Page 82 of Of Blood and Fire
There was a pause, then,I land.
It wasn’t a question.Yes, please.
She landed in front of Rua, then hunkered down and stretched out her nose, gently touching the younger drakkon’s. She didn’t respond.
I hastily unclipped my harness, half slid, half fell down Kaia’s leg, and ran to Rua. Her head was on the ground, her eyes wereclosed, and her pain was so fierce it just about swamped me, even though I no longer had direct connection.
“Oh Rua,” I said softly, tears spilling down my cheeks. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”
Kin dead.
Rua wasn’t replying directly to me; I was hearing her through Kaia. “I know. I’m sorry.”
I hurt. Deep inside.
“I know?—”
You fix.
“I can’t fix this, Rua. I can’t bring her back to life.”
No. Stop the hurt.
“Rua—”
You must end pain.
Tears spilled harder, and my heart ached. She was asking me to kill her.
“Rua—”
Must, Kaia said softly.She in great pain. Better you help die than she die like this.
Die like Ebrus had, slowly, painfully. She didn’t say that, but it was uppermost in her mind.
Pleasecame Rua’s plea.Please.
A sob broke loose. I bit my lip so hard I drew blood, but knew if I let the grief go, I wouldn’t be able to stop it. Resolutely, I turned and scrambled back up Kaia’s leg to get my sword. Once I’d unsheathed it, I threw the scabbard to the ground and walked back to the younger drakkon, barely able to see through the tears.
Rua opened one eye. It was filled with heartbreak, filled with pain, filled with pleading. The tears got worse.
I join kin, she said.I be happy. No be sad for me.
I sucked in a shuddering breath, gave her a final eye scratch, then scrambled up onto her nose and made my way toward hereyes. The most “humane” way to kill a courser was a bolt or long blade at the intersection of two imaginary lines drawn from the eyes to the opposite ear, as that was the nearest point to the brain. Drakkon heads were far bigger, their skulls much thicker, but... A sob escaped, and I swiped at the tears coursing down my face with my free hand. It didn’t help.
I reached the imaginary point and gripped my sword with both hands.Fly free, sweet Rua. Be with Hannity, and soar together through the open skies of the afterlife.
I brought the blade down, driving it through her skull, into her brain... and felt her die. Felt the life leave her body. Felt the wave of grief and pain fade.
I dropped to my knees and cried, my tears splashing onto red scales that no longer contained life.
Must go, Kaia said softly.
I cannot leave without trying to find Hannity. I have to sing her soul to the afterlife so she can be free to fly with Rua.
Saw where fell.She sent me an image.
I sucked in another of those useless breaths, then rose, drew my sword from Rua’s skull, and wiped it clean on my coat. Then I tore off the coat, placed it over the eye that remained visible, and scrambled down her nose to the ground.
