that, can’t you?”
He nods.
“I don’t want to be evil. I don’t want to hurt anyone.” The words I need to say are lodged in my throat. “When the time comes, will you…” I blink and try to keep my tears at bay, but it doesn’t do much good. They escape and run down my face.
Ryker places two fingers under my chin and brings my face up so that our eyes lock. He places his left hand over his chest. “On my honor, when I deem it necessary, I will end your life.”
26
Rain drizzles on me as I climb the hills of the Presidio. Dawson and Oliver weren’t happy when I asked to go for a walk, but I need to clear my mind.
I don’t shuffle my feet or hang my head. There’s no deep feeling of horror or even fear. And yet sometime soon, I will be dead.
It’s a strange thing, knowing I will die before long. Time simultaneously slows down, each minute captured with perfect clarity by my mind, and then speeds up, the minutes ticking more like seconds, and there aren’t enough of them.
Since finding out I’m a witch, I’ve thought constantly of Beck’s death, but very little of mine. It was as if we’d both assumed he’d do the honorable thing and let me kill him, leaving evil, wicked me behind.
But here’s the thing: Dark witches can die. And we do. Caitlin did. As did her daughter, and my grandmother. They’re all long gone. The Dark magic doesn’t make us immortal, only dangerous.
Through all this, one thing’s become clear: I’d rather die than lose myself and destroy Beck in the process.
His face flits through my mind as I skirt a puddle and the urge to reach out to him consumes me. The more I think of him, the more I want to be with him. It’s like swimming in a flood—I can’t stop without fear of drowning.
And I will drown in Beck. My body craves him.
As we near the school, the rich, earthy smell of Spring fills my nose and I inhale deeply. I’ve always loved this time of year, when slivers of green push their way skyward and the birds return. And while the days are still short, they grow warmer, but not too hot.
This may be the last time I experience a perfect day. Perhaps these are last breaths I take.
Ryker swears he will do it quickly and without warning.
In the distance, the greenhouses sit nestled in the glen. Students sprint between them and the main building. What I wouldn’t give to go back in time. Everything was simple and my biggest worry was passing my assessment.
Dawson pauses at the gate of the barrier dividing the Presidio from the City and waits for the gate guard to wave us through.
Tiny rivers flow down the hill, washing away rocks and mud. Sunlight glints off their surface and the water glimmers.
I smile. At least there’s still beauty in the world.
Dawson motions to us, and Oliver and I follow him into the bustling City beyond the barrier. Mother’s house is just up the hill and our steps shorten as we climb. Men in trench coats and women in clear, flexible rain bubbles cross the street to avoid us. I suppose we look odd without protective gear or bubbles, but I don’t care. The rain feels comforting on my skin.
Mother’s front door is already open. Oliver must have pinged our arrival. The house manager waits for us in the entryway and offers warm towels to dry ourselves with.
I don’t take one. Instead, I run up the stairs two at a time and turn right. Mother agreed to move Eloise here. More for my convenience than sisterly love towards Henry, but she did say keeping them here would allow for better monitoring. I suspect she doesn’t want me visiting without her knowledge.
When I pass my old room, I pause, remembering the way Beck grinned at me as the sun lit him from behind.
A perfect moment.
Oliver beckons me forward and as I get closer to the Eloise’s room, I hear a laugh. It stops me cold and I wrinkle my brow.
It rings out again. A soft, lilting laugh.
My lips turn into a wide smile and I sprint the rest of the distance.
“You’re—”
“Awake,” Eloise finishes for me.
She’s sitting in an oversized chair with a plush throw across her lap. Other than sallow skin and slightly sunken eyes, she looks fine.
Alive. Eloise is alive.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me?” I ask Henry.
He runs his