Chapter 54
Terra
Iplace my hand over Arthur’s. The moment I do, warmth and soft whispers swarm me.
It takes me a second, but Raine’s presence engulfs me entirely, as if he’s standing right next to me again and giving me looks or hugging me. I can’t see anything, but I can hear him. Feel him. Smell his crisp scent. Tears spill from my eyes. I want nothing more than to be here forever.
When I open my eyes, a sense of both loss and acceptance overcome me. Arthur stares back at me, his mouth turned in a sympathetic smile, one that’s not meant to be happy, but sad and reassuring.
“What was that just now?” I ask, still feeling Raine’s touch on my skin and his scent lingering around me. I wish I could wrap myself up in him and never wake up.
Arthur lowers his hand and lets go of me. The connection to Raine instantly ceases. “His memories,” he says softly. “I will always have them. I’m the keeper of memories, after all. Anytime you find yourself losing pieces of him, I will show you. Again and again, if I need to.”
“Arthur… thank you.” I stare at his hand and feel more like myself again. The pain is still very much present, but there’s something light about knowing I don’t have to forget Raine like I’ve forgotten the others. There’s a small amount of solace in that.
He nods and tilts his head. “Can we get back to Alkrose now? I’m afraid we’ll freeze if we stay here much longer.”
I decide I’m not going to wait for Elias to tell me when I can give Arthur his heart. The exam is done and I have to do it now.
“I have something I need to give you.”
My room is dark, the only light my fireplace that never dies out. Arthur takes a seat at the edge of my bed as I rummage through the bottom drawer of my wardrobe.
I find his heart, still ebony and fluttering softly like a bird. My hands twitch as I recall how still and unmoving Raine’s heart was. I take a deep breath and calm the war in my head. There aren’t any tears left in me tonight.
Arthur raises a brow at me as I extend my hands to him, cupping his beating heart and wondering if he’ll be able to break Emerai’s hold on it.
“I know this looks like a stone, but trust me, this is your heart.”
He raises both hands to accept it. His eyes widen the moment the stone touches his palms and the black heart pulses faster. My own quickens as Arthur’s eyes narrow.
“Terra, how did you?—”
“Why would you go and do that, sweetheart?”
Arthur and I flinch simultaneously and I turn to find Elias leaning against my doorframe, his arms crossed. The hallway is dark behind him. His eyes are impassive and a chill rolls down my neck at his demeanor.
“It’s his heart, Elias. I wanted to return it to him.” I look back to Arthur. His eyes are filled with turmoil. What’s wrong? “Arthur?” I ask, leaning forward to touch his face.
Elias mutters behind me ominously, “You’ve just set the devil himself free.”
My stomach sinks and Arthur looks at me, letting those tears fall onto his heart as he whispers, “I hate this part.”