Page 100 of Wild Reverence

LXXVII

To Hold the Wind

VINCENT

I fell to my knees and pulled her into my arms. The snow had gathered in her hair; she was cold and stiff, but her blood was warm and bright, spilling over my hands like fresh-pressed oil, staining my clothes like illuminated ink.

When I cradled her against my chest, she opened her eyes and looked at me.

“ No, ” I said to her when she granted me a sad, soft smile. “Don’t you dare leave me, Red.”

But in my heart, she had always been the wind, never staying in one place for too long.

I had always known that I could not hold on to her.

I could run in her wake for as long as I had strength, but I was destined to grow tired and slow.

It did not matter how much I desired it; some moments, I could draw close enough to share the same breath as her.

I could seal her mouth with my own, I could dream of growing old at her side.

But there were other moments when I knew I could not follow her.

“Stay with me,” I whispered, a hoarse, broken sound.

“ Vincent, ” Matilda breathed.

She closed her eyes, solemn, peaceful. I held her tight against my chest, aligned her with the pounding of my heart. Her crown of stars remained, gleaming in the darkness.

She died in my arms.