Page 99 of He Who Ignites The Flame
He pulled me into his arms, hugging me tightly, as if he could shelter me from this pain, this agony.
Zephyr appeared in the doorway, his cheeks stained with tears, his pale green eyes just as red and swollen as Barrett’s. The sight of his tears, knowing he had now lost his sister twice...
“Damien,” I said, looking around.
Barrett drew an uneven breath. “He’s with Emilia.”
“Is she all right?” I asked.
He nodded. “They’re tending to her now.”
My knees shook as I turned my gaze back to Lucia, and I stumbled toward her bedside, reaching out to touch her. My fingers trembled, fear rising within me that she might vanish before I could feel that she was real.
As my fingers met her cold hand, a sob tore from me so violently, I thought it might shatter me—break me into shards too tiny to piece back together.
I leaned over her, wishing I could see her smile one more time, hear her laughter, talk to her once more, even if only to tell her how much I loved her, how much she meant to me. Gods, she didn’t deserve this, didn’t deserve to have every chance at happiness torn from her.
Tears dripped onto Lucia’s pale cheeks as I leaned over her, praying she might open her eyes, might offer me that reassuring smile she always shared. She always had a way to fix things, a way to get out of the worst.
I crumbled to the floor at her side, unable to let go, unable to accept that she was truly gone...
Unable to release her to whatever evil took her from us.
39
BARRETT
Ilingered in the hallway for a moment, listening to Damien sing a lullaby to Emilia on the other side of the door. His voice cracked more with each word.
“Damien?” I muttered, tapping my knuckle against the door frame.
He cleared his throat. “Come in.”
I cracked the door open, leaning in, and my eyes fell on the babe, swaddled in a blanket of pure starlight. My heart squeezed at the sight of her, so tiny in his arms. It was the first time I’d seen her since Isla had whisked her out of the room, since Lucia had...
“It was Moira’s when she was born,” he said, running his finger over the blanket, the shimmering light shifting and flickering with each movement, as if distant stars had been trapped within the threads. “She was swaddled in it when we first met. I was only five.”
A lump formed in my throat, and any words I might say stayed lodgedwithin my throat.
“Selene gifted it to us when we learned she was pregnant. Lucia was so excited to see her swaddled in it.” He blinked before sweeping a hand over his reddened eyes, wiping away stray tears. “Sorry, I, uh... I called you in here for a reason. I need to tend to Lucia’s body, see that she’s brought to Selene’s temple in preparation for the funeral.”
I stepped closer to him, my attention lingering on the babe, her tiny head covered in a mess of soft black waves just as dark as Lucia’s, her silver eyes moving around but never latching onto anything.
“How can I help?”
“Can you stay with her while Zephyr and I see it done?” he asked. “I don’t want to risk taking her out of the house, and the servants are all busy with other matters after... well...”
“Is Isla around?” I knew what to do yet was unsure at the same time. I hadn’t held a baby since Calliope had been born.
“She’s helping clean up and seeing to preparations if you need anything or are unsure of what to do,” he said, and he looked down at Emilia as he swayed back and forth. “She just ate, so she should be good for an hour or two. I’ll be back before then.”
I nodded. “All right. Yeah, I can keep her company.”
“I know she would have wanted you to hold her,” he said, a sorrowful smile curving his lips, his eyes welling with tears.
He shifted Emilia in his arms, holding her out for me to take, and I cautiously accepted her, holding her to my chest. Gods, she was beautiful, so tiny, yet I could feel the magic welling inside her, could feel and see every bit of Lucia within her tiny face.
“She’s been very calm, but if she gets to be too much just call, and Isla will come to help calm her down,” Damien said, running his hand over her head.
