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Summer

“ N o!” I scream again. I pull harder on the restraints, needing to get to Connor.

Connor looks up at me, his blue eyes filled with pain and fear. A whimper leaves his lips, and his body convulses a little when he moves, the blade shifting in his back..

Aqua turns her attention back to me, a catlike smile on her thin, purple-painted lips. “Now, where were we?” she purrs, walking toward me. In my peripheral vision, I can see Connor moving, and all I can think is that I need to hold her attention to give Connor a chance to get out.

“I don’t understand what you want from me,” I snarl, my gaze locked on Aqua’s. Her eyes dance with madness and malice.

Aqua laughs, and the haunting sound sends a chill down my spine. “You are everything I should be. Everything I will be.” She picks up a piece of the flesh she carved from me and rubs it over her face.

Connor releases a low, pained groan as he tries to shift onto his knees.

“So you want to be me?” I ask, trying desperately to keep her attention on me.

Aqua smiles wider, ignoring Connor. “My perfect little doll.” She narrows her eyes, her dark gaze moving over me assessingly. “At first, when I realized you were light fae, it turned my stomach. But then… I saw you.” She shakes her head. “Too fucking perfect. I will wear your skin like armor.” She closes her eyes and moans as she continues to rub my skin over her lips and cheeks.

I pull on my binds again, trying to loosen them even enough to draw a rune, to do fucking anything but be stuck here like this with this psycho. I need to help Connor. Aqua licks the flap of skin, and when her eyes open, they’re rolled back into her head.

I look at Connor. He has somehow managed to push himself to his knees and is brandishing his sword, the dagger still protruding from his back.

“Leave,” I mouth to him. “Please.”

Connor shakes his head, a bead of sweat sliding down his brow from the exertion. “I love you,” he mouths back, and I shake my head, a tear sliding down my cheek.

I look back at Aqua just as she opens her eyes. “Look at you. So perfectly broken. I wonder how stunning your bare bones will be.”

Connor pushes to his feet, the steel of his sword scraping against the ground. Aqua spins to face him, but Connor launches at her. He grinds his teeth, biting back the pain as he grabs Aqua and throws her against the wall, slamming his body into hers. Aqua screams in pain when her head slams against the stone. Connor cries out, his body shuddering as his gold wings burst from his back. They give him the strength to hold her there, but blood bubbles and gushes from around the glowing dagger. Aqua struggles against his hold, and he drops his sword to keep her pinned, the effort seeming to take every bit of his remaining strength.

I thrash in the restraints, not even caring if I rip my fucking hands off, just needing to get to him. Something scrapes against the stone at the entrance of the cave, and my head whips in that direction. I bite back a cry when Max’s large body appears from the shadowed mouth. He looks at me and then rushes toward Connor to help him.

Connor snarls, his powerful body straining to hold Aqua in place. “Help… Summer,” he growls at Max, effort in each word. Max hesitates, and I see him weighing the odds before running toward me.

I shake my head violently. “No! Go to Connor.”

“If I free you, we can both take her,” Max says, ripping the ropes from my wrists.

Aqua screams in fury and pain, struggling violently against Connor. I don’t know how he does it, but he holds her there as Max tears the ropes from my ankles. I stand up the second I’m free, ready to launch myself at her, ready to destroy her for what she has done to Connor, but the blood loss and pain hit me. I stumble a little and stop, willing myself to stay upright.

Over Connor’s shoulder, Aqua meets my gaze. With deliberate viciousness, she manages to bring her knee up between his legs. The pain makes him wheeze, and his grip on her wrist loosens. Her eyes flare with victory as she rips her arm free and summons another dagger. She looks directly at me, maniacal glee burning in her eyes, and slashes at his wing, destroying the beautiful feathers and soaking them in blood. Connor gasps and rears back, the pain so profound he can’t even voice it. Aqua slams the dagger to the hilt into his chest, and I watch as he crumples to the ground.

“Connor!” I scream, fear and agony living, breathing things inside of me.

