Page 187 of The Last Guardian

My focus drifted as small crystalline shards formed around me, slowly, one by one, taking form…

“I have this power for a reason,” Mother said to someone, her sobs mixing with her words as she fixed her gaze on something in the trees. “I need to balance everything. Let me heal her. I can’t…” she stopped, closing her eyes. “I can’t live in a world where she isn’t,” she whispered, her tears flowing down on me.

A small dove landed in front of her, gazing at her, as if it wanted to help. Mother looked at it, nodding as if she somehow understood the bird.

Her fingers gently caressed every part of my face, from the shape of my eyes to the tip of my chin, her brown eyes filled with grief as she pulled her face closer, resting her forehead on mine once more.

“I love you so much, Alyana. So much…” Her sobs escaped her throat, her tears flowing onto her cheeks, onto mine. “My sweet darling, my little girl—” Her breath broke. “I wish—I wish I had more time to guide you through all of this. I need you to keep this light inside your heart—” Her face contorted in pain. She broke down. “Don’t forget to love. To smile. To laugh.”

She pulled away slightly, looking at my face, stroking my hair, and I longed to feel the warmth of her hand.

“Oh, I can’t bear the last image I have of you,” she whispered, shaking her head, “without your light shining in the world. Even if I’m not here, you must live your life without fear. With all the love you have in your heart. Please…”

She ran her fingers across my cheek, capturing a memory, an essence. At last, she looked at the dove.

“Do it. Make her forget it all; she can’t survive if she remembers,” she said, her body trembled.

The crystal shards vanished before my eyes, my vision became blurry once more.

The last thing I heard was my mother’s voice, whispering a final prayer into the darkness and the light of the world: “Through life, through death, we shall all love. Through stars and embers, we all shall fall.”

The world disappeared, leaving behind only despair. Only grief.

Nothing but a void.

I FELT EMPTY, like a deep black hole, and nothing could ever fill that void.

My heart stopped in my chest, split into millions of little shards, and my breath…

Breathing was impossible. The entire world was pressing down on me, completely overwhelming me.

She died because of me.

Because of me. Because of me. Because of me. Because of me.

My heart shattered. Burned.

“Oh, you’re such a petty secret-keeper, Assassin,” Haedeon said, turning to Zaid.

It was pure shock that crossed Zaid’s face when our eyes met at last.

All I could think about was my mother. Her death. I should have been dead. I should have stayed dead. Why did she bring me back?

It was as if I was the one who had plunged the knife into her chest. I couldn’t concentrate on anything but the last image of her…

“How?” Zaid growled, his teeth grinding. Hatred burned in his eyes as he struggled to free himself from the blood ropes.

Did they still burn him? I couldn’t feel it anymore… I couldn’t feel anything.

Haedeon smirked, his thin lips curling into a wicked grin. “Thanks to the one and only true God, of course,” Haedeon announced, placing two fingers on his head before resting them over his heart, like a… prayer? “Your father has always been a good disciple. Of course, the Deathly Father welcomes him with the life of his favorite son. Brazen has been a good disciple.”

Favorite son—Brazen.

Zaid’s brother.

His brother, who had died so long ago. Long before my mother…

“Necromancy?” Zaid’s gaze dropped to the ground. “It’s impossible.”