Page 131 of Beasts of Briar
“You can’t do this,” she said, voice trembling.
“This is for my father,” I responded, ignoring her pleas as I launched the scythe. Khalasa tried to move, but the earth cracked around her, trapping her. The end of the scythe flewstraight into her heart, and she exploded in a cloud of purple dust.
Silence descended upon us, then everyone broke out into cheers, hugging, kissing, crying. My brothers squeezed me tight, then moved on to celebrate with others.
The world slowly faded away as I turned to stare at Kairoth. His shadows slowed in their movement so I could catch glimpses of his face through them.
He stepped toward me. “You know what you have to do.” He tipped his head toward the dagger strapped at his side.
Horror washed over me at the vision I’d had so long ago. “No,” I said as the earth lurched under us.
Cries rang out, the ground continuing to crack and fissure, splitting in a horrible earth-shattering sound.
“Why isn’t it working?” someone shouted.
“Bell!” Soloman yelled.
I looked over to him, to everyone as they stood around us, except the jungle had split in a circle, leaving Kairoth and I on an island barely big enough for us to fit.
Ryder reached for me. “Come. Now!”
I held out a hand. “Just wait. Just let me?—”
I turned to Kairoth, panic seizing me.
His eyes softened to their amber color. “You know this was how it was going to end.”
“No.” I beat my fists into his chest. “No.” My voice cracked. “You told me visions don’t always ring true. You’re good. You were good.” I raised my voice, shouting at the magic. “Don’t take him. Don’t demand him too.”
As if in answer, the island we stood on began to crack apart, and black dust rose up around us.
“Bellamy! Jump, now!” Jorah gestured for me. “Don’t let the magic take you too.”
Everyone else stared at us with sorrow in their eyes. Some with pity. Others with confusion.
The cool steel of Kairoth’s dagger pressed into my palm. “You have to do this. I won’t let you die with me.”
“I can’t.” Tears leaked down my cheeks. “I can’t lose you.”
“You won’t ever lose me.” He caressed my cheek. “You found me. You saw me. You gave meaning to a meaningless life. I love you, Bellamy.”
I choked out a sob. “Please don’t make me do this.”
He folded my hand around the hilt of the dagger. The island shook beneath us, and I almost stumbled off as the ground began to crumble further, the dust closing in around us.
“You have to jump now!” Jorah called. “Bellamy, jump!”
I ignored him. I ignored everything but Kairoth standing in front of me, his eyes boring into me. He lifted my hand, pointing the dagger straight at his chest. Then he pushed the dagger into his heart.
Black dust exploded, blasting me backward. I barreled over the chasm and into my brothers, all of us tumbling to the ground.
“No!” I screamed, scrambling to my feet as the world stopped shaking once again. “No!” I beat my fists in the ground. “No.”
I felt Soloman’s arm first, then his wing. Then it was Phoenix. Marcello kissing my head. Klaus and Killian stroking my hair. And finally Jorah and Ryder leaning into me, wrapping their arms around all of us as I screamed and cried.
We’d saved the world, but I’d sacrificed my heart in doing so.
Chapter Seventy-One
