Page 130 of Blooms of Darkness

Hovering my hands over my father’s body, he coughed once. “You’re okay. You’re going to be all right,” I chanted a few times, focusing everything I had into my hands and pleading with nature.

Light exploded out of me, and I was so overcome with joy, I laughed hysterically. This had to be magic. A temporary, insane level of magic nature had given for a falling kingdom. It had to be enough.

“Please be magic,” I begged. “Please.”

Nothing happened and I screamed, staring at the ceiling as if I could see out to the sky itself. “I’ve never demanded anything of you,” I continued shouting. “Healhim. Heal him rightnow.”

My gaze flitted back and forth over the king’s fading body, and another burst of light poured from my hands. “I’m to be Queen. I’ve lived in hell and never demanded you give me magic when you cursed me to have none. I have sacrificed enough in the name of nature, so listen to me and heal him!”

The light pouring out of me flickered, then disappeared. When I looked down at my father’s face, his eyes fluttered open.

“Lana.” Kade’s voice held a warning, but I refused to look at him.

My father looked at me with so much love. When he turned to face Kade, his head lolled like he nodded. “He will not hurt you again. I will not let him,” I soothed.

My father shook his head. “You don’t understand, my heart.” His voice came out scratchy and not his own.

His eyes rolled back, and I gripped his shirt, pulling his head onto my lap. “No, No,” I said. “Stay with me. Father, please,” I begged. “Stay with me.”

Blood trickled from the side of his mouth as his lips curved into a small smile. I held my hand to his face, giving him a tear-filled smile of my own.

“There’s much I need to tell you?—”

“Shhh,” I cooed. “Save your energy for healing. I’ll find someone. Someone more than me. Someone who can save you.”

My father moved his head back and forth twice. “There is no one more than you, my heart. And I will love you into whatever beyond awaits. Always.”

His hand loosened in my grip, but I held it to my face, refusing to let it fall.

“Please don’t die,” I whispered.

He exhaled, a slow torturous sound as the air rattled from his lungs.

Shouting approached closer now, but I didn’t care. I didn’t care if dark ones themselves took over the room, I didn’t want to leave him.

“Be strong now, my child. It will hurt, but it’s you—you who will save us.” His breath rattled in a raspy whisper, and this time, when his chest exhaled, it didn’t rise again.

I screamed.

Kade cursed under his breath and his shadows snaked toward my father. “What are you—” I started to ask.

The shadows snapped my father’s neck.

An anguished sound I didn’t even recognize as my own tore from my lungs.

Arms snaked around my center. “We have to go.”

I twisted my body, pushing Kade away. “Get off of me. Don’t touch me. I will kill you.” I gripped onto my father’s tunic, hoping he could somehow survive Kade’s shadows, knowing deep down it was useless. Still, I silently pleaded with anyone listening for this to be a dream. His blood pooled beneath him, forming a puddle around his too-still body.

I cried, letting everything out of me I’d tried to hold back. I wasn’t enough to save him.

Someone else ran into the room, and Kade’s shadows moved away from my father.

“What did you do?” Ian cried, stumbling toward the king just like I had. His knees hit the floor, not caring that he fell into blood as he checked my father’s pulse and looked up at me, sorrow etched across his bloody face.

With no warning, I was forcefully yanked from my father’s dead body. I banged my fists on Kade’s arms as they wrapped tightly around me. “Let go of me.”

He didn’t say a word as he fought to contain me, whipping his shadows out.

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