Chapter 74

Asher’s Point Of View

No!

A growl resonated within my chest as Mason's words filled my mind. I just knew he was lying. He had to be. There was no way Cirilla's death had to be the end of him.

That couldn't be possible. The moon goddess couldn't be so cruel.

I did everything to break out from whatever effect Mason's magic had on me, keeping me frozen. But I couldn't. I could barely feel Ryker anymore and even Azalea's strength had weakened greatly from the fucking veil in the sky, blocking out our powers.

I could neither connect with Cirilla through our mate bond. Instead, I was forced to watch the broken state she was in and witness her pain

I couldn't stop the tears that filled my eyes as her blue eyes moved around and finally fell on mine.

“Don't do this,” I begged. Mason was a lying bastard. There must be another way.

But the look in her eyes was final. She had made up her mind.

No Cirilla!

The words echoed in my head but I couldn't get them out. Suddenly her eyes glowed brightly and there was a powerful outburst of magic from her, weaving through the air as if cleansing every web of darkness that surrounded us. And the effects of Mason's magic on us broke immediately.

Instantly, I zoomed off towards her but everything happened so fucking fast. She had held Mason against her and using her magic, the phoenix blade that had been lost in the heat of battle flew in the air, charging towards them with determination and precision.

I had her. I could almost touch her. Grip her and save her from this fate. I almost did but it was too late. I was too late.

Right before my eyes, I saw the blade pierce through Mason, the stone glowing brightly as it drilled way deeper, and her breathless gasp of pain and the look in her eyes was all it took to make me stop instantly.

“I love you,” She mouthed and I felt her pain through our matebond.

And that was when my world stopped.

I froze completely with my hand in midair. My eyes were unable to break from her and hers held mine with so much pain, sadness, and despair. They held so many words in them.

I love you. I'm sorry.

Words I wished I didn't have to hear. Not like this. I couldn't stop the tears that pushed forth for freedom, and the pain in my heart grew. It kept growing larger, forming an empty hole within me and I felt our bond crack.

Slowly I watched her face turn pale and her eyes began to flutter close, as she stumbled, falling off the cliff.

It felt as though the darkness in the air had suddenly vanished, and Ryker and Azalea emerged in full force, taking control and without hesitating, I jumped in right after her with my wings out.

Screams and wails filled the air behind me, and as she fell into the smokey fog that covered down the cliff. I caught her and pulled her into my arms. She was cold. Brutally cold.

I got her back to the top of the cliff. My green eyes refused to pull away from her pale face as I knelt on the ground, pulling her into my arms.

“Open your eyes,” I muttered, fresh tears blurring my eyes. “Please, princess, open your eyes,” I begged. “No, please you can't leave me. This isn't what you promised. Always and forever, isn't it, please!”

My chest and shoulders rose and fell with every harrowing sob. My hand cupped her tear-stained pale face, stroking her cold, frigid cheek, willing her to wake up. Begging her to snap those eyes open and look at me. Smile at me. And kiss me.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to do something. Anything. But for the first time in my life, I was powerless. Tears streamed down my face as I held my one true love dead in my arms. I clutched her tightly, crying.

From the corners of my eyes, I watched Aunt Davina stagger closer to where we were, and behind her was Uncle Cam. My teary eyes lifted to find hers. There were no single tears or emotions in her eyes. Her face completely paled.

“It's fine. Bring her… Take her back to the quarters. She can't… we'll find a way. There must be a way…” Her heart began to pound excessively. “There’s always a way has to be a way…” She was about to collapse on the ground but Cameron caught her, holding her firmly in his arms as she screamed in pain and anguish. “No!” It was as if every emotion in her was combusted at the same time. Tears marched down her eyes as she held onto him like she was clinging to her very life. His head was buried down. “Our baby can't be dead. This isn't supposed to happen,”

I felt a wicked tightening in my chest as my heart broke into a million pieces and the pain was unbearable. It was suffocating.

I could hear cries and screams from people around but I didn't dare pull my eyes away from her. I couldn't look. I didn't care about them. I didn't care about anything anymore.

I let out the most anguish roar, every piece of me tearing apart. And my soul was in complete ruins. There was no way I was ever going to survive this. Not without her next to me.

*****

Davina's Point Of View

Asher's thundering scream tore through the cracks in the ground, his growl rippling through the trees and into the cloudy sky that was now completely clear of any dark veil, and even Idalak beasts had been destroyed.

I crumbled into Cameron's arms helplessly, watching as Asher held my little girl in his arms, completely broken, not allowing a single soul near her. The sight crushed me. It killed me.

A soul-shattering sob escaped my lips as he picked her up, whispering painful sweet nothings to her, walking through the pathway that had cleared through for him.

Cameron's expression was as cold as ice. His nostrils flared as I could see the tears that threatened to escape but he held them in, clinging onto me tightly.

This was what I feared the most. That moment. That precise moment. I could still see the look of pain and sadness in my little girl's face as they locked with mine.

It broke me. That moment would haunt me for the rest of my life. For the second time, I failed again. I failed to protect her. Everything I had done to prevent this outcome was all for nothing. And in the end, I lost her. I lost my daughter.

I sobbed uncontrollably. The pain in my chest was too much to bear. The blood of over a hundred of our people soaked the earth, forming lumps of puddles.

