Page 71 of The Call of Crimson (The Crimson & Shadows #2)

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

AURELIUS

“ F ind Rowina,” I command Darian the moment I see Elijah drop to the floor. She’d been getting drinks when I heard her scream. Heaven knows why she punched the male, but he probably deserved it. Her grasp on her Gift must have slipped, letting Elijah’s pain return and overwhelm him.

In two strides, I’m at his side. Kneeling, I place a hand on his shoulder. Sweat clings to his brow, the color draining from his golden skin. I’d been carefully monitoring the poison’s progression all day, and it destroys me to say, “It’s time, my friend.”

Our group gathers around us, looks of confusion and sorrow lining every face.

“Time for what?” Ophelia asks.

“What’s going on?” Breyla asks next.

“I’m so sorry!” Rowina bursts between us, her hand flying to Elijah’s cheek. “I got distracted by the asshole at the bar, and my power slipped.”

A relieved sigh leaves Elijah as my sister’s Gift goes to work, blocking his pain once again. But it’s only able to do so much. I catch the way his breath catches when he moves too quickly, and the slow jerking foot steps he takes.

“How much time do I have left?” he asks.

“Left for what?” Breyla screams, panic filling her voice.

Ophelia’s tears spill over as recognition flashes across her face. She knows what Rowina’s Gift looks like. “You lied to me,” she whispers.

“I’m sorry, my love,” he says softly.

“When we were attacked on the way here…” Cillian mumbles, putting the pieces together.

Ophelia sucks in an unsteady breath. “The arrow you stopped from hitting me, it actually did cut you.” It’s not a question. It’s a realization.

“No.” Breyla shakes her head, clutching at her chest as if she’s the one with poison running through her veins. Her lip trembles, moisture glistening in the corners of her emerald eyes.

“Can we continue this conversation outside?” Elijah asks gently. “I’d like to see the stars.”

We quickly gather our cloaks and step into the cold.

“How did you hide this from us all day?” Breyla demands, tears streaming down her cheeks. “ Why would you?”

Elijah looks to me for the answer I haven’t given yet. “You have maybe ten minutes left,” I say solemnly.

Choked sobs emanate from Breyla and Ophelia.

“In that case, they can explain it when I’m gone. I have things I need to say with the time I have.”

Elijah wraps his arms around Breyla’s trembling body, whispering, “I love you, B.”

“You fucking asshole,” she sobs, her legs shaking so violently she struggles to hold herself up. “You can’t die. I still need you.”

“I’ve tried to tell you in so many ways already, you don’t. You can and will do this without me.”

“I refuse to do this without you,” she stammers.

“Don’t you dare,” he warns, voice firm. “You will do great and wondrous things. Don’t you dare deprive the world of the impact you’re meant to have.”

“H-how do I do this without you?”

Elijah presses a kiss to her forehead. “You are stronger than the storm. Never forget to dance in the rain.”

He releases her, turning to Ophelia. “Come here, my love.”

She crashes into his arms, unable to stop the trembling in her limbs. “You promised me forever.”

“I had you for my forever, just not yours.”

Ophelia pulls in a deep breath, fighting to calm herself and savor her last few minutes with Elijah. “The sun has set,” she remarks, looking up at the stars.

“Indeed, it has.”

“It’s the end of the day.”

“That it is,” he says with a smile.

“I fucking love you, Elijah Mara.”

“I fucking love you too, Ophelia Dabria Delencort.” His lips crash into hers in a heated kiss that she returns in equal measure.

“How fucking dare you,” she says meekly between kisses. “How dare you promise me forever and draw a picture of what our life will be, only to leave me.”

“Oh, my love. You will have that future, and it will be beautiful. Those two kids will have your hair. You will get your summer wedding and honeymoon in Amala. You will tell them stories and drink hot chocolate. You’ll slow dance to no music when no one is around.”

“I don’t want it if it’s not with you!” she screams.

“Shhh,” he soothes. “The truth is, I’ve known for much longer than today that your forever didn’t include me.

And I knew that the only way that was possible was if I no longer walked this plane.

Because nothing could ever stop me from loving you, Ophelia.

Maybe it makes me selfish, but I don’t care.

I chose to love you, knowing I wasn’t your forever.

But you were mine . I don’t regret a single moment spent loving you. ”

Somewhere between the hushed words and desperate kisses, they simultaneously lose the fight to stand. Dropping to the snow-covered ground, Ophelia continues peppering him with soft kisses as Elijah whispers inaudible words into her midnight hair.

Pained sobs choke her at his words, her body trembling as she begs and pleads with the gods to spare him.

Those same cries are echoed by Breyla, who barely manages to stand.

Cillian wraps a steadying arm around her, letting her lean into him.

I bite back the possessive growl, sensing his intentions are pure.

Elijah leans in to whisper something inaudible to the rest of us. Ophelia vehemently shakes her head, denying his words, her hands glowing white as she pushes her healing Gift into his body.

It does nothing.

“Aurelius,” he says, his voice a soft plea. I don’t need him to finish his request, knowing exactly what he’s asking.

Darian and Rowina step back, giving us privacy, while Ayden hovers nearby, trepidation filling his gaze.

I kneel beside Elijah, Breyla dropping with me. He keeps one hand locked around Ophelia and takes Breyla’s hand in the other.

“I’m ready.”

Nodding, I lay a hand on his shoulder. “Just like falling asleep,” I say softly.

I hesitate for just a moment, knowing what this will do to the female who holds my heart. It’ll be my hand that severs part of her soul from her. Merciful death or not, I know I will bear this scar eternally. I will carry this burden because he asked me to, for her.

My Gift winds through Elijah’s chest, wrapping softly around his heart. Slowly, I stop it. As his eyes drift shut and his body goes limp, both females before me shatter.

Their pained screams fill the night, and I swear I sense a part of each of their souls leave with his. I’m not sure either will ever recover from this loss.

Breyla slumps beside me, and I pull her into my embrace. I hold her close as her cries echo into the darkness. Next to me, Ayden pulls Ophelia from Elijah’s limp grasp, tucking her into his chest as she breaks.

Cillian and Darian lift Elijah, preparing to take him back to the castle. But as he moves, Ophelia flies from Ayden’s arms.

“No!” she screams. “You can’t take him.”

“They have to, little one,” Ayden says softly, trying to pull her back. “Elijah must be prepared for his last rites.”

“They can’t,” she sobs. “Elijah promised me forever.”

“He gave you his forever, Ophelia,” Ayden says softly. At his words, Ophelia goes lax, allowing Ayden to pull her away from Elijah’s body.

Cillian’s sorrow-filled gaze lingers on Ophelia for a brief moment before Darian quickly Travels the body back to the castle, leaving the rest of us to walk back.

Breyla says nothing as I stand with her in my arms, Ayden joining me, Ophelia in his. Together, we trek through the capital’s snow-covered streets as I try to figure out how the female in my arms is supposed to recover from this.

An answer never comes.