Page 116 of Elysian

His sobbing continued. I crouched, resting my bleeding hand on the floor. The blood line was easier to see from lower. Now I knew which direction to go.

“My lord!” I shouted.

He finally lifted his head, piercing me with glazed eyes and streaks of tears down his face. “I do not like when you call me that.” It was faint, almost as if admitting a secret.

“Will you do something for me?”

His eyebrows furrowed, face still pained. “Anything.”

“Stand up and follow me.” I pushed to my feet and held my hand out. He looked at it, then my face. Cautiously, he reached out, placed his oversized hand in mine, and stood.

I pulled him in the direction of the blood line. We walked for a bit.

“Will you love me?” His question was infused with uncertainty.

I squeezed his hand, and he held it harder.

Peering back at him, I found tears still streaming down his face. The fog ended ahead abruptly, as if something stopped it from spreading further. I stopped right before exiting it and guided Cassiel to the barrier. Reaching up, I clasped his face. He leaned into my touch. I rubbed my thumb over the hollow of his cheek.

“Take twenty steps backward,” I ordered. “Can you do that for me?”

He nodded, rubbing his face into my hand.

I drew back, and he began to walk backward, crossing the barrier. The milky sheen over his eyes disappeared, and he blinked quickly. He grasped his temples.

“Stay. I have to get the others,” I called.

He turned his head side to side. “Amara?”

I did not think he could see me. I turned and ran the way I had come, following the blood. Grief and anger battled with each other, attempting to swell out from inside me.

Thoughts of Piper came unbidden. Tears drenched my face, but I continued forward, slicing my arm when I could feel it overtaking me.

Archer, Liadan, and Jude lay on their sides, shivering. They were all an arm’s length away from each other. I ran to Liadan and grabbed his unbroken arm. I shook it.

“I didnae kill her,” he bit out, eyes glazed similar to how Cassiel’s had been. “The bastard Duke framed me for their deaths.”

“I know, Liadan,” I whispered.

I kept coaxing him until he stood. He did not stop arguing his case. He had mentioned at the brothel how he had been set to hang. I managed to get him across the fog with much more ease than Cassiel.

“Get over here,” Cassiel ordered as soon as he saw Liadan come through. He peered behind Cassiel. “Amara, get out of there.”

I ignored him and returned for Jude and Archer. Both mumbled. Archer about Tabby, and Jude cried over Wilem. It was then I discovered they were siblings. My heart shuddered for him. I got them through the veil until we stepped out of the mist.

Cassiel took the blade and seized me, wrapping me in his arms. Sweat beaded on his temple. He looked ragged. As if he had gone through various trials.

“Thank Saints,” he breathed.

I grunted from the force of his hug. “Is everyone okay?” I mumbled.

“We’re all intact,” Archer answered.

“For the most part,” Liadan added with wry cynicism. I pulled out of Cassiel’s arms, and he slid the blade into the sheath attached to the leather. Liadan had bound his arm to his side.

“What the fuck was that?” Jude rubbed the top of his closely shaven head.

Archer and Jude tossed around theories. All things that crossed my mind. All the emotion that being within the fog caused what already lived within me to burst free.