It falls, slowly—
Then cracks open. Its yolk emerges, in sync with the sun rising from the horizon.
“The full egg represented the moon,” she whispers. “The yolk is the sun.”
She turns to me, and her eyes—
They are brighter than anything I’ve seen, even sunrise.
“That’s it,” she says. “That’s the heart.”
There it is. Right in front of me.
I smile, then sweep her off her feet before I can think better of it. We both laugh as I spin her around. Then, I shake my head. I reach over to straighten my crown, thinking it looks far better on her than it does on me.
Thinking I’ll give her my crown, my heart, or anything else she might want.
“Go ahead, Wildling,” I say. “Get our heart.”
She smiles and turns toward the nest. The bird screeches in celebration. I lean as far forward as I can without the light burning me, watching her in awe. In admiration. We did it.
She did it.
It happens so quickly.
One moment, she’s gripping the heart of Lightlark in her hand. Gold is shining through her fingers.
The next, an arrow pierces her heart.
A sound of pure agony tears through my chest. It shakes the island. It shakes theworld.
The forest is aflame in a moment. The Vinderland have come for their revenge—for their blood—and now, they are ash.
I don’t even look at them.
I look at her, now on her knees. Choking her last breaths.
No.
No.
I roar, reaching toward her, forgetting the curse, forgetting everything but her. The moment my hand leaves the cave, my skin splits open, but I don’t care.I’ll reach for her until it kills me, I think.
But I don’t have to. Suddenly, someone appears.
Grim.
For the first time in centuries, I am relieved to see him. Because now, I’m positive he cares about her. I see it in his devastation as he takes in her injury. He won’t let her die.
“Please,” I say, willing to beg him for this. Willing to do anything if he’ll save her.
He seems shocked at the desperation in my voice, on my face, but his own agony overwhelms it. He takes Isla in his arms. She goes still.
Then he does the impossible—
He vanishes.
And not just invisible. No, somehow ... somehow, I felt Isla. Now I don’t. Somehow, I know that he’s gone somewhere else.
