Page 41 of The Order: Rise of the New Empire (Order #4)

Chapter forty

Xavier

T he blade protrudes from her chest, my body stuck in place from shock. Slumping forward and off the blade, Elyon's silver mask clatters to the ground, his body following pursuit moments later, slamming into the murky lake water.

"Xavier?" Forest raggedly gasps.

No.

"Xavier?" Forest cries, her voice broken as her lungs take shallow breaths.

No.

My daughters once staggered, strong breaths are now hoarse. Once hearing her strong heart beating for life, her chest has a dull heartbeat, her body growing colder in my arms.

No, no...

"Xavier?" Forest sobs. "I can't see."

"Momma's okay," I whisper. "Momma's just fine," I say in a hazy daze.

Watching Fallan pull the blade from my wife's chest, I Winnow to her before she can hit the ground. Grabbing her body, her figure melts into my arms, her mouth and wound spilling blood freely.

Keeping our little girl in my free arm, I frantically press my wrist to Forest's mouth. Too shaken to notice Fallan back away, a look of pure shock consumes his expression, keeping him frozen in place.

"Drink, baby," I whisper. Running my hand through her hair, her weak heartbeat is haunting.

"Come on, Forest, please, drink-"

"Let me hold h-her," Forest gasps. "Let me hold our girl-"

"Forest, baby, I need you to drink my blood-"

"It's t-too late for that, my love," she whispers. "Let me hold her."

Consumed with panic, I gravitate our girl toward her mother, helping her arms wrap around the frail figure bundled in the clothes.

Surrounding us in a wave of blades and cloaks, Revolutionists and Officials alike watch the sight with equal looks of empathy.

She's not dying.

They aren't dying.

This isn't happening.

"Shhh," Forest whispers. "This wasn't your fault," she chokes.

Wide-eyed and hazy, she stares up at the sky as she strokes our daughter's cold cheeks.

"Shes b-beautiful isn't she, Xavier?" Forest cries. "She looks just like her daddy."

Unable to stop my tears from slipping out of my eyes, I hold them as close as I can.

"So pretty, baby girl," I whisper. "So damn beautiful."

Reaching my hand out, I feel her strong little hand wrap around my pointer finger.

"I love you both so much," Forest whispers.

Leaning forward, my lips explore hers, planting soft kisses all over her face.

"You aren't leaving me, Forest," I whisper. "You can't leave us-"

"She isn't staying with you." Tears slip free from Forest's blank eyes. "She's coming with me."

Feeling the hand of my daughter weakly release my finger, her strong heart begins to die down.

No.

"No," I whisper. "No, no. You're not both leaving me here," I cry out. "You're not leaving me-"

"X-Xavier?" she gasps. "Touch my temples-"

"Forest, I-"

"Touch them, Xavier," she says clearly. "Please."

Hesitantly gravitating my hands away from my girls, I reach for her temples.

"Forest-"

Closing my eyes in a blink, I shock myself the moment my eyes are open.

No longer covered in the blood of my loved ones outside the cabin, I sit in a flowered field, surrounded by the greenest foliage I have seen in my whole life. Looking at the simple white house in the distance, the trees surrounding the area calmly shake as the leaves clatter in the wind.

"Forest?" I whisper out loud.

"Forest-"

"Daddy!" a young voice yells, forcing me to turn around.

Feeling her arms well before I see her face, she wraps her arms around my neck from behind, eagerly laughing in my ear.

"Momma said you were coming to see us!" she exclaims. "Momma said you will always find a way to see us."

Reaching backward, I tug the body on my back into my lap. Too stunned to speak, a beautiful little girl looks back at me, her face a perfect mix of me and Forest. Smiling at me with a wide grin, her missing teeth remind me of a sister I never got the chance to watch grow. Touching my face with her little hands, she grins wider.

"I have always wanted to see you."

Rubbing my thumbs over her cheeks, my lip wobbles.

"Honey?"

"Hi, Daddy," she smiles. "Momma said you'd be coming to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?" I whisper. "Where-"

"That's enough, baby," Forest's voice whispers. "Daddy is here to spend some time with us first."

