Page 2 of Once the Skies Fade

Thatlittle longerturned out to be another two hours before our guests started to depart. Isa had drifted away to find my head advisor, Graham, to try and discretely usher everyone toward the exit, while Brennan had left my side at some point in search of food. He didn’t return until I’d already said farewells to several couples and families.

Sweeping my hair aside, he lightly kissed behind my ear and then said in a voice smoothed by an abundance of wine, “Happy birthday.”

“So you’ve said.” I paused and pulled back enough to smirk up at him. “How much wine have you had?”

He lifted a nearly empty glass and scrunched up his face as he examined it. “This would be number…I’m not sure actually,”he finally said, downing the last of the drink before giving a light peck to the tip of my nose. “Barely enough to endure listening to Lord Whosits and that advisor of yours prattle on about shipments and orders and what not. They seem to have mistaken your birthday for an assembly meeting.”

Stifling my laugh, I cupped his cheek with my hand. “You could have talked to someone else.”

“Oh, I did. Lord Hairy Ears entertained me with talk of plans to plant new trees along his property line, and Lady Big Nose excitedly told me how you share a birthday with one of her twelve cats.”

This time my attempt to contain my laughter failed, resulting in an undignified snort which earned me a comical stare from not only Brennan, but also the couple who had just joined us. They, of course, recovered from their shock quickly—much more so than Brennan—and bowed their chins in unison.

“Thank you so much for a lovely evening, Your Majesties,” the female said, but then her smile faded slightly. “It is a shame your mother and father couldn’t be here to celebrate with us.”

A familiar sting pricked my chest, but I forced my voice to remain calm as I replied, “Agreed. Mother loved parties.”

The male started to say something about the food or the music, I wasn’t entirely sure which, as I was more focused on Brennan, who squeezed my hand once more. He tossed his head toward the ballroom exit and the stairs beyond as he whispered, “I think I need to go lie down.”

I nodded and watched as he slipped away through the dwindling crowd, wishing I could avoid all of these final farewell conversations myself. At least one of us could be spared, though, and for all Brennan had done for me since my parents’ deaths, I wouldn’t begrudge him this early escape.

Our guests could not have left any more slowly if they had tried. By the time I was able to leave the ballroom and allow the staff to clean, my feet barely had the strength to climb the four flights of stairs up to our room, and were only mildly relieved by my removing my shoes halfway up. All I wanted to do was to fall into bed beside my husband, who had no doubt fallen asleep an hour ago.

Even with the fire burning low in the grate, our room was dark when I stepped inside. Dropping my shoes beside the door, I opened my mouth to call out for Brennan but decided against it. If he was asleep, I didn’t want to wake him. A breeze rustled my hair, and even though it was unusually warm for spring, it pulled chills up my back. I pushed aside my unease. Brennan loved to spend most nights on the balcony looking out to the front lawn and the enchanted woods below, regardless of the season.

Sure enough, when I stepped into our bedroom, the door to the balcony was wide open, but Brennan wasn’t leaning against the rail as he normally did. I glanced to our bed, but it lay untouched and empty. A weak groan pulled my attention back to the balcony, and I raced to it. Panic thundered through me, and my heart hammered against my ribs until I saw him.

Crumpled on the balcony floor, Brennan lay still except for his hand trembling by his side as if he were trying to lift it but couldn’t.

“Brennan!” My voice sounded far away and foreign to my ears, and my knees slammed hard against the floor as I dropped beside him. I looked him over as best I could in the low light of the half-moon, but I found no wounds, no blood, no answers.Pulling his chin toward me, I searched his eyes. They were already glazing over, the light in them fading fast.

No, no, no. This can’t be happening.

“What happened? Who did this?” I asked, my voice frantic, but he didn’t answer except to blink slowly.

I gripped his shoulder and shouted at him.

“Don’t leave me!”

My fingers shook as I curled them into his shirt. Tears clouded my vision.

“You can’t leave me, Brennan! I can’t lose you too.”

Throwing my chin over my shoulder, I shouted for help, but no one would make it in time.

My hands trembled, palms tingling, and the power I’d spent so many years hiding unfurled itself. Dark wisps of shadows seeped out of my closed fists and traced over Brennan’s body as if looking for a way to heal him.

But shadows couldn’t heal.

Brennan shuddered beneath me, and blood trickled out of his mouth as he choked out, “I’m…sorry…Calla.”

“Don’t leave,” I sobbed. “Don’t go. Stay with me, Brennan. Please. Don’t.”

His lips quivered, his eyelids fluttered, and his last breath whispered, “Love…you.”

A mournful wail burst from my lungs, and my shadows erupted forth, shrouding my entire world in darkness.

Chapter 2

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