Page 102 of When the Wicked Sing
“Aurora?” she shouted over the roaring waves and wiped her eyes. The stars glinted from the sky as she shouted her name at them, but no reply came. She let out a whimper, imagining herself falling deeper and deeper into her own nightmare. She had to find her, unable to bear the thought of losing someone else she loved.
The truth spurred her forward, and she grabbed the next nearest body.
Face after face, and none of them was the one she begged to see. Finally, floating near the beach, caught in a wave, she found her.
“Rora!”
Her eyes were closed, her skin chilled, and her body limp. “No, no, no.”
Quickly, she pulled her sister toward the shore and willed the waves to wash them up the sandbank. The water retreated, and Mariana put her fingers to her sister’s throat. Steady heartbeats.
“Rora, wake up!” she shouted, shaking her sister’s shoulders until her eyes finally opened.
Aurora groaned, clutching her head. “Did I drown?”
Mariana wanted to laugh at the ridiculous question, but the weight of all that had just happened pushed it away.
“That’s a little impossible, don’t you think?”
Dropping her hands, Aurora stared up at the night sky. “Anything seems possible these days. Like those powers of yours.” Her eyes slid over to Mariana.
Grief tightened her face. She wanted to cry, but felt like she had no energy left to shed a single tear.
“She’s dead, Rora,” Mariana confessed, staring at her hands. “Because of me.”
Aurora gently took one of Mariana’s hands in her own and squeezed it. She sat up with a wince, then regarded her sister carefully. “Listen to me. Whatever happened was not your fault—”
“Yes, it was,” she admitted in a deadly whisper. Tears leaked from the corners of her closed eyes. “Halia attacked and I—” She released a ragged breath. “Astra was crushed under the debris from the dam breaking. There was nothing I could do—” Her voice cracked, and she began to sob. It felt like an old wound had been ripped open. Mariana had just gotten her sister back when she thought she was dead, and now …
It wasn’t fair. All she wanted was her sister. To hold Astra and grip her close, wrap her arms around her, and never let go. Shemissed her sister so terribly that the thought of never seeing her again … Her body shook, racking sobs tearing her chest apart.
Aurora pulled Mariana close, directing her head into the crook of Aurora’s neck.
It was a motherly touch, one so familiar to her. Celeste used to hold her like this when she had been a youngling, after her mother said something vile and cruel to her, when the cursed would tease her, or when she was simply upset over nothing at all. She missed her.
Mariana’s crying slowed, her enervated body still clutching Aurora tight, refusing to believe she’d ever lose her too.
“I thought …” Mariana sniffed. “I thought the amulet could stop whatever was happening to her, but Seraphina said—” The words died on her tongue.
“What?” Aurora asked gently, stroking Mariana’s knotted hair. “What did she say?”
Mariana swallowed, throat tight. “She said the amulet wasn’t meant to bring back life or save it. Astra was already dying. Someone attacked her to the point—” She choked on her words.
“That she couldn’t be saved,” Aurora finished for her.
Mariana shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut.
“There’s only one thing left we can do.” Aurora pulled back, and Mariana lifted her gaze into her sister’s raw, heartbroken face. “Let us pray for her safe journey to peace,” Aurora suggested softly and gripped Mariana’s hands. They closed their eyes and silently prayed to Amphitrite.
Mariana clenched her teeth tight to keep from sobbing again, but the tears still ran down her heated cheeks.
With every moment that passed, every word she whispered under her breath, she could feel Astra’s soul lifting, listening to their prayers.
“Astra,” she breathed. Then, what felt like a cold kiss was placed on her forehead.Goodbye, it silently whispered.
When Mariana could breathe again, she opened her eyes the same moment Aurora did. She squeezed her hands again.
“We have to be careful how we tell Luna. With how she was behaving when I left … I just don’t think we can predict what she might do when she finds out.”