Feeling her warmth beside me, I turn my head, eagerly pulling her into me at the sight of her healthy glow.

Wearing a light green dress, her hair is in a braid. Holding them both as tight as I possibly can, Forest lets out a loud laugh.

"We don't have much time," Forest laughs. "Why don't you go and find us some lilies beautiful?" Forest questions our girl.

Eagerly sliding away from my lap, she gives me a kiss on the cheek before running through the lavish wildflowers. Taking a seat in my lap, Forest rests her head in the crook of my neck, letting me swallow her with my arms.

"Where are we?" I whisper.

Trailing kisses up and down my jaw, she holds my face in her hands. Locking eyes with the woman who showed me the true meaning of what love is, she presses her forehead to mine.

"I will keep her safe here," Forest whispers. "The Marked do not die. We live on. We live on well after our soul has left Earth."

Crying freely, I shake my head.

"I was holding you both in my arms. You were both dying-"

"That wasn't the way you deserved to see us go," she sobs. "You deserved to see this. A future where neither of us was a weapon," she gasps. "A future where our girl could run through a flower field and never know what an ash-ridden sky looks like."

Watching her pick flowers, I hold Forest tighter.

"I can't go back without you," I whisper. "I can't go back without her-"

"Kai needs you," she says, pressing her head into my chest. "There are so many who need you, Xavier. There will be a time you can join us here." Wiping my tears with her thumbs, she smiles wide. "Your time is not now."

Grabbing her face, I kiss her with all I have. Kissing her until we both no longer have air in our chests, she lets out a sob.

"I love you, Xavier Evermoore. Even after my last breath, I love you."

Letting out sobs, I stare her down.

"I have never known love like yours, Forest," I whisper. "I love you and our girl more than life itself."

"Then make a better world," Forest whispers. "Do not let these deaths be in vain."

"I found some lilies!" our Lily yelps. "I can find more-"

"Come here, baby," I whisper. "Let me hold you."

Happily skipping our way, she lets us both devour her in a bear hug, squeezing one another until it is painful.

"I love you, sweet girl," I whisper. "You are just as beautiful as your mother."

Smiling at me, she grins.

"I love you, too, Daddy," she smiles. "Momma, can't he stay?"

Shaking her head, Forest sighs.

"No, baby." Tears slip free from her eyes. "Daddy has to go... Why don't you go see if Grandpa needs any help?"

Lingering on the porch of the house, a younger Andrew watches us, a solemn look on his face.

"Okay," she sighs. Wrapping her arms around my neck once again, I hold her tight.

"I love you, Daddy," she whispers. "I'll keep momma safe."

Pressing my lips to the side of her head, my chest is consumed with pain.

"I love you endlessly, baby."

"Go, love." Forest wipes the tears from her eyes. "Grandpa's waving you over."

Running off at her mother's word, she gives us both one last look before jumping into Andrew's arms.

Staring Forest down, she lets me hold her as I stand. Wrapping her legs around my waist, her lips connect with mine once more.

Completely absolved in the moment, nothing could hurt us now.

Listening to the tranquil sounds of nature, it all seems so peaceful.

"It's time for you to wake up, Xavier," Forest whispers. "Never stop fighting for us."

Shaking my head, I want to scream.

"I love you," she mutters. "Never forget that."

Pressing her forehead to mine, I let the cries escape me.

"I-I love you," I cry. "I love you." I continue sobbing.

"I-"

The world is cold once again.

Swarmed by the smell of iron, the blood infiltrates my nose once again. Opening my eyes, my hands fall away from Forest's temples.

Looking around, I am startled to watch Rowan's hands move away from my head.

Covered in my daughter's blood, she takes shallow breaths.

"You deserved that goodbye," Rowan whispers. "Even if it wasn't her."

Wide-eyed, I look down at Forest and my girl, suddenly very aware of what is happening.

Cold and still, they both stare at me with a blank look.

Hearing nothing but the sound of my own heart, something vile and twisted seeps into my soul, eating away at any good part of myself I once had. Looking at my reflection in the silver of Elyon's mask, pain and vengeance fill my eyes.

Forest is dead.

My girl is dead.

Now, all that's left is me.

And the rage that was born on this day.