said.
She took
a swift inhale of breath which was quickly cut off and choked by what she knew
had to be blood in her lungs. Maitagarri. Only Waleron called her that. It was
him, yet believing that Waleron was next to her was—
“I am
here, baby.”
Oh
god, it was him.
Tears
that had dried and evaporated hours ago began to stream down her face washing
away the dirt and leaving clean lines of skin visible. She felt Waleron’s
fingers pacifying her with a gentle stroke across her temple. “Be calm, baby.
Stay still and all will be well.”
She
groaned, half with pain and half with delusion, afraid he would disappear along
with his touch, his voice. To believe and then have that belief ripped away
again before she died would be the ultimate torture.
“How?
How could he do this to you?” His voice was deeper as the words tumbled from
him as though he could no longer hold them back. “God, Delara. If you had
died...” he paused sucking in gulps of air then started again, “Please I beg of
you, live. Hold on for me, baby. Zurina is coming.” He brushed back the hair
along her brow and she felt particles of dried blood sprinkle over her face
which he carefully blew away.
“No one
will ever harm you again, I swear this to you.” She knew he was making his
words an oath to himself as well as the Goddess he served. “I swear to you for
all that I am, all that I am left, that I will protect you for as long as I
walk this Earth.”
Waleron
tucked his jacket in beneath her chin, his hand lingering on her jawline,
tracing what she guessed were bruises. Delara felt warmth radiating from his
closeness, the energy of authority sifting across her skin, and with a sigh of
relief she closed her eyes with bliss.
“Waleron,”
she murmured when his hand drew back. “How...are you...?” She coughed again and
blood spurted from her parted lips, dripping down her chin. She thought she
heard him curse then felt a rough cloth on her face as he wiped it. “What
happened—”
He
placed his finger on her lips silencing her from talking. “Do not speak, Maitagarri.
Please.” She coughed again and she knew from the amount of blood and her deep
wheezing that it wouldn’t be long. She felt his hand on her head curl into a
fist then quickly relax again before he softly stroked her hair. “I will never
let you go. Understand me.” His voice grew deeper and stronger as if he was
speaking not to her but to someone much more powerful than they both were. “You
will not die.”
But, she
was dying. There was no doubt with coughing up so much blood. Relief. Sweet
liberation from this pain. She was saddened to leave Waleron again, but maybe
this was all a dream anyway.
“No!”
His voice raised and he put his scarred thumb under her chin. She focused on
his eyes and she thought she saw...anxiety. He looked scared, something she’d
never seen in those blue eyes of his. “You will not die. I will not let you.”
“So...long...you
left. I was so...alone.” She tried to whisper the words, but it came out broken
and harsh. “Cold... I’m…” She coughed and swallowed the bitter iron taste of
blood several times. “So cold Waleron.” Her vision faded and she took a haggard
breath then coughed again.
She
thought she heard him curse once more, but Waleron never swore. His hand
lightly caressed her hair as if he was afraid of hurting her further.
“Maitagarri.”
A
burning sensation started in her lungs, suffocating and painful. Death was
calling and she had nothing left to fight it nor did she want to. She could die
in peace now. He had come. Waleron. The man she loved with all her heart.
Whether her imagination or not, it didn’t matter as long as she died like
this—in his arms.
She
closed her eyes and let go to the heavens that were calling to her.
“No!” he
roared. “No, god damn it. You will live. You will not leave. Do you understand
me? Fight, baby. Fight and I swear I will find a way to protect you for
She took
a swift inhale of breath which was quickly cut off and choked by what she knew
had to be blood in her lungs. Maitagarri. Only Waleron called her that. It was
him, yet believing that Waleron was next to her was—
“I am
here, baby.”
Oh
god, it was him.
Tears
that had dried and evaporated hours ago began to stream down her face washing
away the dirt and leaving clean lines of skin visible. She felt Waleron’s
fingers pacifying her with a gentle stroke across her temple. “Be calm, baby.
Stay still and all will be well.”
She
groaned, half with pain and half with delusion, afraid he would disappear along
with his touch, his voice. To believe and then have that belief ripped away
again before she died would be the ultimate torture.
“How?
How could he do this to you?” His voice was deeper as the words tumbled from
him as though he could no longer hold them back. “God, Delara. If you had
died...” he paused sucking in gulps of air then started again, “Please I beg of
you, live. Hold on for me, baby. Zurina is coming.” He brushed back the hair
along her brow and she felt particles of dried blood sprinkle over her face
which he carefully blew away.
“No one
will ever harm you again, I swear this to you.” She knew he was making his
words an oath to himself as well as the Goddess he served. “I swear to you for
all that I am, all that I am left, that I will protect you for as long as I
walk this Earth.”
Waleron
tucked his jacket in beneath her chin, his hand lingering on her jawline,
tracing what she guessed were bruises. Delara felt warmth radiating from his
closeness, the energy of authority sifting across her skin, and with a sigh of
relief she closed her eyes with bliss.
“Waleron,”
she murmured when his hand drew back. “How...are you...?” She coughed again and
blood spurted from her parted lips, dripping down her chin. She thought she
heard him curse then felt a rough cloth on her face as he wiped it. “What
happened—”
He
placed his finger on her lips silencing her from talking. “Do not speak, Maitagarri.
Please.” She coughed again and she knew from the amount of blood and her deep
wheezing that it wouldn’t be long. She felt his hand on her head curl into a
fist then quickly relax again before he softly stroked her hair. “I will never
let you go. Understand me.” His voice grew deeper and stronger as if he was
speaking not to her but to someone much more powerful than they both were. “You
will not die.”
But, she
was dying. There was no doubt with coughing up so much blood. Relief. Sweet
liberation from this pain. She was saddened to leave Waleron again, but maybe
this was all a dream anyway.
“No!”
His voice raised and he put his scarred thumb under her chin. She focused on
his eyes and she thought she saw...anxiety. He looked scared, something she’d
never seen in those blue eyes of his. “You will not die. I will not let you.”
“So...long...you
left. I was so...alone.” She tried to whisper the words, but it came out broken
and harsh. “Cold... I’m…” She coughed and swallowed the bitter iron taste of
blood several times. “So cold Waleron.” Her vision faded and she took a haggard
breath then coughed again.
She
thought she heard him curse once more, but Waleron never swore. His hand
lightly caressed her hair as if he was afraid of hurting her further.
“Maitagarri.”
A
burning sensation started in her lungs, suffocating and painful. Death was
calling and she had nothing left to fight it nor did she want to. She could die
in peace now. He had come. Waleron. The man she loved with all her heart.
Whether her imagination or not, it didn’t matter as long as she died like
this—in his arms.
She
closed her eyes and let go to the heavens that were calling to her.
“No!” he
roared. “No, god damn it. You will live. You will not leave. Do you understand
me? Fight, baby. Fight and I swear I will find a way to protect you for
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