Chapter 65
CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE
SOFIA
When the light faded back to the red hue of sunset, Harlow’s figure was crumpled where he’d stood.
The two soldiers who’d attacked Fox were down, too, taken by the blast. Sofia took a few numb steps toward Harlow, needing to see for herself.
His skin was stained with red roots and charred black in places.
His eyes hung open, staring wide up at the sky.
It had begun to snow, and Sofia watched, entranced as large flakes landed delicately against Harlow’s face and exposed skin.
Above her, Eha let out a roar, Chalia, Aurelia, and the other free dragons adding their voices until the ground shook with their call.
“Fox!”
Sofia turned to see Fox’s mother running across the field, and she saw Fox’s crumpled body lying in the muddy snow.
The blast had thrown him a few yards away.
She moved slowly at first, hesitant to see, but then she was running, falling down beside him.
He was facedown in the mud, his hair loose and stained with blood and mud.
Fox’s mother was there a moment later, helping her turn him over gently.
He had the same pattern of red roots spreading out from his shoulder, and a deep cut bled sluggishly along his neck. His eyes were closed, and he might have been sleeping.
“Fox,” Sofia said, voice cracking as she brought her hand to his cheek. It was cold, but so was her own skin. She tried to reach for his neck, attempting to find a pulse, but she was shaking, her breathing coming in short bursts, wheezing from her chest.
“Sofia,” Javi was behind her, pulling her back gently. She fought for only a minute before realizing he was simply trying to wrap his arms around her. “I’m sorry, Sof, I’m so sorry.”
“I need to check—he might be breathing. Is he breathing?” The words fell from her lips in a jumble, and she wasn’t even sure they had heard her or understood her. But Fox’s mother was moving her hands over his body, leaning over to feel a pulse. Sofia saw the way her face shattered.
No.
No. No, no.
She screamed, this time one full of agony as her world fractured.
He couldn’t be dead. She couldn’t lose him. He wasn’t the one who was supposed to die.
She had decided to keep fighting and keep pushing so that they could have a future. She had finally promised herself a future.
Please save him. Quelia, please. I can’t—he can’t.
Her curls blew back from her face, and she looked up to see the dragons descending on them. Chalia landed behind her, face reaching out to rest beside where Javi was holding her. And then Eha was there, her own blue eyes gleaming with tears.
She stretched her neck forward, and Sofia watched, breath held. But the dragon only rested her head on Fox’s body, letting her tears fall in waves as she closed her eyes.
The world went silent.