Chapter 54
Casimir pulled his sword back, helping finish off the last of their enemies.
They had won. The daemon army had been defeated.
He could hardly wrap his mind around it.
Between the astral army’s arrival and Frosthaven’s forces turning on their queen, they made quick work of the rest of the daemons and monsters.
Lowering his sword, Casimir took a breath, glancing at Thorne who had been fighting by his side. Thorne smiled, placing a hand on Casimir’s shoulder. “We’ve done it.”
“Yes, we—” Casimir halted as something strange appeared in the distance.
A violent wind spiraled above the trees. The boughs quivered, the branches creaked, pulling everyone’s attention away.
“Is that…” Thorne said.
“The portal,” Jorrar answered, stopping beside them.
A wave of power exploded from the source, trees bending from the force before righting themselves. The wind stopped as quickly as it had begun.
Agony ripped through Casimir, causing his sword to fall from his grip. Clutching his chest, he collapsed. His heart hurt. His soul felt as though it was being torn in two.
“What’s wrong?” Thorne asked, panicked.
“Ava,” he groaned, reaching out as if he could get to her, but unable to rise from the ground. “Something’s wrong…”
She’s dying, Aro said, bounding through the trees.
“What?” Casimir asked. “No, no, no…”
“Where is she?” Thorne trembled.
This way, Aro grumbled, taking off through the woods.
Raine appeared at his side, lifting Casimir from the ground with Thorne.
“Hurry,” Casimir urged, his arms around their shoulders as they practically dragged him after Aro.
Everything hurt. He couldn’t breathe—his lungs seeking air, his heart beating against his ribs. He groaned as another stab of agony pierced his soul.
And those glimmering threads—the threads that bound Ava and him as one, the tethers that only soulbonds were blessed with—began to unravel.
“Faster,” he whispered. “I can’t…I…she’s…”
“We’re almost there,” Raine soothed. “Hang on, Cas.”
They increased their pace, rushing through the trees. Out of the corner of Casimir’s eye, he saw others following, joining when they overheard. But he didn’t care. Wanted nothing to do with them.
Ava was alone and he needed to reach her. To hold her and tell her everything was going to be alright. To figure out how to stop this because he wasn’t going to lose his soulbond.
He refused.
They reached the clearing. Raine gasped. Thorne released a sudden sob.
There she was. Peaceful. Beautiful.
Lying on the ground, encircled by hundreds of flowers—like little jewels in a sea of green. The sight took his breath away. Luna lay atop her body, but rose when she saw Casimir, nestling next to Ava’s legs instead, refusing to leave her side.
Shoving Raine and Thorne away, he stumbled forward, his knees buckling and colliding with the ground beside her.
He pulled her limp body into his arms, brushing the hair out of her face as her head lolled. Blood stained the corners of her lips, her face pale, forehead clammy.
Short raspy breaths came from her mouth, her chest barely rising and falling.
“Ava…” he said, voice breaking. “Can you hear me, love?” He adjusted her, supporting her head. “I’m here, dear one. I’m here.”
He sensed Thorne and Raine behind him. Could hear their sobs. Could feel their grief like a dismal blanket, smothering the life from the air. The rest of the onlookers hovered. There were cries and wails. Whispers about the princess who defeated the ancient god…and saved them.
Who sacrificed herself for their world.
Trying again, Casimir whispered her name. “Ava.”
Her eyes fluttered open, their usual bright green now dull and faded. “Hi,” she rasped, her voice barely above a whisper. “I…I did it.”
Tears slipped down his cheeks. “Yes, you did. You were so brave, princess. So incredibly brave.” He leaned in, pressing his lips to her forehead. “Let’s get you to the healers.”
Ava winced. “It’s too late.”
She’s right, Aro said. She only has a couple minutes.
Misery grabbed a hold of his heart and squeezed at Aro’s words. Casimir shook his head, refusing to accept it. “No…I had plans…” he whispered. “You must hold on, love.”
“Cas…”
He pressed his forehead to hers. “Do you remember that day in the woods? When…when those daemon hounds attacked us?”
She gave him the slightest nod, her own tears streaking through the dirt on her face.
“I never told you this…but when you disappeared…I heard you scream. And I—” his voice cracked. “I was coming after you. Aro got there first, but I was coming…”
Ava let out a sob, blood bubbling out of the side of her mouth. Casimir wiped it away.
“I think a part of me knew even then. How special you were…”
Ava raised a trembling hand and cupped his face. He placed his hand upon hers. “I…think deep down I knew it too…” she said, voice weak. “I…love you…Even when I’m gone, I’ll always love you…”
“Not yet. I’m not ready…Don’t say goodbye yet…Please,” he begged, urged. “Don’t leave me…My Mi’ra V?ssa…my heart. My soul. Don’t go.”
“Cas…I…thank you…” She took the tiniest breath. “Thank you for seeing me…I love you.”
“I love you too,” he whispered, pressing his lips to hers.
But inside he was scrambling, clutching at those threads, trying to hold on, to keep them together. They were slipping and he couldn’t hang on…
With one last trembling breath, Ava stilled, her green eyes now glassy and dull. Her hand fell from his face, dropping to the ground. Lifeless.
