Page 167 (1/2)

That hy he had looked to the sea He’d known Nesta would land that killing blow the moment he appeared, and the only way to stop it …

A hu to die

Our father was blood-splattered, leaner than the last ti the ears, the Fae grace The power sputtering out in her eyes

The king s an entire ar Cassian’s attention darted through the clearing, sizing up every advantage, every angle

Save hied the Cauldron of my father Help him

The Cauldron did not answer It had no voice, no consciousness save some base need to take back that which had been stolen

The King of Hybern tilted his head to peer at s have changed since you were last hohters, now Fae One of theazed at nored the monster behind him and said to her, "I loved you from the first moment I held you in my arms And I am … I am so sorry, Nesta--my Nesta I a Her only word, guttural and hoarse "Please"

"What will you give me, Nesta Archeron?"

Nesta stared and stared athis head Cassian’s hand twitched, the blade rising Trying to get a good shot

"Will you give back what you took?"

"Yes"

"Even if I have to carve it out of you?"

Our father snarled, "Don’t you lay your filthy hands on hter--"

I heard the crack before I realized what happened

Before I saw the way ht freeze in his eyes

Nestaof Hybern snapped our father’s neck

I began screaing it to stop it--to bring him back, to end it--

Nesta looked down at my father’s body as it cru had predicted … Nesta’s power flickered out

But Cassian’s had not

Arrows of blinding red shot for the King of Hybern, a shield locking around Nesta as Cassian launched hihed and seee in a bit of swordplay … I stared ateyes

Cassian pushed the king away fro Only long enough to hold him off--for Nesta to perhaps run

For ive their lives for But the Cauldron still held me there

Even as I tried to come back to that hill where Amren had betrayed me, had used me for whatever purpose of her own--

Nesta knelt before our father, her face a void She gazed into his still-open eyes

Closed the deeper into the trees His shouts rang out

Nesta leaned forward to press a kiss to our father’s blood-splattered brow

And when she lifted her head …