CHAPTER 27

Korven

“That was the last thing you’ll ever do,” I growled through clenched teeth, the blade of my knife already deep in Urik’s chest. His blood pooled over my hand as I pushed deeper, reveling in the visage of fear on the bastard’s face.

I had arrived at the open window, my lungs bruised from how far I’d pushed myself to get to her—to save her—and this fucker not only defiled her with his lips, he had the death wish of slapping her cheek, something he should have known he would not survive.

I rose, wiping his blood along his embroidered vest, once gold, now stained crimson as he gurgled pathetically in his last moments of life.

“Prince Korven?—”

“Shut the fuck up!” I shouted, another knife lifted from my boot, pointed at the duke. I took one glance at the rising moon and rushed to Seraphine’s side, taking her cold, lifeless hand in mine as I kissed her lips.

She didn’t have time left for me to apologize or confess how fucking much I loved her, so I just kissed her instead, my body shaking, begging her to wake.

She didn’t stir.

She didn’t lovingly blink those violet eyes and smile up at me.

No, she remained a lifeless beauty.

Her red cheek faded, her chest unmoving, but at peace as if she slumbered softly in the top tower room of Castle Havenshire.

“ Seraphine ,” my voice broke and I kissed her again, my face hot as tears fell on her skin, sliding down her cheeks and onto the pillow.

“No! Please !” I cried, lifting her body and pulling her to my chest as I shattered, stroking her hair, kissing her again and again with no sign of life left in the woman I loved.

“Korven!” The duke was behind me, shaking my shoulder. I set her back on the bed and turned in a rage-filled grief, my knife at his throat, shoving him against the stone windowsill, ready to toss him out.

“You said you’d do it!” I screamed. “You said you’d break her curse!”

I pushed him further, my tears and broken heart blinding me.

He grabbed the knife at his throat with one hand, fingers digging into my shirt with the other. “I…didn’t…need…to!” he managed.

“Stop, Korven.”

The most beautiful voice filtered through me and I whipped around, almost knocking the duke out of the window before he caught himself on my wings.

I didn’t care.

I couldn’t fucking care because there she was, standing in the middle of the room as her body lay dead, blanketed in a white wedding gown.

A cry of relief struck my chest, and I fell to my knees, my knife tumbling to the floor as she neared, barefoot, her gown of pale lilac and blush billowing around her like some Goddess yet unnamed.

“Seraphine,” I breathed and she smiled with lips so lovely and pink.

She came to me, settling over my lap, nestling herself into my arms so warm and alive and fucking perfect.

She wiped at my face, kissing away my tears.

“How?” I stumbled. “Who?”

“I broke the curse. I didn’t need anyone to do it for me.”

I swallowed hard, touching her, feeling her, assuring myself she was real and solid and here with me. “You said goodbye ,” I choked, pulling the book of maps from my jacket. My voice broke again, “ This is how you said goodbye !”

A wave of sorrow crossed her face, and I pledged right then to never see it again. She used her sweet lips to kiss my forehead, taking my face in her hands. “You never told me I didn’t need to.”

A huff of a laugh escaped me, and I shook my head, sweeping a hand across her face—solid, and so beautiful. My thumb brushed her mouth and she kissed it, a smile breaking across her bramble berry lips.

“Then I’m a fucking idiot ,” I growled, pulling her in, pressing my lips to hers. She sighed, giving into me fully, our lips melding, caressing, my tongue meeting hers, my breath matching hers, my heart beating with hers—my woken Seraphine solid and mine to love.