Page 59 of Snow White

Snow presses her forehead to mine, tears rolling down her face. “Who? Who’s coming?”

I kiss her softly. “I’m sorry, my love. I’m sorry.”

I call on the last dregs of my power and ready myself to shadow away. To keep Snow safe, I will leave her behind.

The only good thing I’ve ever done.

Snow kisses me harder, sensing my power growing again. “Azura. Tell me. Please don’t go.”

A tear slides down my cheek at her entreaty, and I flip my arm over, showing her the mark. “We’re bonded now.”

Snow glances down at her arm. “We are?”

I nod. “I took it to save you. Now, every injury you have will be mine. Until the day I die.”

I laugh waterily, my head coming up at the sound of a massive roar in the distance.

Time’s up.Do one more good thing in this life.Leave Snow behind.

Snow frames my face. “And every injury you receive?”

I shake my head. Of course, she would want to share the burden. “Those will be mine, and mine alone. I love you, dear Snow. I wish I could stay.”

Her falling tears break me. “I love you, Azura. Please, please don’t go.”

Shadows creep up my legs. “I must protect you.”

The only thing I’ve ever wanted more than power is you.

I have to leave her to keep her safe.

“I can take it. Please,” she begs.

The shadows consume me. “Goodbye.”

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Snow

Just like that, she is gone. She was here, kissing me, warming me, bringing me back to life, and then nothing. She said she loves me, and I felt my cold, broken heart beat again when I heard those words, only to shatter when she vanished in my arms.

I never even got to tell her what I had done. My death had broken the bindings of the fairy touch. At least, that is one of the things the King had shouted while we were fighting against one another. If Azura had not revived me in time, who knows where my soul would be now?

She saved me.

I lie on the cold stone floor and curl in on myself, sobbing loudly. The ice shatters from my cries and rains down on me. The shards cut into my skin, but I don’t feel the pain, only the trickle of blood down my skin. This feeling in my chest is different from before. Earlier I felt numb, but now I feel sad and beyond broken. I need her. I want her, but she is gone, and it is all my fault.

The bathroom door creaks open.

“Snow?” Belle calls out. I don’t respond, curling in tighter on myself. “Snow White!”

Belle runs to my side, lifting and cradling me against her chest. She rubs her hands roughly against my shoulders, trying to warm my frigid body. Her expression is horrified as she looks at the floor, and it’s the first time I notice all the blood.

“Snow. What happened?” she asks.

“She’s gone,” I whisper brokenly.

“Who’s go—” Belle frowns. “Azura? Where’d she go?”

---