Page 98 of The Sins of Silas

I bit down on my lip to prevent it from wobbling, my eyes welling with tears.

Leroy's smile fell. “For all the time I knew of Silas La'Rune, I despised him. I saw him as an evil, murderous monster who wanted nothing more than to eliminate our kind. But now that I have experienced what he has, now that I have felt what it's like to have the love of your life ripped away, I understand why he became the man he did. And I forgive him for it.”

Leroy's tearful gaze remained on me as I responded quietly, “I also forgive him for it.”

He smiled gently. “You'd forgive him regardless…because you are in love with him, too.”

A tear slid down my cheek, and as Leroy turned to sit before the fireplace, Ideparted.

My friends were prepared, and our belongings were packed, new tents gifted by Leroy secured to our rides. But still, there was one thing I had to do before I left.

Say goodbye to Igon.

When I walked back to my group, I asked if Merrick, Viola, and Elowen wanted to come with me. I was surprised that every single one of them, Mage and human alike, wished to pay their respects.

I stood in Forsmont's cemetery, standing before Igon's grave. The site was spacious, but with all the deaths from yesterday, many tearful individuals were surrounding various burial sites.

During the hours I was asleep, recovering from my fire usage after the battle against the Undead puppets, Merrick had a gravestone made for our Supreme.

HERE LIES IGON NATARION.

FRIEND. MENTOR. SUPREME.

It was simple, with no detailed work in the design, as it was made quickly. Just the words.

I covered my mouth, choking on a sob as I took in the freshly piled dirt. My mind flashed with unwanted images: him dying in my arms the first time, and my blade repeatedly puncturing his chest the second.

This man was not related to me by blood, yet he was the closest thing to a father I ever had. He stepped up and took me in as if I was his own.

Five years was not enough time.

Just a few months ago, he was breathing. Smiling. Reading. He was teaching me about magic. He was eating dinner. He was laughing at some joke I had said.

The last moment I had with him before we were attacked was me fucking fighting with him.

It shouldn't have gone this way. He should still be here.

My tearful eyes went to Silas…the one who killed him. Guilt shone in his honey eyes as he took in my brokenness.

My friends said their goodbyes to our leader as I held Silas's gaze. I knew it hurt him to see me like this, which is precisely why he didn't look away.

He believed he deserved every ounce of pain.

Elowen was now weeping profusely just as the Prince said to our group, “May I have a moment with Lena?”

Viola frowned, shaking her head as she and Merrick wandered away, his hand on her back. Elowen couldn't even look at the Prince as she hurried off, Edmund following close behind. Hendry, Roland, and Era looked at him in question, but they left to give us the privacy Silas requested.

After a few moments, it was just us two. I stared at the stone, unwavering, unmoving.

“I'm so sorry, Lena,” he whispered, stepping closer. “I wish I could take it back.”

I let go then, sobbing into my hands.

Our friends were out of eyesight, though there were still people nearby. But it seemed Silas did not care who saw as he rubbed my back gently.

His voice broke as he uttered, “I'm so fucking sorry.”

I dragged my hands away from my face, peeking up at his devastated countenance.

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