happened?”
“I’m so sorry, My Love,” Chloe said, floating down closer to his face. “I suggested you use fairy dust to combat the taint left behind by the wraithkin’s dagger.”
She landed on his chest and sat down, burying her face in her hands.
“I thought I’d lost you, My Love,” she said in his mind. “You died.” She sobbed into her hands, releasing all of her pent-up fear and worry.
“Died?” he mumbled.
She nodded, her face still buried in her hands.
“You haven’t lost me, Little One,” Alexander said without speaking. “I’m right here.”
He glanced around at his surroundings. From the looks of the stone walls, he was somewhere within Blackstone Keep. He’d recognize the seamless, smooth-cut walls and perfectly straight lines of the Keep’s stonework anywhere. He was lying in a big, four-poster bed with a thick, feather mattress and finely woven linen sheets. The room was large with one closed door to his left and an open door leading to a water closet on the wall opposite the bed. To the right was a series of heavy red curtains that looked like they blocked out the light from at least five arched windows. There was a small table in one corner with four chairs pushed in under it and a set of two comfortable, cushioned chairs next to the bed with a small table separating them.
Isabel was curled up in one of the chairs, sleeping.
“We’ve been so worried, My Love,” Chloe said, after she finished sobbing. “You’ve been unconscious for three days.”
Alexander was suddenly alarmed. There was no telling what might have transpired in the three days he was out. He shook his head; it felt like it was full of cotton. He couldn’t quite make his mind work right.
“What happened?”
“You started shaking violently after you used the fairy dust,” Chloe said, and then started crying again. “I almost killed you, My Love. I’m so sorry. Can you ever forgive me?”
Alexander almost laughed. “Chloe, there’s nothing to forgive. You were trying to help me.”
She was sobbing into her hands again. Through his bond with her, he could feel the weight of guilt she had taken upon herself.
“Look at me, Little One.”
She sniffed and looked up at him.
“I love you, Chloe. You didn’t hurt me. The wraithkin did. All you tried to do was help me. I don’t blame you for anything and I hope you won’t blame yourself. You don’t deserve that.”
“You mean it?”
“Every word, Little One.”
She swallowed and sniffed again.
Her mood lightened a bit when Alexander smiled at her.
“Now, tell me what happened.”
“After you used the fairy dust, you fell out of your chair and every muscle in your body spasmed at once. You shook for several minutes. Your heart was racing and you stopped breathing. Your mother said it was because the muscles around your lungs weren’t working right.”
She swallowed hard and looked him in the eye.
“Then your heart stopped. I was so afraid. I can’t lose you, My Love. I can’t.” She started to lose her composure again.
“Hush, you haven’t lost me, Little One. It’s all right. Just tell me what happened next.”
“Isabel used her healing light on you.”
A thrill of fear raced through Alexander. He looked over at Isabel quickly and scrutinized her, then closed his eyes with a feeling of dread when he saw a hint of darkness tangled up in her beautiful colors.
“She’s all right, My Love.”
Alexander shook his head. “No, she’s not. The wraithkin’s taint is infecting her magic.”
“Oh, My Love, I’m so sorry. She said she felt fine.”
Alexander nodded with his eyes closed.
“Her light brought your heartbeat back and healed the cut on your arm.”
Alexander opened his eyes with a frown. “So the fairy dust worked … it just killed me in the bargain.”
Chloe nodded. “Lucky said he thinks the conflict between the fairy dust and the wraithkin’s dark magic unleashes too much power. It caused all of your
“I’m so sorry, My Love,” Chloe said, floating down closer to his face. “I suggested you use fairy dust to combat the taint left behind by the wraithkin’s dagger.”
She landed on his chest and sat down, burying her face in her hands.
“I thought I’d lost you, My Love,” she said in his mind. “You died.” She sobbed into her hands, releasing all of her pent-up fear and worry.
“Died?” he mumbled.
She nodded, her face still buried in her hands.
“You haven’t lost me, Little One,” Alexander said without speaking. “I’m right here.”
He glanced around at his surroundings. From the looks of the stone walls, he was somewhere within Blackstone Keep. He’d recognize the seamless, smooth-cut walls and perfectly straight lines of the Keep’s stonework anywhere. He was lying in a big, four-poster bed with a thick, feather mattress and finely woven linen sheets. The room was large with one closed door to his left and an open door leading to a water closet on the wall opposite the bed. To the right was a series of heavy red curtains that looked like they blocked out the light from at least five arched windows. There was a small table in one corner with four chairs pushed in under it and a set of two comfortable, cushioned chairs next to the bed with a small table separating them.
Isabel was curled up in one of the chairs, sleeping.
“We’ve been so worried, My Love,” Chloe said, after she finished sobbing. “You’ve been unconscious for three days.”
Alexander was suddenly alarmed. There was no telling what might have transpired in the three days he was out. He shook his head; it felt like it was full of cotton. He couldn’t quite make his mind work right.
“What happened?”
“You started shaking violently after you used the fairy dust,” Chloe said, and then started crying again. “I almost killed you, My Love. I’m so sorry. Can you ever forgive me?”
Alexander almost laughed. “Chloe, there’s nothing to forgive. You were trying to help me.”
She was sobbing into her hands again. Through his bond with her, he could feel the weight of guilt she had taken upon herself.
“Look at me, Little One.”
She sniffed and looked up at him.
“I love you, Chloe. You didn’t hurt me. The wraithkin did. All you tried to do was help me. I don’t blame you for anything and I hope you won’t blame yourself. You don’t deserve that.”
“You mean it?”
“Every word, Little One.”
She swallowed and sniffed again.
Her mood lightened a bit when Alexander smiled at her.
“Now, tell me what happened.”
“After you used the fairy dust, you fell out of your chair and every muscle in your body spasmed at once. You shook for several minutes. Your heart was racing and you stopped breathing. Your mother said it was because the muscles around your lungs weren’t working right.”
She swallowed hard and looked him in the eye.
“Then your heart stopped. I was so afraid. I can’t lose you, My Love. I can’t.” She started to lose her composure again.
“Hush, you haven’t lost me, Little One. It’s all right. Just tell me what happened next.”
“Isabel used her healing light on you.”
A thrill of fear raced through Alexander. He looked over at Isabel quickly and scrutinized her, then closed his eyes with a feeling of dread when he saw a hint of darkness tangled up in her beautiful colors.
“She’s all right, My Love.”
Alexander shook his head. “No, she’s not. The wraithkin’s taint is infecting her magic.”
“Oh, My Love, I’m so sorry. She said she felt fine.”
Alexander nodded with his eyes closed.
“Her light brought your heartbeat back and healed the cut on your arm.”
Alexander opened his eyes with a frown. “So the fairy dust worked … it just killed me in the bargain.”
Chloe nodded. “Lucky said he thinks the conflict between the fairy dust and the wraithkin’s dark magic unleashes too much power. It caused all of your
Similar Books
