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I didn’t name the feeling that welled in my chest. Staring at his corpse, I couldn’t bear to.
Physically, I was as still as Walker. Drained of energy, my body felt disconnected from the emotions that clenched my heart. It was as if it had broken so terribly, my body knew the organ would never be righted. My body would have to learn to make do without it.
With shaking hands, I brushed his hair out of his eyes, which remained closed under my touch. Slowly, my hand traveled over the smooth planes of his face to his throat.
“You stupid boy,” I whispered.
It was still warm, but nothing fluttered under my touch.
Then, I felt it.
A flicker of life emanated from him. As I pushed magic into his veins to be sure of what I sensed, my heart sprang back to life. It wasn’t just warmth that his body still held.
His spirit hadn’t gone to the Beyond yet.
I gasped.
My mother always said that everything left its print on the world. It was why powerful spells left behind reverberations. Nothing could come into and out of existence without leaving a print, unless its spirit or life force was truly gone.
Life was the one element of the world witches were taught to leave be.
For the first time, it felt like such a terrible, silly rule. Faced with Walker’s death, my kind’s most sacred law was whittled down to a brittle obstacle.
What good does a rule do the world if Walker isn’t in that world?
And besides that, he wanted to live. His spirit still clung to this realm. This was what had driven me to cling to the remnants of magic. I couldn’t save my mother or the other fallen witches, but I could save him.
“Freya,” Gloria chided. “Let him go, child. His time here is done.”
I glanced back at her. Her brows were furrowed in worry.
Stupid, senseless hope swelled in my chest.
“You feel it too,” I said. “He’s not gone—not yet.”
The rest of my coven gathered closer and shifted uncomfortably. The wolves—possible witnesses—remained absent.
“What do you mean?” Cadence whispered.
She lifted her head and her bloodshot eyes met mine. Desperation lined her face, and she crawled to where I knelt.
“If he’s not gone,” she said and swallowed tears, “then save him!”
His heart no longer beat in his chest. Every second wasted was a step further from bringing him back. It was likely already too late.
Even if it does work, he might kill me for doing it.
“Freya,” Gloria snapped. “You can’t.”
Cadence refused to tear her gaze from mine, but I couldn’t stand its weight. I looked at Walker, who lay so, so still. He didn’t crack a smile or nervously run a hand through his hair. He didn’t offer any goofy compliments or trade insults. He couldn’t even open his eyes, which I’d grown to find beautiful. Not just because of their sky blue color, but because they looked at me like I was the most captivating thing they’d ever seen.
Walker, who was so painfully human, yet more alive than any immortal who’d crossed my path.
Walker, who’d died for me.
“He’s the only reason we still stand here.” I rose to my feet. “His fate was sealed by a member of our coven. Our responsibility. A life-debt is owed.”
I met the gazes of the Elders with unflinching certainty. This was the right thing to do. It was the only thing to do.
