Page 110 of Beauty

My wife is a hero and I was a coward. But no more.

I follow her now.

I shake my head. “No. We go to Aoibhneas. We gather herbrothers and whatever troops we have and then we march.”

Shim stares at me for a moment. “But that leaves her indanger.”

“It leaves her in a place where she can turn the tide.” Idon’t want it. Every cell of my body revolts at the thought, but Bronwynmatters more.

“And if she dies?” Shim asks.

My heart will be a gaping hole. My life will be over. “Thenwe’ll find her through that door Duffy talked about. We found her once. We’llfind her again. But if we don’t let her try this, she won’t be the same womanwe love.”

Shim takes a long breath and holds his hand out, grippingmine. “Then we are in agreement. And Lach, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean it.Alive or dead, I am your brother and I love you. I am grateful to be walkingand loving our wife.”

I stand. The forest around us is quiet now, the soldiersdisappearing with their hag. They found their prize and once it was in hand,none of the rest of us matter.

“Where is Her Highness?” Roan asks.

“Gone.” The word sounds hollow.

Dante’s clothes are torn, covered in blood, though he bearsno mark of his own. It’s easy to see how he healed so quickly. Kaja bears twoholes in her neck. She obviously forced her husband to feed and heal after thebattle. She looks up with tears in her eyes.

“Gone? How?” Kaja asks.

Shim comes to my side. “The hag took her, but Bron wanted togo.”

Dellacourt snarls our direction. “She wanted to be taken?She wanted a hag to cart her back to the very man who had her killed in thefirst place?”

Charlie, the boy from Aoibhneas, walks with an arm aroundeach of his fathers. “I can hear her.”

Shim steps forward. “What do you mean?”

Nate looks down at his son. “He’s stronger now, but maybehis time there is still affecting him.”

I’m not about to put up with that. I was marginalized forfar too long. “No. Listen to him. Let him speak. If he says he hears Bronwyn,then I want to know what she’s saying.”

Charlie looks me in the eye. “She’s not really sayinganything, but she’s feeling. She’s feeling strong and she wants the rest of usto feel strong, too. She’s ready.” Charlie pushes his fathers away a bit so hecan stand on his own. “I’m ready. We’re all going to be ready.”

I nod, my mission clear. To bring the battle to Bronwyn.Like it or not, I am her soldier now.

“Lach, you have to come quick.” Gillian is suddenly at myside. Tears streak down her face. Harry stands behind her, a deep frowncreasing his brow.

Gillian grasps my hand and I allow myself to be pulled as Ilook back at Roan.

“Prepare to move. We’re heading into Aoibhneas. Someone findthat damn phooka. He’ll know a way. He’s herded us to this point. The least hecan do is get us where we need to be.” I follow after Gillian and then my heartnearly breaks.

Duffy.

It’s time. I put it off and put it off and it’s still here.It still found me.

Time to say good-bye.

“He saved me.” Gillian weeps. “He fought so hard, but theykept attacking him. Lach, do something. I should be able to heal that wound.I’ve laid hands on him. I’ve sent him everything I have. Why won’t he heal?”

Tears well in my eyes. “Because the dead don’t heal.”

Shim gasps behind me. “Oh, gods. He died days ago. That’show you knew I was alive. Because Duffy died and you’ve kept him with us.”