the awlya had made. Her dark eyes showed terror, as if she feared Stefan wouldn’t survive.
“The dragon stone, Irena,” Stefan gasped. “Retrieve it.”
Delmare staggered to her feet and rushed to the silver box. She tried to open it, but the lid wouldn’t budge.
“I can’t!” Delmare said. “It won’t open!”
She passed the box around. I figured it had a key or something, but no such lock existed on the box. Emma tried to force the box open to no avail. When she passed it off to Kiara, she observed it carefully, before Alexei spoke. “It’s got an enchantment on it. You guys didn’t pass the test.”
“What?” Delmare yelped. “But we defeated the awlya! We showed we were brave!”
“Alexei’s right. Something’s wrong,” Kiara said with a frown. “Whatever the task was, you didn’t do what you were supposed to.”
Delmare’s lip trembled. Stefan coughed and said, “Oh, well. We gave it a good run.”
“Don’t say things like that!” Delmare snapped. She pushed at Stefan’s side. “Get up!”
Stefan moaned. The blood was still rushing out, causing a metallic smell to fill my nostrils. “We have to stop the bleeding,” I said. “If we don’t, things aren’t looking good.”
Delmare’s eyes flashed. “I’ll close his wound, like I closed mine.” Battle magic bloomed in her hand. She kneeled by Stefan’s side, not caring about the blood, letting it soak into her dress. She moved her hand forward to cauterize the wound.
“Stop,” Stefan said, and Delmare halted. “Don’t.”
“What are you talking about, you stupid prat?” Delmare asked. “I’m trying to save your life!”
Stefan’s eyes darkened as his breathing became shallow. “If I’m not the one for you, Irena, let me die. Because I swear, a life without you is one hardly worth living.”
“Don’t say things like that.” Her voice cracked as her lip trembled. “You’ll be fine.”
“I want to hear you say the words,” he begged. “Just in case this doesn’t work.”
“It’s going to work. It has to,” Delmare said. Without hesitating, she moved her magic over the cut. Stefan let out a deep bellow as her magic sealed the wound, burning the edges together.
After Delmare closed the wound, Stefan took a shallow breath. His body relaxed, sinking into the earth. His eyes shut and a death rattle formed in his throat, causing a bolt of fear to shoot through me.
“No!” Delmare pushed at his shoulder again, though Stefan didn’t rise. “Get up! You have to get up!”
Stefan didn’t respond. Delmare’s eyes filled with tears. She threw herself against Stefan, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Come back,” she whispered. “Please.”
I was too shocked to speak. This couldn’t be real. Could my best friend have really...
Alexei and Kiara were both weeping, overwhelmed by the emotions of the situation. Odette had her hands over her mouth in shock, while Theo observed the scene in disbelief. Emma had fallen to her knees, an expression of grief for her friend shadowed across her face.
“Don’t leave me,” Delmare cried. Stefan didn’t respond.
In a low whisper, she added, “I love you.”
I heard a click— the box at Delmare’s feet opened. Her eyes widened. She reached for the box and pulled it onto her lap. She withdrew a thin silver dagger, a red ruby glistening at the end of the hilt. Delmare held it up in awe, turning it in her hand to observe it with shock.
Delmare glanced at the dagger, then at Stefan. She took a deep breath—
Then plunged the dagger into Stefan’s heart.
Chapter Twenty
Emma
I gasped, and staggered backward. What the hell? Had Delmare just done that? Had she really stabbed Stefan in the heart? Around me, my friends gave similar notes of shock, disbelief radiating from all of our faces.
This couldn’t be real. Delmare wouldn’t end Stefan’s life out of mercy. She’d beg him to keep fighting.
Stefan’s eyes immediately opened wide. He lifted his head as he gave a roar of agony and betrayal. Delmare just gritted her teeth and kept the dagger in Stefan’s chest, focusing with all her might.
I was about to drag her off him, but Ethan grabbed me by the back of my dress with his fangs and held me there. Before our very eyes, the dagger glowed.
It gave off a red sheen, the surrounding area swirling with a ruby vortex. The wound that Delmare had cauterized disappeared, replacing the scar with new scales, mending the tear that the monster had given the dragon.
Slowly, Stefan began to come to. Delmare withdrew the dagger inch by inch, biting her lip in anticipation until the blade was free and