The Darkness Beyond the Stars

Chapter 34: The End

I blinked, and his eyes were blue again. He walked towards me, face white, broken wings dragging behind him.

I twisted, trying to get to him faster. He fell to his knees by me, a knife in one hand. As he cut my bonds, I couldn't tear my eyes from his wings. His beautiful, broken wings.

The ropes fell away, and I clung to him. He wrapped an arm around me, his body shaking. I drew back, cupping his cheek. He watched me, tears running down his cheeks, blue eyes hooded in pain.

Something bled from a corner, leaking into his eye, staining it black. He leaned back, dropping the dagger. "Lilya..."

He gasped, then fell back, clawing at his chest. He tore off his breastplate, then ripped off the shirt underneath. The scar from the jungle was there on his side, livid around the edges, black veins rippling from it across his chest, down his arms. A streak wormed up his neck and across his face. He looked down, then at me, eyes wide. "Run!"

I scrabbled back, trying to get to my feet. 

He threw back his head and screamed.

I stumbled to my feet.

No poison, Morok had said.

They're in my head! I can't get them out!

Something struck me from behind, and I fell. Raon was on top of me, eyes clouded black. He had his hand around my throat. Black spots crowded my vision, and my mouth was open, but no sound came.

Then he leapt back, looking down at his hands as if they weren't his own. "No." He shook his head, but when he looked back at me, a sick grin spread across his face, twisting it almost beyond recognition. He leapt forward, wings dragging behind, grinding my back into the ground. He reached for my throat, and I couldn't scream. I grabbed at him, pulling his face down.

"Raon!" 

He pressed his forearm against my neck.

"You...know me!" I kicked, desperate for him to move. My foot connected with feathers, and he howled and rolled off me. I jumped up, running for the dagger that lay there from when he'd dropped it. The hilt met my hand just as he struck me across the face. I spun, holding the dagger away from me. It grazed something, and Raon fell back. I wiped something dark from my eyes, and watched him, my chest heaving. He looked down at his hands, then back at me. A glimmer of blue was still there. "Kill me!" He yelled, chest heaving, hands open, begging. Tears streamed down his face.

"No!" I sobbed. He backed away.

Then he ran for me. I ducked under his arm, and managed to get one hit in. He swung again, and when I ducked, he ran, tackling me.

We rolled across the ground, his hand around mine, mine around the dagger. Then his other closed around my throat, pinning me down. He wrenched the dagger away, holding it above my chest. I looked up at him, tears streaming from my eyes.

"Raon, you know me, you know me. And..."

He brought the dagger down, and it pierced his own chest.

"No!" I grabbed his hand, but he pulled the dagger out. Hot blood ran over me, and just before he fell, I saw the black bleed out of his eyes like blood from water. 

"Lilya."

I leaned over him, "No, no. Raon, no." I pressed one hand against the wound, trying to stop the blood, but it flowed through my fingers. "No. Why-"

He smiled slightly, reaching a hand up. His fingers brushed my cheek. "I'm so sorry..." His jaw clenched, but only for a moment. "I love.." He drew in a shuddering breath. "You."

I bent down, pressing my lips to his. Then I dropped my forehead to his.

"You'll be fine," I whispered. "I'll fix this, Morok-"

"Shhhh." He took a deep breath.

"No. I love you. This-"

I felt him smile, then his hand fell.

...

Morok found me, still holding onto him. He took me back to the palace, Raon's body over the back of his horse. Isun's as well.

...

I sat on the edge of my bed, hands limp in my lap, unable to move.

Morok was outside.

If I looked closely, I could still see blood under my fingernails.

I closed my eyes as rain began to thunder against the window. Something shifted inside me, and I sobbed.

This all felt wrong. As if they world would reset in a second, and Raon would come walking through the door, and kiss me, and we would go...

No.

I couldn't do this.

I sobbed, and curled over myself, sliding to the floor. There was a whisper of movement, and an arm wrapped around me. I leaned into Morok. His chest shook with silent sobs, but his arm was secure.

Night fell, and I slept.

I told you. Not a happy ending. But....there's something else. Something I didn't know about then...