Ardala was crouched by his side, uncaring of the spreading pool of blood. His blood, her love’s blood, given to save Faerie. She felt it when he went limp and looked up, panicked, at her father. “He saved us, saved all of us, where are the healers?”

“They are coming, my darling.” He tugged her to her feet and into his arms. “They will be here soon.”

He let out a horrible cough and seized against the blood in his chest, She went back to her knees, ...