Page 99 of The Star's Sword

But I couldn’t.

But even so.

“It’s not fair,” I choked out. “But it’s not fair to you, either. And it must have been so painful, carrying this alone. I’ll be with you, Samael. To the end of this.”

“Cleo,” he said, sounding lost and small against me. “Cleo, to the end.”

I nodded back and just held him with me like that again. I would never fight with him again. I wouldn’t waste any of our time together we had left with anger or hate or wishing things had been different.

I would just savor him like the treasure he was, and fill up my heart with a lifetime of him.

To sustain me, when he was gone.

Gone. I still couldn’t imagine it.

“Well, this is touching, but I haven’t given up yet,” Zadis said, leaning against the window, wearing a blue fae tunic and pants and looking amused.

I blinked at him, tears making it hard to see in the streaming light. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve been reading the prophecy. You know, I enjoy studying things. I think it all comes down to, could Samael withstand losing half of his matter? And how?”

We both just separated slightly to stare at him. Having just accepted the hardest thing possible, it was hard to then open our minds to what he was saying.

Sure, I hoped there was a chance to save things, but I wasn’t sure it was wise to even hope.

After all, Samael seemed sure. I saw the pain in his eyes.

But hope. That was like a spring that never stopped once it started bubbling.

“What do you suggest?” I asked. “What are our options?”

He grinned. “I suggest unicorn serum. For immortality.”

Samael pulled me in against him, still holding onto me like a lifeline. “I don’t know, Cleo. It’s to sustain life, not replace it.”

“No one knows, since they haven’t been tamed in a very long time,” Zadis said.

Samael rested his head on me, and I could already feel him calming down.

What an incredible man, to be so worried about how I would feel about him losing his life, when he was the one who could be losing it.

If there was even a chance. “I’ll do it,” I said. “Is it safe to go back to the mid realm?”

“No,” Zadis said. “That’s why I want you two to meet me tonight. I’m going to arrange transport for the unicorn and bring it here. And I have something else planned as well.” He moved forward, and put a hand on both of us. I moved to put an arm around him as well. “I have been here to see both of you through most of your journey. I will be here through to the end.”

I looked up at him gratefully. “We appreciate that.” I frowned. “So, were you two like in on a plan to have Zadis replace Sam?”

They both shook their heads immediately.

“No,” Samael said. “But I’d always seen something between you. And I knew that I wanted to make sure he would be good to you, if I wasn’t here to watch out.”

My heart tightened, and I nodded. “I get that. But tell me next time.”

“I promise,” he said. “I have only one more secret, but you’ll find it out tonight. I have something to take care of while Zadis brings the unicorn.”

I exhaled. “I’ll look forward to it.” Then both of them walked me back to my room, and I could feel the warmth between us once again.

The bonds that had been building and only were going to get stronger.

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