Page 78 of Of Vows and War: Special Edition
Xavier groaned in pain, his head turning to face Bellamy and I. There was the barest hint of a smile on his face, as if he were happy with the outcome. “I love you, my Asher. My blessing.”
And then he fell forward, silent and still.
I gasped, daring to look at the male I once thought invincible as he lay dead upon the grass.
“Ranbir! Get him, we will take him to Pike!” Bellamy demanded, pointing at Xavier’s body. I had not noticed Ranbir before, but he caught my attention as he stood, offering a hand to the demon king he must have just healed. “Ash, I need you to stay focused and stay with me, okay?”
Bellamy’s hands gripped either side of my face, forcing me to look up at him. He was flustered, his eyes wide and freckles hidden beneath smatterings of blood. His lips were parted slightly, chest heaving.
My magic felt so terribly hollow, like maybe it was never there at all. Black spots began to litter my vision, my head drumming an excruciating beat. I was about to pass out, I could feel it coming. There was still so much to do, but there was only one being that needed me in that moment. One singular person who was waiting for me to come save him.
“Sterling is not who we thought,” I muttered, begging Bellamy to understand. His face contorted into momentary fury, but I reached up and smoothed the line between his brows with my shaky and numb fingers. “He is hiding in the trees just behind the manor and is without his memories of the last year. Please go get him. Please save him.”
And then I was fading into blissful darkness.
“Do not forget the heads.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Asher
Asoothing and deep voice was the first thing to meet my ears after what felt like years in peaceful silence.
My mind felt like a jumbled mess, memories and wishes and imagination all colliding. My fingers toyed with the quilt below me, trying to understand what exactly was going on.
I had dreamt of Bellamy. Of what it might be like to be in his arms once again. Wrath had teased me, reminding me of how unbelievably not real it all was. He had reminded me of how often I dreamt of my family, day and night.
Now, as I awoke with no pains or aches, I accepted what Wrath had told me over and over again. Only someone trulyinsane could dream up an entirely different reality. And that was what I had done.
Was it Wrath speaking to me now? No, his voice had never been soft or calming. A hand touched my forehead, warm and large. Xavier. It had to be Xavier.
“Get off of me!” I shouted, pushing the hand away. I did not want to open my eyes, did not dare let the truth sink in. Perhaps if I stayed ignorant to the gold around me, then I could pretend I was in Bellamy’s arms instead.
“Asher, it is okay, you are safe.” It even sounded like Bellamy. Gods, I wish it were. If only I could figure out how to get rid of Mia, to kill her and let the world fall apart so I might have a moment with the love I had created in my head.
“Please, just leave me alone. Just let me dream,” I begged, swatting the hand away again. This time, I caught the cool bite of metal on them, and I sighed in contentment. At least my brain was bringing me pleasing delusions.
“Bellamy, maybe we should give her space, she seems confused.” Ranbir. That was Ranbir’s voice. Oh, how the mere thought of him hurt. I could not believe how much I had invented, how horrible my mind could be if I let it.
I opened my eyes, curious to see just how far my imagination would take me. The first thing I saw were his lips. Those full, perfect lips that I had kissed thousands of times. Bellamy smiled, his dimples digging into his cheeks just beneath his smattering of freckles.
“Hello, Princess.”
“Hello, demon.”
And though I knew it was fake, I still let him lean down and place a delicate kiss on my lips.
“Waking up will hurt so badly this time,” I whispered against his mouth. He stilled, lips frozen as they now hovered just above mine. So close I could still taste him.
“What do you mean by that, Ash?” His question confused me. It made my head swim and my heart race.
“I just mean that the next time I wake up and you are gone again, it will hurt worse than usual.” If my words made any sense to him, he did not allow his face to convey it. Instead, he backed away, brows pinched together and lips downturned.
“Something is wrong with her, Ranbir,” he spoke, not turning his head away from me. Behind him, a figure stirred. Ranbir, dressed in his favored white clothes, peeked over Bell’s shoulder and inspected me.
“Asher, do you remember what happened?” the Healer asked. Bellamy cocked his head to the side, awaiting my answer.
“Yes, of course,” I muttered, though in truth I did not. Mia had said the demons attacked my wedding, but was it really the demons? Was it actually her? Had everything been fake? “Or, well, I know I was engaged to the prince. That for sure is true.”
