Page 75 of Cherished By the Gargoyle
The storm continues to rage outside as I press my face into her hair, clutching her tight against me as if I can keep her soul tethered through sheer will alone.
My chest heaves with each ragged breath, my claws scoring the stone beneath us as grief tears through me.
She is so still in my arms, and all I can think is that the last words I spoke to her were painful. She offered me her heart, and I shattered it in return.
Raw pain tears through me, and I can barely breathe. Tilting my head back, I lift my gaze to the heavens and roar my anguish to the gods. “No!”
Cradling her to my chest, I gaze down at her still form. “I will find a way to save you, my Auri.” A tear slips down my cheek. “I swear it to the old gods and the new.”
Somewhere beneath the curse, her heartbeat still answers mine.
CHAPTER 50
THALRIC
Aurora’s body is limp in my arms as I hold her to my chest. I gaze down at her, praying she will open her eyes and look up at me, but they remain closed. Gently, I reach a trembling hand and brush the hair back from her face.
“Please, Auri,” I rasp. “Please, wake up.”
She looks peaceful, as if she’s dreaming. But every breath she takes is shallow and it feels like it might be her last. The silence in the castle presses in, heavy and suffocating, as the words I said to her echo endlessly in my mind.I cannot love you.I made her cry, and now she’s gone where I cannot follow.
A tear escapes my lashes as I gaze down at her lovely face. I swore I would never hurt her, but I did when I pushed her away. I vowed to protect her, but I couldn’t keep her from the curse. I have failed her in every possible way, and I can barely breathe as sadness and guilt threaten to consume me.
Footsteps pound behind me, and I lift my head, instincts flaring. A tall figure rounds the corner, his gleaming armor catching in the flickering torchlight.
It’s Ryllen.
He freezes when he sees us, his eyes widening in horror. “What happened?”
“The curse.” My throat burns as I force the words past my lips. “Malvara… She got through the wards.”
Ryllen drops to his knees beside us, his hands shaking as he takes Auri’s hand. “No,” he whispers. “She’s… she’s not—”
“She’s alive,” I rasp. “Barely.”
He swallows hard, his eyes darting wildly around the hall. “Everyone’s asleep. The guards, the servants, my men, the king, the queen… all of them. It’s like the world just stopped.”
Lifting my head, I strain my ears to listen. He’s right. The world around us is silent. Too still.
“Why are we awake?” he asks. “Why did we not fall into sleep with everyone else?”
“I don’t know.” I look down at her beautiful face as I hold her in my arms. “But I know what we must do.” Carefully, I lift her, carrying her into her chamber. The room smells like her—lavender and honey and something that feels like home.
I lay her carefully on the bed, my hands shaking as I tuck the blanket around her. I turn to Ryllen. “The witch said she’ll die if we cannot break the curse before the sun sets on the seventh day. You’re the prince bound by prophecy. You’re the one meant to wake her.”
His piercing eyes search mine a moment before he finally nods.
“Please,” he murmurs. “Whatever gods may be listening… please, let this work.” He leans down. His lips touch hers in a brief but gentle kiss, but nothing happens.
I wait for her breath to quicken, for her lashes to flutter open, for the spell to shatter, but she remains still.
Ryllen pulls back, despair etched deep in his features. “It didn’t work.”
“No.” A hollow sound tears from my throat. “It was supposed to—” I break off as devastation floods my veins. “I don’t understand.”
“Maybe…” Ryllen turns to face me. He swallows hard. “Perhaps it has to beyou.”
I shake my head. “But you are the prince bound by prophecy.”
