Page 74 of Fallen Angel

“I promise never to be tempted again,

And realize I’m weaker than other men.

But if you give her back to me,

Light is all I’ll ever be.”

He collapsed his head onto Hannah’s chest. His entire body heaved in devastation. “I love you,” he proclaimed, and pressed his lips against hers.

Nothing happened.

His shoulders sank. “I am sorry. I am so, so, sorry. The fault is mine.” He breathed so fast that he could no longer speak.

He stood up and paced away from Hannah. He grabbed onto the top of his head. His entire body trembled as if each breath spurred on the panic burrowing into his chest. His eyes fell on Mara’s body, lying against the altar. His nose crinkled, and his eyes darkened. As he honed in on his new target—a place to focus his fury—his breathing became more controlled. He charged toward Mara.

Hannah gasped.

Callan froze in place.

He turned around.

Hannah’s chest rose ever-so-slightly. He sighed, and joy filled his face.

Hannah opened her eyes. Her cheek rested against the cool ground, and her gaze connected to Callan’s. She managed a smile.

Callan wasnext to her in a matter of seconds, and Hannah could instantly tell that he was himself again.

“It worked,” she said, her voice raspy and frail. For so long, she had felt that things just didn’t work out for her. She had resigned herself to the fact that her life would be a series of unfortunate incidents. But her plan worked. It actually worked.

Callan crouched beside her and helped her sit up. He positioned himself behind Hannah. She leaned against his chest.

“How is this possible?” he asked. “My spells were useless. I know with certainty they did not do this.” He didn’t even try to hide the tears sliding down his face. Because unlike before, these were tears of happiness.

Hannah took a moment to catch her breath and feel the ground beneath her. She wanted to make sure that she was actually alive, and not in some mirrored afterlife. But when she felt Callan’s tears drip onto her cool skin, it was as if it hydrated her magic. She felt it stir within her, and she knew she was alive.

“For a witch who breaks the cycle of his or her own spell or curse may face the consequences of committing themselves to that fate,” Hannah recited, taking a deep breath once the phrase left her mouth.

“What? Where did you hear that?”

“Raven told me.”

Though Callan looked confused, it didn’t take away from his delighted disbelief.

“I read it in her manuscript before I even knew who she was or that magic was real,” Hannah continued. “Mara forgot that magic is its own separate entity. It holds all the power and simply flows through us. She needed to be loyal to it, and not the other way around.”

Callan nodded at Hannah’s words.

“So, when she broke my cycle of death and betrayed the original curse, she was punished.”

“You are brilliant,” Callan said.

“It was a shot in the dark, really. Raven’s manuscript brought me back to that passage before…” She loved how happy he looked and didn’t want to shatter his smile—she yearned for his smile.

“Before I dragged you here. Back to Mara.” Callan’s forehead creased as he furrowed his brows. Hannah could see him burdening himself again with guilt and it was the last thing she wanted. She used what little strength she had to twist her body so she could face Callan.

“You savedme. Don’t you see that?” Hannah rested her hand on his tortured face. “If you hadn’t sacrificed yourself to Mara’s command, then I never would have broken free of her darkness.” She gazed at him until she was sure that her words registered within his mind. “You are the strongest man I’ve ever known.”

He smiled, and she kissed him. She ran her hands through his short hair, and he pulled her even closer with one hand behind her neck. They separated and gazed into each other’s eyes.

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