Chapter 30
Thirty
Kai
“Accept what?” She gapes at me, brows furrowing.
“You know what.”
She hesitates, biting her lip. I continue holding on to her like she’s my lifeline.
While briefly visiting her mind, I caught memories of dragonflies and laughter. I’d be lying if I said my heart didn’t shatter while watching this unfold.
Dying may have been horrific for me, but at least it was swift. Cleo’s death was painstakingly slow.
And even in her final, brutally painful moments, all she could think about was her family. Not only did she lose her life—she lost her will to live.
I can’t even begin to comprehend how they did it, but the Archangels quite literally slipped me into her mind to experience this trial with her, like a fly on the wall. In doing so, her pain became my pain. I felt every ounce of agony that stirred within her, both physically and emotionally.
It all makes sense now. She believes everyone who loves her will get hurt. It’s tearing me apart knowing she entirely blames herself for her dad’s death and has been punishing herself ever since. Hell, I hardly know the guy, and even I know there’s no way he blames her for that.
He chose to fall with his daughter. He knew what lay ahead and sealed his fate anyway with zero hesitation. That’s how much she meant to him.
My girl’s always been a logical person, and logically speaking, she is not actually responsible for her dad’s death.
But it’s up to her to accept that.
“I just… don’t understand why he fell with me.” Her eyes fill with water. She squeezes them shut as a single tear escapes, running down her cheek. “Why would he give up everything for me?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” I whisper and stroke her tears away.
She shudders and takes a deep breath. Long seconds tick by before she finally breaks the silence.
“He loved me.”
I nod my head.
“He loved me so much, he chose to do that,” she says, a hint of realization crossing her delicate features as more tears cascade down her cheeks.
“I shouldn’t take his love—his sacrifice—for granted.
” She blinks back tears and nods her head repeatedly.
“Maybe… Maybe they would want me to find happiness after all.”
“Maybe?” I quirk a brow, not that she can see it at the moment. “No. You undeniably deserve happiness, and they would want that more than anything. You deserve to be loved, Cleo. Without reservation.”
She closes her eyes and nods slowly in acceptance as the world around us begins to fade into shadows and an array of colors.
My heart does a flip in my chest. I grin, then cradle her head and bring it to my chest. She lets out a sob as I hold her in my arms. “Time to wake up, angel.”