Page 163 of Into the Heartless Wood
I cannot save him.
I am undone by his eyes.
They are clear, bright.
He looks at me as if he trusts me.
As if I am not choking the life out of him.
I weep
as
I
kill
him.
But I do not shut my eyes.
I will not look away
in the moment
of his death.
It is all I can give him.
Chapter Sixty-One
OWEN
IWANT TO TELL HER SO MANY THINGS,BUTIDON’T HAVE THEbreath to say them. So I just look at her. I look at her, and will her to understand.
That I don’t blame her.
That I’m glad we had all those nights together under the stars: in the wood, on the wall.
That I hope she will remember me, when I am gone.
Pain swallows me.
I can’t breathe, can’t—
Chapter Sixty-Two
SEREN
HIS SOUL DIMS.
His heart quiets.
Rain and tears blind me.
My mother’s focus wanders from me
enough that I
