Page 36 of Enchanted Kisses
“And still, you brought me here to make a fool out of myself. I haven’t helped at all.”
“You’re not making a fool out of yourself.”
“Did you not hear me singing?”
He chuckled.
“Laughing at me won’t help, you know.”
“I’m not laughing at you. I’m genuinely happy.”
I raised a dubious brow.
“I am. You’re acting like yourself with me—thisme.” He poked his chest. “Revealing myself to you had been my biggest fear. You seem to have an aversion to any remotely attractive male. It’s one of the reasons I chose a less-than-average glamour. I couldn’t have approached you like this. You’d have never opened up to me. Of course, my intentions were slightly different back then, but none of that matters now.”
I couldn’t speak. When he said things like that, no matter how sweet his words, it showed how different he was frommyCaiden. And how little I knew of this new version, becausemyCaiden didn’t talk like that.
Alliston coughed. We both looked at him.
“Dear child,” his eyes opened halfway, “I must inform you that…despite your valiant efforts, I am beyond healing. Nor do I want to be…healed. I tried explaining that to my obstinate grandson.” He coughed and winced. “It is my fate to go on and leave my legacy to you.” He stared at Caiden.
“Why didn’t you tell me she couldn’t heal you?” Caiden’s features slanted into an agonized frown. “Why did you let me believe otherwise? You let me bring her here. Had I known, I would have left her where she belongs. All this did was complicate things further. And for what?” He ran a shaky hand through his hair, sending unruly waves this way and that.
I stared for a moment. Even misery looked good on him. Still, no amount of beauty dismissed rudeness. His words pierced my heart like a poisoned arrow—once again reinforcing his difference frommyCaiden. He never would have talked about me like that. I shouldn’t have come. If it weren’t for Caiden’s indisputable confidence in my healing abilities and my stupid need to help, I never would have agreed.
Caiden hung his head. “You can’t die. Youcan’t. I’m not ready to take your place. I can’t los—” His gaze narrowed on my wrists. “What about her blood?”
I drew my hands close to my body and leaned away. Was he serious? Wouldn’t slitting my wrist kill me?Did he even care?
My God, was this the only reason he’d come back?
10
You’re One Too?
Iwas about to climb from the bed, but Alliston took my hand.
I tensed when he moved it to Caiden’s and placed it on top.
“It’s not me she’s meant to save. This is what I wanted. This union.” Alliston patted my hand where it rested over Caiden’s. “It is within you to return the Realm of Life to its former reign. It’s what your mother wanted.” He paused to catch his breath. “This beautiful child is all you need, as it has been foretold. Finish what you started.”
Caiden lifted his head. His eyes were closed, but I thought I saw a tear slide down his cheek. I didn’t know what was going on or what Alliston’s words meant. I also didn’t know what to do. Part of me wanted to run from the room, but another part wanted to console Caiden. He was hurting, desperate even. Perhaps that was why he said what he did about my blood.
Alliston’s cold hand fell from mine and a slow exhale passed through his lips.
I watched his chest, waiting for it to move with an inhale.
But he didn’t take another breath.
Did that mean he was dead? He couldn’t be. He was just talking.
Alliston’s body began to shimmer with silver light. The glow grew brighter and larger, surrounding his form like a cloud. It flickered, and then Alliston’s body started to fade until all that was left was the silvery cloud. The mass rose a foot from the bed before it evaporated with a gust that blew my hair behind me.
Startled, I jumped to my feet but kept my gaze glued to where Alliston’s body had been. A faint glow lingered on the linen quilt.
When the shock finally left my brain, I glanced at Caiden. His head still hung low, and his blue shirt spread tight across his sculpted back and rounded shoulders.
I lifted a hand to him, paused, and then rested it on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry. Is there anything I can do?” I didn’t say it to get a response, just to let him know I was here.
