bite the inside of my bottom lip and give her a nod, walking up the beach to the castle so that I can say my final goodbyes. My sisters have spent all morning picking flowers from the garden to decorate around their bodies but insisted I keep Tobias’s gun and Dagen’s dagger. Isolde agreed to shoot the arrow to light the ship on fire because I was afraid I’d miss.
I knew I’d miss because I won’t be able to keep myself together.
Not seeing either of them since the day they took their last breath, I readied myself to see them one last time. Rohana informs me that everything is ready in the large study, where it was quaint and quiet, telling me to take my time as they wait for me outside.
Striding slowly through the large foyer, I turn to my right, focusing on each inhale and exhale.
I’m not sure I can do this.
I don’t think I’m strong enough to see the both of them lying together knowing that I did what they wanted me to do. But also that I wouldn’t be able to tell them that their sacrifice wasn’t for nothing. The emptiness is too great, but to honor them both, I need to.
One last goodbye.
One last kiss to their foreheads.
One last conversation.
About to turn down the short hallway that Father uses when he’s here, I slam into another body. Hands grip my arms so that I don’t fall over, and when I glance up to tell whoever it is that I’m okay, my heart stops altogether.
“Hey Princess.” Brown eyes gleam down at me, full of admiration and relief, as I blink twice to make sure I haven’t fully lost my whole mind during the last minute I was left alone.
A heavy exhale leaves my lips. “Tobias?”
“Yeah, it’s me.” I jolt into the few inches between us and slam my chest into his, wrapping my arms around his waist as I cling to him for dear life.
His body is warm, feeling completely real and not made up in my head. His voice is that mellow tone that he has, always teasing and calm. And his face—
My head jerks to it, examining his temple where I hovered the gun over. “Oh my, your head.”
I reach for it, not seeing any holes or blood, but Tobias clasps my hand and wraps his fingers around my palm. “I’m fine, I promise. Good as new.”
“You’re a ghost.”
He smiles. “Not a ghost.”
“I’ve read about this, you’re back to haunt me because—”
“Davina, I’m not a blasted ghost.” He raises his brows. “You’re touching me, aren’t you?”
“I think I was thrown in the water too hard,” I deadpan.
His eyes narrow. “Would love to hear that story later but still not a ghost.”
I squeeze his hand, feeling the rough calluses on the pads of his fingertips. “You’re real.”
“I’m real, Princess.” I hug him again, tighter this time, as a sob that has been struggling to be released does. “Please don’t cry.”
“You don’t even know,” I choke out into his chest. “How...hard it was.”
He brushes my hair with his hand. “I can only imagine.”
“I missed you so much. I blamed myself for—”
“Hey.” He pulls me from the warmth of his body and forces me to look up at him with a crook of his finger under my jaw. “I told you already. We both chose to do this. We both chose…” He stops, averting his eyes from me as he stares off into the foyer behind me.
He doesn’t have to say it, I already know because I know my sisters and I know my father. I know that they’d pick Tobias over Dagen because he was the safer option, not that they didn’t grow to like Dagen but because Tobias has been in my life far longer. He knew me and how much of a pain I was. That he’d always be here, no matter what.
But it still twists that vital organ with the realization that Dagen isn’t here.
“I’m sorry,” Tobias utters, releasing my jaw and tucking his chin into his chest. “I know it probably wasn’t—”
“Don’t you dare say it,” I scold. Taking both of his hands in mine, I lace my fingers with his. “I would never choose him over you or vice versa. No offense, but I didn’t pick either of you.”
“That makes me feel better,” he mutters.
“Tobias,” I coo. “You can’t begin to know how much I missed you. I am so happy to see you...it doesn’t feel real.”
“I think I know.” He