Casimir felt the very moment of her death down to his bones. Like his heart was being ripped from his chest. Those threads unraveled. From strong, golden rope…to the tiniest sliver…to nothing. He couldn’t feel her anymore. Couldn’t sense her.
And his soul shattered into a thousand pieces.
“No…No, no, no. Ava, please. Please come back to me, princess. Please come back…come back…”
He pulled her against his chest, burying his face in her hair and ignoring the cries and shouts of grief around him as he rocked back and forth. Luna whimpered and whined. Aro roared. Sabriel howled. Bastien snarled.
Skye’s eagle cry pierced the air at the same time Thorne crumpled to his knees and let out an agonizing wail.
Ava was gone. Their princess was gone. His soulbond…was gone.
“I don’t know how to do this without you…” he murmured, his tears falling onto her neck.
Because without her—without his other half—the world would cease to exist. The sun would never rise, the moon would fall from the sky, the stars would lose their light.
There would be no more laughter, no more joy.
No more smell of lavender and vanilla as he buried his face in her hair.
No more soft touches or sweet kisses. No more morning tea together.
No more silent reading by the fire, just being in each other’s presence. No more dancing. No more teasing.
No more life.
She was the center of his universe and now he was lost in the void with nowhere to go.
He bellowed as if the gods could hear him—sobbing and yelling and raging. As he pulled her even tighter, the sun disappeared behind the clouds. And as if the world grieved with him, the sky cried its own tears.
Casimir thought he knew pain. Thought he knew grief. But nothing could have prepared him for the agony of losing his soulbond. And though the others around him were hurting, they would never feel even half the anguish he was drowning in.
Something gold caught his eye, and he turned to see his father standing there. Watching.
“You,” Casimir growled. “Save her. I know you can.”
His father stepped forward, brow pinched with thought. Looking down at Casimir, he shook his head. “You know the cost to my people for bringing back a life. I will not give up my magic.”
“You selfish bastard. She gave her life for you. For all of you. Do something good for once. Help. Her.”
“Her sacrifice will be honored. We will not forget. All will know of the princess who died to save Eorhan.” He walked away.
Casimir wanted to scream at him. Wanted to rip his father’s spine from his body. It was Orion’s fault. Ava’s death was his fucking fault. If he hadn’t been so power-hungry, so blindly selfish, it never would have come to this.
But Casimir didn’t do any of those things. Didn’t say any of those things. He was too lost in his sorrow to care about anything aside from her.
How many minutes had gone by? It was going to be too late. It was too late.
Too late.
Too late.
Too late.
He rocked back and forth only half aware he was whispering those words out loud.
His one true love. His beautiful princess. His Miraêl Li’ra.
Gone.
He pulled back and traced her face with his fingers.
But she couldn’t feel the way he followed the dip of her nose.
Couldn’t feel the way he placed kisses upon the freckles on her cheeks.
The way his lips brushed against her full lashes as he closed each eye.
The way he wiped the blood from her mouth and lips and neck with his tunic, trying to clean her up.
She was too dirty. Too bloody. He had to fix it. Make her look like herself.
“I’m so sorry, love,” he whispered. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you. I failed you.”
He pressed his lips to hers with a whimper, begging to any god or goddess who could hear him. Help her.
But no one listened. No one came.
Casimir was in a fog. Numb. Detached. Unable to move. He welcomed the rain, as if it could wash away his despair. But nothing would ever rid him of his misery.
“Cas,” a gentle voice spoke behind him.
He jerked at the sound. How long had he been holding her? How long had he been sitting there?
Raine knelt beside him, his own tears wet on his cheeks. “You must let her go. She deserves a proper burial.”
“No. I—I can’t do it…I can’t…” he could barely get the words out.
Raine picked up Ava’s hand, as he wept, clutching it against his chest. “I know.” He sniffled. “I know…But you can’t just sit here forever…”
Footsteps squelched in the wet grass behind him.
“Brother…” Jareth’s voice cut through the fog.
Casimir turned to meet his gaze, startled to hear that word from his mouth.
And he looked…utterly devastated. Casimir had never seen so much emotion on his face. Grief, fear, hesitance.
“You…You can save her…” Casimir whispered. “Please.”
Emotions warred on Jareth’s face. “I can’t give up my magic. I won’t.”
Fury coursed through him. “Fuck you. She did this for you. You’re just as selfish as father,” he seethed. He turned away and pulled her to his chest again. “If you’re not going to help then leave me in peace.”
But Jareth’s hand landed on Casimir’s shoulder.
“I said, leave me be,” Casimir growled.
“Listen to me you stubborn bastard. We’re almost out of time.”
Casimir whipped his head to his brother. “What did you say?”
“I said I won’t give up my magic. But you can give up yours…”
Casimir shook his head. “I don’t have enough. You know that. Only full-blooded astral fae can do this. Don’t fuck with me.”
But Jareth was already slicing his palm with a dagger. “You can with my help.”
“What?” Casimir paused.
Jareth handed Casimir the blade. “Stop asking questions and hurry.”