnok poured the medicine into her mouth, the bright liquid disappearing behind her tongue, her throat bobbing as she swallowed it all.

Silence filled the cavern, time slipping by, her skin growing paler, her lips turning blue.

“Please,” he whispered, burying his face into her cold neck. “Please,stay with me.”

Lower lip quivering, Elnok tightened his grip, tangling his fingers in her hair.

“Elnok,” Kharis said, his hand gripping Elnok’s shoulder. “I don’t think?—”

Suddenly, a golden light flared from her shoulder. Sylzenya’s eyes burned a bright yellow as light weaved in and around her skin, closing up the holes made by the roots. The light danced around her, spiraling around her body, whipping her hair and clothes. She sucked in a long breath.

The sparks faded, leaving dried blood and perfectly healed skin.

Tears filled his vision as her parents squeezed his arm.

Her veins glowed bright, crackling with power, her eyes that same deep blue he could drown in. Elnok pressed his forehead to hers, her smile wide as she gently swept her fingers across his jaw. A resounding chorus of cries and sobs echoed in the cavern.

A miracle.

“I’m glad you listened to me for once.” Elnok laughed as he stroked her face, her hair, her freshly healed skin.

“Youdidstay alive for me, so I suppose it would’ve been unfair if I didn’t do it for you,” she said, lacing her fingers with his, her brows dipping as she wiped the tears from his cheek.

He searched her face, mouth trembling as he brought his lips to hers. She ran her fingers through his hair, her mouth warm and tasting of life as she laughed. He tightened his hold onher lower back, promising himself he would never let go of her again.

“You did it,” he whispered into her mouth. “You killed Distrathrus.”

“I couldn’t have done it without you or Kharis.”

She softly grazed his ear with her lips, her heart beating in rhythm with his. His smile peeled wide as he laughed against the warm skin of her neck.

Sylzenya leaned back, her eyes glimmering as she looked at Elnok, her parents, Nyla, Kharis, and the surrounding Kreenas and Dynameis. Her parents dove in for their daughter, and Elnok stood up, giving them space to be together.

“What now?” Elnok asked Kharis.

Kharis raised his chin, observing the dead heart seeping through the roots on the pedestal and the dead body of Distrathrus split in two, the clear piece of orodyte next to him.

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