I run toward them with Max at my side, desperate to save him. I half fall to my knees beside Connor, uncaring of the danger Aqua still presents. He is lying on his side, his good wing crumpled and crushed beneath him, the other ruined and laying limply, the gold glittering beautifully through the crimson of his blood. My hands flutter over his chest, not knowing where to touch or how to help. I can’t help him. Oh, gods, we need Luke.

Aqua’s laugh is filled with satisfaction. She spins the dagger and is about to plunge it into me when she freezes, her arm trembling in midair. Aqua’s eyes widen right before she is slammed into the opposite wall. I lean over Connor, trying to shield him from this new threat, my eyes searching the cave. The headmaster emerges from the shadows, his power rolling off of him, a dangerous, suffocating presence.

Knowing the headmaster will take care of Aqua, I look back down at Connor, resting my hand against his cheek. “Connor…”

The headmaster’s shadow falls over us, and I look up. The bleakness I see in his eyes is the most terrifying thing I have ever seen. I shake my head, silently pleading with him to do something. “All I can give you is a moment of time.” The gentle compassion I hear in his voice is another poisoned dagger to my heart.

His image blurs with the tears filling my eyes. “No, please. We have to?—”

The headmaster brings his forearms together. There is a loud crack, and then everything around us goes silent. The only sound that fills the air is Connor’s labored breathing.

“Hi, babe,” Connor says, and I look down at him, terror gripping me and shaking as dark blood bubbles from his lips. I press my hand against the wound in his chest, trying to staunch the bleeding. “I-I was your warrior this time.”

I slice my finger and draw a healing rune and then another, but nothing is working. They don’t even glow. “You’re always my warrior.” I frantically draw runes wherever I can. Uriel’s warning about the holy blade circles my mind, but I shake my head and choke back a sob. I continue to try, forming runes in every space clear of blood around the jagged stab wounds.

Connor grabs my fingers, shaking his head. “I’m sorry… I won’t get to marry you.” His words are a little slurred, and his breath is coming in wet, gurgling gasps.

I sob, shaking my head. “No. You’re going to be fine. We will get Luke. He can heal you, and we’ll get married the second you’re better, and I’ll give you as many babies as you want. Just,” my voice breaks, “please live.”

Connor reaches up to cup my cheek, and I can tell even that is an effort for him. “I need you to know… no… regrets.”

I shake my head, unable to control the sobs that are wracking my body. “No. I do not give you permission to die. You can’t leave me, Connor. I need you.”

Connor strokes my cheek weakly. “You’re going to finish school, all right?”

I bend down, pressing my forehead to his. “Connor…” The sobs are suffocating me.

“Promise me,” he whispers.

“I love you. You need to get better. I need you, Connor.”

“And you’re going to fall in love again. No… no more hiding. Okay?”

I press my lips to his. “No. I’m yours. You’re going to be okay, big guy.”

Connor shakes his head. “I know you didn’t tell me everything. Promise… me… no more…. hiding.” He groans in pain.

I press down harder on his chest, trying to hold him together with everything I have. “You’re mine. My big guy. My Connor. You can’t leave me. I need you.”

“I love you, Summer.” Connor exhales, and the air shifts as time snaps back into place. His blood pours from between my fingers as the runes wear off.

“I love you. I love you so much. We’re going to get married and have babies! Please, Connor! Please!”

Connor’s hand drops from my cheek, falling to the ground.

“No. No. No. No!” I scream, pressing my head to his chest.

“Mister Romulus, get her out of here.”

I cling to Connor, screaming, sobbing, and breaking. Max scoops me up, but I struggle in his arms, fighting to get back to Connor. His vacant eyes are still open, his gaze locked on me and his hand reaching for me.

Max starts toward the mouth of the cave, and I fight harder, punching, kicking, and scratching. “Take me back! He needs me!” I scream, unable to breathe. “I can’t leave him!” Max doesn’t even flinch. His eyes burn a deep green, but he cradles me against him with care. We leave the cave, and the morning air hits me, startling painful against my broken skin. “Take me back…” I sob.

“He’s not there anymore, Summer,” Max says gently but firmly.

There is the echo of a scream from within the cave.

“You’re a liar. You’re lying! Take me back to him!” I scream, trying to throw myself out of his arms, but Max continues to hold me, carrying me away.

“He’s gone,” Max whispers again.