Chapter 45. Nothingness.
The wounds on my thigh pulsed as I lay on the freezing ground. My heartbeat slowed; the darkness dragged me into its lonely embrace.
Peace traveled through my body, announcing my fight was over.
The Moon glanced down at me, accompanying me on my last journey. “Please let Francis live,” I whispered to her. “Please let him live—” My eyes closed. Fatigue froze my bones in this single moment. “I love you too,” I gasped, drawing a small, choking breath. I drew my final breath—
The piercing pain erupted in my knee. My pulse quickened against its touch, yet my mind could no longer struggle, drowning me deep into its peaceful nothingness.
The strong waves of darkness fell apart at someone’s strong hold. I wished for them to stop depriving me of peace. I wished for them to allow the Moon to claim my soul.
“Don’t you dare die!” Florence’s voice echoed through the calm breeze of my dreams. “Don’t you dare die, Cordelia!”
I fought for my eyes to open, to see my friend one last time, in vain. My mind slipped away from my grasp, and I had no strength to battle against it.
“Cordelia!”
The cold swept through my numb legs. The wound Kane had inflicted upon me cried anew.
Let me go.
Piercing pain washed over me with new power, forcing a muffled cry to push past my lips.
My heartbeat quickened.
Is this the end?
The blood escaped my poisoned wound. The agony spun my head into oblivion—
I forced my eyes to open.
Florence sat beside me, her mouth planted on the injury across my thigh as she sucked on my blood.
The blood slipped down her dark hair, painting it crimson, every inch of her beautiful skin now carried red.
Is she injured?
“Florence?” I heard myself speak.
More pain followed when my heart skipped a beat. My lungs ached, choking on each breath. I closed my eyes as the darkness presented herself in front of me.
“Take this!” Florence bit out, her hands pulling me upward. “Drink this! Now!” Her voice was so near, yet so far... “Cordelia!” A slapping sound vibrated in my ears.
My eyes flew open when my cheek erupted in pain.
“Drink!” Florence brought the bottle to my lips, forcing the contents down my throat.
The crimson slipped into my mouth, filling my empty stomach. The blood tasted bland compared to its usual delight.
“You will be all right.” Florence nodded, wiping off the blood from her lips. “You will be all right, there’s no poison left in you.” She pulled me to my feet when the last drops of blood reached my throat.
“Everything will be well.” She dragged me back towards the dungeons, towards dying Francis. “Just a little further,” Florence said when we entered the wicked room.
I leaned on the wall, sliding down when Florence rushed towards my friends.
Roxanne and Gabriel sat beside Francis’ limp body. Jars of differently colored medicine covered the floor.
“I’ve never done this by myself.” Roxanne’s eyes filled with tears as she pulled the dagger from Francis’ wound. “I’ve never done this by myself,” she said again and again when her hands reached for the medicine.
“You can do this!” Florence’s voice turned harsh as she passed the jar to her beloved.
A sound I’d never heard Francis make erupted in the room when the medicine met his flesh. His eyes flew open when another roar escaped him—
My eyelids heavied at the sounds of his cries. The emptiness took over my weak mind—
The darkness had won.
My sweet dream shattered at once when my eyes fluttered open.
The familiar space spun as my vision adjusted to the candlelight in the corner of the room in Gabriel’s house.
I forced a deep breath in that welcomed the nausea anew. A quiet groan escaped my lips when I willed my body to a seated position from the woolen blankets on the floor. Every bone in my body screamed in protest.
“Princess?” The familiar voice echoed through the small room, forcing my eyes into its direction.
“Francis,” I rasped when my eyes landed on the one I’d thought I would never see again. He dropped the book in his hands, rushing to where I sat. “Francis,” I mumbled when he sat beside me. His hands reached for my face, his eyes searching mine.
“Francis,” I whispered as tears slid down my cheeks. My hands brought him closer until my lips landed atop his.
His lips felt divine against mine; my hands wrapped around him, deepening our connection.
I kissed him with everything I had, praying to all who heard me for this delight to never end. Hot tears streamed down my face as I drowned in his strong hands. The tears didn’t stop when I broke away, for my eyes longed for proof of his presence.
“You are alive.” I carefully studied his features. “I was so worried,” my voice turned hoarse. “I was so worried that I would never see you again.” The memories of what had happened slowly returned to me, willing my gaze to Francis’ stomach. “Your wound—”
“Shh, it’s all right, love. I am all right.” He petted my hair, planting a tender kiss on my forehead. “You should lay back down, you are still recovering.”
“Don’t leave me,” I cried at the sound of his voice. “Please, don’t leave me.” I caught his hand, bringing it to my cheek.
“Never.” He brought me closer, enveloping me in his embrace. More tears escaped my eyes.
“I was so worried,” I mumbled against his neck; my hands clenched on the collar of his shirt as though my life depended on it.
“Shh.” His hands tightened around me, shielding me from the world.
“I love you, Francis.” I broke away from the embrace slightly, meeting his gaze. “I love you too.”
“I love you,” he whispered back, a lazy smile stretching his lips before a sigh pushed past them. “Everything is well now.”
I moved closer to him as a dull pain traveled up my thigh. My brows furrowed when my eyes landed on my injury.
“Florence tells me you were stabbed with Royal steel.” Francis helped me lay back down. “She arrived moments before the poison reached your heart.” Pain crossed Francis’ face when he glanced at the bleeding fabric around my thigh.
“Florence saved me.” The memories of the last fight invaded my mind. Caleb’s dying eyes froze in my thoughts.
“She did.” Francis nodded; his eyes filling with relief. “You should rest some more, love. A wound like that takes time to heal.” He wrapped his hand around mine. “But you will be all right. And I will be right here with you.” Francis wiped the tears off my face.
“I love you, Francis,” I whispered, closing my eyes against his touch.
Francis’ hand palmed my cheek, his thumb stroking my skin as he whispered, “For I’m a fool without your presence,
For I’m a fool without your heart.
Your mere glance—is my essence,
Your mere glance—an arrow’s shot.” He planted a kiss on my forehead when the door to the room opened.
“Cordelia!” Florence rushed towards us, her hands wrapping around my neck in a tight embrace. “You’re alive,” she whispered when I returned the gesture.
“Because of you.” I tightened my hands around her. “You saved my life.”
“You saved all of our lives.” Florence pulled away, the sunshine smile was back on her face.
“Are you injured?” The memory of when I’d seen her last came back to me: covered in blood from head to toe, she’d sat beside me, trying to save my life. “Caleb said you were in danger.”
“Danger?” She scoffed. “Two Wurdulacs tried to attack me when I left for the horses. One of them was almost able to escape.” A soft—dangerous—smile decorated her face.
“What about you?” I glanced at Roxanne, who stood at the threshold of the room. “And Gabriel?”
“We are well, Cordelia.” Roxanne walked into the room, settling on the floor beside us.
“It’s from Gabriel.” She offered the piece of parchment to me.
At my furrowed brows she added, “He left for Silverstone a few days ago to share the news about Kane.” Pride shone in her eyes when she looked at me. “Silverstone still stands. It’s over.”
I opened the parchment as my eyes scanned the contents.
The portcullis worked. The Wurdulacs no longer live. We won. Gabriel.
“No more war.” A slow smile stretched on my lips as I reread the letter again and again, the realization settling deep in my soul.
“No more war,” Roxanne nodded, pulling me into her embrace.