55. Trent
Chapter fifty-five
It's said that before you die, you see your life flash before your eyes. In my case, that couldn't be further from the truth. In the seconds it took for Cano to push me out of the way and take the sword in my place, I saw the lives of the ones I love most flash before me. I saw their hearts broken and bleeding with my death and the fact that Cano now lies in my arms, losing his battle against death, and no family left to mourn him… It does something to me.
I nearly took his life, and if I had, I would have been meeting him on the other side today.
The wind rips at my hair as my wings carry me as I hold tight onto the wolf shifter in my arms. Kait’s gaze continually reaches over Makis shoulder ahead of me, and the pure devastation on her face nearly breaks me in half. If anyone would want to see Cano dead more than me, it would be Kait, but the further we fly, the more her eyes deaden. As though Canos leaving the world is taking a detrimental piece of her with him.
By the time we are halfway to the cave, night has fully encroached on us. Luckily, we don't have a long way to travel. A groan comes from Cano as we land heavily; the war we’ve raged has seeped deep into my muscles and left me more than exhausted. I can almost not hold myself up, let alone the both of us.
“Help me get him inside,” I tell the wolf, who is pulling his shirt over his head coming from the brush. Flynn steps into me and helps take the bulk of Cano’s weight as we make our way into the cave. Maki and Kait are already there, preparing a place to lay him. When we lay him down, his head rolls to the side. Flynn looks at me as Cano’s eyes shift to the back of his head.
“If we remove the blade…” He says, looking between me and the dead man before us. He isn't surviving this. There is no way. We brought him here to get Kait from the battlefield. We brought him here to say goodbye.
“Remove it.” Kait growls. “He needs to shift.” She says, her icy eyes ablaze like a wintery ice storm. “Now, Trent!” Closing my eyes, I lay my hand around the blade that protrudes from his back, and with a quick jerk, the sword pulls free. The suctioning squelch that comes with it twists my insides.
“May you finally find peace.” I say, placing my hand over the wound in his chest, and Kait runs from the cave with a sob. Maki goes to chase after her, but I stop him before he reaches the exit. I think this is something I need to talk to her about. I look down at my hands covered in the dark ichor that is Cano’s blood and wipe them across my stomach with a clenched jaw. I'm sure he thought he was already dying.
“Don’t come out here talking about peace and the fucking gods, Trent.” Kait growls over her shoulder.
“I wouldn't think of it.” I tell her as I come to a stop at her side. Together we look out into the night. Neither of us seeing much past the dark expanse of woods in front of us and the thoughts that are running through our heads.
“You have no idea how conflicting this is for me.” Her voice barely penetrates the space between us. “Either way this could have ended—” She doesn't continue, but she doesn’t have to. I put my arm over her shoulders and pull her into me. She wraps me in a tight embrace around my waist and she cries. The vicious warrior—who always has a quip or smart remark— utterly breaks. I don't say anything as she continues to let the flood of emotion run rampant out of her. Minutes tick by, without anything but her heartbreak filling the silence. We both know its been enough time that he is very likely gone from this world. As though she senses my thoughts, she finally stops, takes in a deep shuddering breath, and pushes back to look me in the eyes.
“I can't stay here. I was planning on leaving already—now it just makes that decision much easier to bear.” She says, and I don't respond. Nothing I say could be enough. I know that she has made her mind up, and I will support her decision.
“When will you leave?” I eventually say, after a breath. She blinks slowly, and as what looks like the last of her tears rolls down her blotchy cheek, I already know the answer. Lifting my hand
, I press it over the scars on her face. She doesn't retreat; she doesn't flinch or cower. She closes her eyes and presses into my touch. “I love you, Kait. You are my sister in all ways but blood. Please take care of yourself.” Leaning in, I press a chaste kiss on her forehead before she steps out of my arms.
“I love you too, Trent. Tell Dax, will you? Tell him I love him and I'm proud of him and Raelle. I will write when I have time. If my heart will let me. Tell Alaric I'm glad he's here. Tell him it's up to him to keep you in line now.” She laughs, but it lacks all joy as her chin trembles and she nudges me with her elbow. I nod, rolling my lips between my teeth. I swallow back my emotion as she puts more space between us. The brush becomes thicker at her legs as she finally breaks the tree line.
“I'm sorry, Kait,” is the last thing I say before she shakes her head, turns, and bolts. She shifts midair, her white wolf turning her into a wraith, and she disappears into the snow-covered ground.