Page 184 of Fortress of Ambrose
“I have,” she said with a lump in her throat. She blew out her fear with an exhale and held out the glass box. “You will give me back my heart as promised. But I don’t have the Dragunheart’s heart.”
Shadows thrashed in a vortex of anger. Darkness encircled Yagrin’s wrists, stringing him up in the air. He uttered something. Nore watched her heart to see if it had just stopped because she could not breathe.
“Let him go!”
Sealed in blood
The agreement was airtight. If he didn’t deliver up the heart, his blood, hislife, was theirs. He was completely at their mercy.
“Nore,” Yagrin pleaded. “Go, just run!”
She balled her fists. “No! I have something better.” She pulled out the Dragunhead’s heart, and the dark bloody lump pulsed slowly in the glove.
“You wantpowerfulmagic? You want a heart you don’t have to chase down heir after heir for? A heart that won’t ever die?” She held the heart up for their inspection. “The heart of an immortal! With ancient magic that’s been dead for centuries.”
Abby and the others were filling the Dragunhead with more Shadow Cell magic before burying his body in a concrete tomb under their icegarden. He would be gone forever, but his immortal heart could belong to the dead. It was better than Jordan’s heart. And certainly better than hers.
The dead didn’t move.
“If you take this, you willnever againbe forced to rely on our Headmistresses to survive. This frees you, too!”
Shadows encroached, inspecting the heart closely. Darkness slid past her, chilling her skin at each spot they grazed. Yagrin still hung captive in the air.
The dead swiped at her fingers.
She pulled the heart back inside her cloak. “Annul the deal you made with him.” She held out the glass box with her heart in it to them once again. “Free me and end the Pact with my Houseforever. You will have an immortal heart. Butnoconnections or claims to influence in our House.”
The dead writhed around her. More than she’d ever seen. She watched the snow for a message, hardly breathing. She waited, clinging to the only thing she had, a gift from the love of her life—hope.
When they dropped Yagrin, he hit the ground with a thud. The jolt sent life through her limbs. She inhaled deeply, watching as they opened the glass box, removed her heart, and crushed the glass box to nothingness. Her breath quickened as she handed over the Dragunhead’s heart and took her thumping organ from them.
The dead rose, clearing the ice garden and disappearing into the snowy abyss.
Nore was breathless. She held her heart tight and collapsed against Yagrin. He scooped her up into his arms and rushed her inside.
Ainsley was insideNore’s quarters, finishing up lighting candles everywhere. There were flowers all over the room and tiny chocolates in the shape of a heart. She plowed into Nore with a huge hug, wiping her eyes.
“They explained everything.” She sniffed. “I thought you were dead.”Ainsley buried her in a hug again, and Nore hugged her back. When the maid calmed, she smoothed her clothes and finished primping the flowers.
“I don’t understand,” Nore said.
“Either way, I knew today would be a day of celebration for you,” Yagrin said. “I was getting your heart back, whatever it took.”
“Well, that took a turn, didn’t it?” She smiled. Yagrin set her down gently on the bed as Ainsley finished decorating. Soft light flickered along the dull walls, and it felt like the room was coming to life. The flowers he’d chosen were stunning, in every shade, pinks, purples, yellows, and blues. Nore still held her heart tight to her, blinking over and over, still not sure this was real. But it was there, warm and beating, in her hands. She was free.
“I’msorelieved you’re alright, Headmistress.” Ainsley’s clothes were stained, and she looked as if she had stayed awake since Nore saw her last.
“Thank you, Ainsley, for everything.”
Her maid smiled, swiping one last tear before tucking Nore’s frigid toes under two blankets and leaving.
It’s over. It’s all over.
“Are you feeling well?” Yagrin asked.
“I think so.” Nore tried to put some pep in her tone. But it was the next part she was most scared of. Would she feel like her old self again with her heart back? Yagrin worked at the fire, building its flames. When he finished, he joined her at her bedside. She opened the glove, showing him her heart.
“Is this really happening?” Tears welled in her eyes. And she realized his were watery as well.