No. There must be a way. There has to be a way to get her back.

Immediately, I was up from the ground, and with speed, I zoomed off to the witches’ quarters and locked myself up in the underground spell room.

I had to find a way. There had to be something somewhere to bring my little girl back. I couldn't just give up. It was my job to protect both of my kids and I failed. Again.

****

Silently, the day slowly bled into the night. But I was still locked up in the spell room. Now completely numb at heart. I didn't know how I was feeling or what I should be feeling anymore. All I felt was a deep void in my soul. A missing part of my soul that I would never find this time.

My hands flew around my arms as my body couldn't just stop shaking. But I wasn't feeling any cold. It had been hours since I requested I was left alone.

I released a scream, and everything in the room shattered at once.

I collapsed to the floor, uncontrollable tears pouring out of my eyes as I brought my hand to my chest. I didn't know what else to do. I had gone through every damned spell book, even Mother's Grimoire but still nothing. There was absolutely nothing I could do. I was completely helpless. But I just couldn't accept that my little girl was gone. That we had lost her.

A heart-wrenching sob escaped from my lips as I heard the door pull open silently, and from behind I felt Cameron's arms around me, pulling me into his embrace and burying his face into my neck, hot tears escaping them.

It sent a harrowing sob from the depths of my soul, and a new wave of tears burst out and I held onto him like I was clinging on to my very life. And once again the painful reality hit me. My sweet child was dead. She was gone and never coming back. I'd never get to see her smile. See her grow into a beautiful woman. Have her kids.

Once more, fate had robbed me of that.

I broke more in tears and the door slowly jerked open again and lifted my head to see Theo standing at the entrance. His amber eyes filled with tears threatening to fall but he was holding them back.

“It’s time,” He said and Cameron slowly pulled away from me, his eyes finding mine.

“No, we can't…” Another wave of tears broke through the dam and those in Theo's eyes let loose as well as he swallowed the distance between us and I pulled him into a hug, feeling Cameron's arms around us.

The night seemed darker than usual. Lonelier and sadder as we walked through the narrow path that led to the wide field a few walks behind the witches' cemetery.

From afar, I could see many people around, and a lot more scattered throughout the woods, everyone holding a single torch of fire to the night sky.

As we approached the crowd, a pathway was cleared out for us, and with each step I took, I could feel my soul dying all over again. I couldn't do this. I didn't have the courage to see her lifeless body again. I couldn't do it.

I stopped midway as my eyes took in the several coffins that had been placed in the center of the field, from many warriors and pack members that had lost their lives too. And in the center of the disheartening sight, I saw a glimpse of my beautiful angel.

I choked on my sobs, bringing my hand to my mouth in a futile attempt to smother the sounds. My legs weakened and they were about to give out when Cameron's arms held me from my waist pinning him to his body. I gripped hard unto him for support And he began moving, supporting me until we got to her coffin and I collapsed against it, brawling out my eyes.

Her body was utterly cold and her flawless skin pale. The gates of her black full lashes shut forever. And I would never get to see her look at me with those eyes and smile at me.

Goddess, it hurts so much. I would do anything to take her place instead. To give her back life, I would sell my soul if that was the price. But I couldn't handle this devastating pain. It was too unbearable.

With my blurry vision, I watched Gabi and a group of werewolves step out with a circle of mixed species of supernaturals that were members of the pack. They walked around the coffins, placing white roses on every one of them. And afterward, each species of supernaturals stepped out in a group, performing their rites on the deceased, sending them off with the light.

A single tear rolled down from my eyes as Benjamin, Rhona, and Neela marched forward with a circle of witches, and as they rounded the coffins, they kept chanting in our native Creole language of the French quarters.

In the light we meet, and even in death, your spirits remain with us.

I pulled my hand to my chest, sobbing harder.

After the final rites on the coffins were performed, some of the coffins were carried to the packs’ cemetery to get buried while those belonging to the witches were left behind for the final rituals as per the witches’ tradition.

Witches' burials were always different. Instead of burying them, we performed a ritual where the deceased witches were cremated, guiding their souls to the other side while returning their magic to the earth.

They were about to begin the ritual when Cameron pulled his arm away from me.

“Wait,” He scanned the crowd. “Where's Asher?”

His words caused me to lift my head and search around the crowd. Instantly, my eyes shifted to Lyra and then Theo.

“I don't think he'll make it,” Theo said, his eyes falling back towards the coffin.

“He was taken away and binded. He has completely lost it and his demon and wolf have taken over his mind. Daemon, Hendrick, Mitch, and Carter are with him, trying to get Asher to take control,” Gabi answered, and my heart sank.

“He has to be here. He has every right to. We can't proceed with the ritual unless he's here,” Cameron's eyes fell to mine, and he gave Theo a shoulder squeeze before pulling away from us. “I'll be back,”

I nodded and a single tear rolled from the corner of my eyes as he pressed his lips against my forehead. The sadness in his eyes met mine, and together we were drowning in our despair and I don't know how we would ever survive. If we ever do.

I placed my hand over Theo's that took its position on my shoulder and my eyes fell back to Cirilla's pale face, while my other hand fell on her cold ones.

I shut my eyes once again, wallowing in my pain and helplessness.