Aedan’s voice strengthened my heart, and I realized I was sleeping.
I crawled toward consciousness, following his voice, until I finally opened my eyes and saw his face—strong, sculpted, but full of tenderness—only inches from mine. “Callista,” hewhispered again, brushing his thumb against my cheek. “It is good to see your beautiful eyes one last time.”
He cradled the entire side of my face with his hand and pressed a kiss into my temple. “Please forgive me for leaving you.”
“What?!” I grabbed his wrist and sat up. I expected him to sit with me, but he fell to the floor. “Where are you going?”
Molanna sniffed. I looked up to see her stifling sobs ten feet away from me, wrapped in Jolter’s arms. Red rimmed both Jolter’s and Koan’s eyes, as if they’d seen something truly tragic. The hall was a mess, but Aedan and I were the only people on the ground. Everyone else was looking at… us.
I turned back to Aedan. His powerful body had fallen spread-eagle next to me. I palmed his heart, looking for a pulse. I found it, not as strong as I’d expect, but still there.
He covered my hand with his, holding it to his chest, and spoke with his eyes closed. “Callista. I pulled the poison out of your body, but I could not destroy it. I took it into mine instead.”
What… What did that mean? He wasn’t telling me that he was dying, was he?
He kept talking, slower and softer than normal. “I know I do not deserve to ask anything of you, but I cannot do this myself, and I cannot think of anyone else better than you. If Robin or Jonan ever make it back, you can pass it on to them, but until then…”
He gripped my hand tighter. “Would you please do one last thing for me, Firehawk?”
Tears bit at the back of my eyes. It certainly sounded like he was dying. And if he had taken that burning pain out of my blood— I brushed rich locks of hair away from his face as my heart stuttered with the realization of what had happened. He’d taken the poison out of my blood and into his. Hewasdying. “Aedan. I’d do anything you ask.”
He smiled. “Firehawk.” He said it accusingly but with so much love and admiration that all I could do was smile back at him.
He reached up to my face, and I leaned closer, letting him touch me more easily. “I already gave you my signet ring. Will you be my people’s queen until one of my cousins—mygoodcousins can get here? The curse will probably end when I am gone, so it won’t be too long. Just… take care of Sirun. Mylo and Fagan will help.”
My voice got stuck halfway up my throat, so I whispered. “Of course.”
“Thank you.” His hand slipped back to clutch mine still on his chest. “Thank you for lighting up my world.” His words staggered, slower, and barely over a whisper. “I will feed your fire and praise the light anew, spare you every pain, ‘til I prove my heart is true. We will burn the world and light the skies we view, Torch every trial, with the pow’r of me and you.”
Memories of him holding me—not so long ago—and sitting next to me and singing and telling me I was a firehawk in the best ways pushed the tears out of the corners of my eyes. “Aedan— You’re not really going to leave me. Not when you know how… How… How much I need you.”
I squeezed his hand. “You’re the strongest person I know,” I whispered while more tears forced their way past my blockades. “You can’t just lay here and die. You can’t… leave.”
His breathing turned ragged, but he pushed out more words. “I won’t… really… leave you. Every… fire. Every… lemon.” I choked out a laugh between tears, remembering when he was so determined to like my lemonade. He smiled back at me again. “Callista… choose… to believe… I will… hold you… again.”
He took a slow breath, and his grip failed. I grabbed his hand with both of mine. He wasn’t gone yet, but—it would be soon.
I refused to look at anyone in the crowd around us. I touched his face. Maybe he still felt it, like I’d felt him while I was asleep. I’d heard him too.
What could I say? I didn’t have any words for the way my heart was ripping apart.
But words came to my mind, words that I’d known for years.
This song hurt even more because we had planned for me to sing it to his rose tree. But perhaps it could bring him a little peace as he left this world.
I started out slower than normal, humming the verses again because I couldn’t form the words. But when I reached the chorus, I had to sing out loud—this was the part he’d found so amazing weeks ago.
Find the strength you need to grow,
Find a gift I offer true—
I clutched his hands and imagined his essence rising somewhere, tall and powerful and full of his kind, protective strength.
Strength and health and happiness—
Find the power inside you.
A white light filled the air around us as I sang. It pierced his body and made smokey steam rise from his skin.
