Page 69

His body fell fully to the forest floor. His inky black eyes were trained on the sky above him, unblinking. His arm fell from my hair to his side where it remained, unmoving.

His fingers didn’t itch towards his weapon.

His chest didn’t expand with troubled breaths.

Nikolai was dead.

I slid the dagger free, allowing the magic to mend what I had irreparably damaged. I dropped the blade in the dirt beside him, burying my fists in his tunic.

His skin had grown pale and chalky.

My gaze traced the lines of his face. His right brow that was slightly creased with a scar down the middle. His strong jaw, lined with stubble. The freckle on his left cheek. His parted lips, coated in blood.

A heavy moment passed, and nothing happened.

“Nikolai.” My voice was a plea. A prayer.

My fisted hands shook him, his head rolling to the side.

“Nikolai, wake up.”

I could sense the others at my back, watching over us. I pressed against him once more, shaking him roughly.

“I won’t lose you. I won’t let you die. Now wake up, youstubborn bastard.”

My gaze flickered momentarily to the scene behind me. Noctani and Shades alike were strewn about the forest floor.

Dead.

Tess was awake now, clutching her head in her hands. Zion stood over me with Annelise and Amiyah, their eyes expectant.

I tore the tunic at Nik’s chest, the fabric easily parting beneath my dirt and blood caked fingers. I pushed it aside to see the wound over his chest, exactly as it had been mere moments ago, cut straight through one of his swirling tattoos.

It wasn’t healing.

“No, no, no.” I shook my head back and forth violently, a scream bubbling to my lips.

I couldn’t lose them both.

I wouldn’t.

“Alastir didn’t make any promises.” It was Zion’s voice, soft in my ear as he placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.

I flinched, shrinking away from his touch. I pressed my ear to Nikolai’s chest to listen for his pulse. For any sounds of breathing.

There was nothing.

“God dammit!” I roared, punching my closed fists against his chest. “No! I will not lose you!”

When he didn’t wake, I placed my fingertips against his chest, my magic surging towards them as I let my eyes fall shut.

“Diana—” Annelise’s voice held a warning note.

I shook my head back and forth, brushing them off. Blocking them out.

I almost lost Nik once before and had managed to save him. I would do it again, if need be. Even if hedidcome back as Noctani.

I didn’t care.