Chapter 38

I can’t stand this room. It’s the same room where I’ve been whipped, where my father was dragged in, half-dead, where I burned the king to escape. Now, it’s the room where Roman will face his father. It all feels like a dream. How did we end up here? How did I end up here, my heart in my hands, reduced to ashes?

Four guards surround me. Jess is standing next to me, part of the inner circle that’s formed. I spot Honora, but I can’t meet her gaze. Guilt, pain, shame, and a whole lot more emotions hit me like a freight train. But I push them down. This isn’t about me. Today isn’t about me.

I can only see Roman’s back, but even from here, I can tell he’s tense. He’s about to kill his own father. The room is eerily quiet. The wolves, usually chatty, are silent. My heart is pounding in my throat as the doors on the opposite side of the room swing open with a loud bang.

The crowd parts to let the king through. He walks slowly, as if he has all the time in the world. His face is confident, as if he isn’t walking towards his own death. Cocky bastard.

“Hello son.” His voice is as cocky as his face. I see Roman’s muscles tighten. My heart aches for him.

“Hello... King.” The king’s smug expression falters for a moment before it’s back up.

He turns to address the crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, my dear pack. My son... My own son has challenged me to take my place as the king. Betrayal is a snake that slithers its way into your heart and spits its venom.

“But don’t worry, I’ve been a king for a reason and I will protect you. Even if it’s against my own son.”

The king turns back to Roman. He looks over his shoulder at me and has the audacity to wink. I bare my teeth at him, but he just smiles.

“Let’s just begin, father.” Roman sounds almost bored, but I know him well enough to know that he’s falling apart inside.

The king nods and his clothes rip to shreds. I furrow my brows.

The king is a large wolf, even for a king; even Honora seems taken aback. Roman follows suit, and even though he isn’t as big as the king, he’s still impressive.

The room is silent, save for the sound of breathing. Roman growls and lunges at the king, who doesn’t even try to defend himself or dodge. Roman grabs him by the neck, shaking his head.

The king turns his head quickly, and Roman is thrown off. I look at the king’s neck, expecting to see blood from the attack, but there’s none.

Something is wrong.

Roman seems to have come to the same conclusion. His uncertainty reaches me through our bond.

This time, the king lunges at Roman, but Roman barely manages to dodge. The king turns around quickly—too quickly, even for a wolf.

He lunges at Roman again, and this time Roman isn’t fast enough. The king sinks his teeth just above Roman’s front paw.

Roman howls in pain. I feel a sharp pain in my own shoulder through our bond.

I study them once more. The king is holding Roman lightly, but judging by the pain in my shoulder, it must be harder.

Confusion hits me, followed by panic.

Something is wrong.

I scan the crowd. No one seems to notice.

My eyes meet those of a familiar face. The witch who was here on my first two days.

She winks at me and nods towards the king.

My gaze shifts between her and the king. She’s helped him. She’s put a spell on him.

I step forward, but an invisible wall stops me. I look at the witch again.

She shakes her head slowly. I have to help!

“Jess, something is wrong. The witch has put a spell on the king,” I say, but Jess doesn’t seem to hear me.

I speak louder, but Jess still doesn’t respond.

Roman has managed to break free from the king’s grip, a piece of his shoulder now torn.

I scream, as loud as I can, but no one hears me. The king lunges at Roman again, this time biting his neck.

Roman struggles, but the more he moves, the deeper the king’s teeth sink. The pain I feel through our bond takes my breath away.

Tears fill my eyes as I watch the fight. Both are covered in blood, but only Roman is bleeding.

His howling has stopped, his heavy breathing now echoing in the room.

Tears stream down my face as I reach for my magic.

Flames burst from my body, but they’re held back by the invisible wall.

A box of fire surrounds me.

“You were never going to win. I will always be the king. You, my son, were always too weak.” I turn my gaze to Roman, letting my flames die.

He’s lying on his side, back in his human form. His father towers over him.

He looks down at him with hatred. Roman’s head rolls to the side.

His eyes find mine immediately.

Tears are streaming down my face. His eyes are filled with tears too as he tries to speak.

His mouth opens, and blood sprays from his neck. I love you.

His voice is in my head, making my knees weak. I shake my head in denial. This can’t be happening. The king kneels down next to his son.

“This is your end. May the Goddess accept your forgiveness, son.”

I press my hands against the invisible wall and reach for all the magic I have inside of me.

I push it all into the wall. A shattering sound fills my ears.

I’m running before I even realize what I’m doing. Past the guards, towards Roman.

The king steps back as I fall to my knees next to Roman.

“You foolish girl, you can’t save him. You put him in this position and now you will both die.”

I shake my head in denial as I try to push my healing magic into Roman’s neck.

There’s so much blood everywhere that I can’t find his wound right away. The bond flickers in my mind.

Roman’s hand weakly clings to mine. I meet his gaze.

“I... am so.. sorry.” His words are choked, barely audible. I shake my head, more vehemently this time.

“Don’t talk. I’m here. I’ll save you. Don’t go, Roman. Don’t close your eyes. I’ll save you. I promise.” My vision blurs with tears, but I blink them away, determined.

Roman’s hand slips from mine. I feel the bond within me tugging, trying to break free.

“NO! ROMAN! YOU CAN’T DIE. ROMAN, OPEN YOUR EYES.”

I shake him, but his eyes remain closed.

I channel more healing magic into him, but it rebounds back to me. I cradle his head in my hands, pushing my magic into him with all my might.

But nothing changes.

His eyes stay closed. I rest my head on his chest, straining to hear a heartbeat.

Silence. Honora’s anguished cries pierce through me and I look up at her.

Her face is streaked with tears, her hair a wild mess as if she’s been running her hands through it repeatedly.

Time stands still.

The sounds around me fade as my gaze falls back to Roman.

He’s a wreck. His neck and chest are drenched in blood.

My bloody handprints mark his face. His hair is matted and sticky.

Pain surges through me. I pull him onto my lap, cradling him.

I gently brush his hair, trying to clean the blood away.

My heart trembles.

“Roman, stop this. You can open your eyes now. I was wrong, I’m not a warrior. Not when it comes to you. I love you more, I love you more than anything in this godforsaken world.

“Just open your eyes, please open your eyes for me. I love you too, okay? I love you so much, please just open your eyes.”

My tears splash onto his face, but he doesn’t react. He doesn’t move, he doesn’t open his eyes.

Reality crashes into me, reopening old wounds and flooding me with a pain I’ve never known.

I tilt my head back and scream. I scream until my ears ring.

Waves of fire erupt from me, blue and red flames swirling around me. I feel my hair whip around and the ground tremble.

But all I can do is scream. I scream long after my fire has scorched everything around me.

I keep screaming until the world around me blurs.

Engulfing me in darkness.

Even as my consciousness slips away, my screams still echo in my mind.

He’s gone.