Page 246 of A Touch of Poison
My lungs heaved and sweat bathed my skin as I fought on, strength sapping. Really bad. I thought I caught a sweet-sharp scent, perfume perhaps or something from the plants in the garden room. Didn’t they say senses grew heightened when you were about to die?
I didn’t have time to die.
I blocked and hacked and slashed, muscles burning, head swimming.
Then the Ascendant I was fighting frowned. One glanced down. I took the opening from her momentary distraction and ran her through.
Her companion’s eyes widened. “What’s…?” He sucked in a strangled gasp and fell.
One by one, they all fell, disappearing in a purple mist that mingled with my shadows.
“Thought you could use a little help.”
That voice.
I spun on my heel.
My goddess. Mere feet away. Savingme.
My weapons clanged to the floor as I closed that distance and pulled her into my arms. “Katherine.” Warm and soft and sweetly poisonous. I breathed her in—narcissus and the freshness of spring, plus the sweet-sharp tang of her magic. “Itwasyou. Are you all right?”
“I was about to ask you the same thing. Sorry, I had to stay out of sight. I can’t focus on anything else when I haze.” She squeezed me, gasping when I couldn’t hold in the grunt of pain. “You’re bleeding.”
“I had noticed.” I tried to smile, but the last of my strength faded, and she had to help lower me to the floor.
“Bastian!” She pulled back my shirt, eyes going wide. “What do I do? How do I—?”
“You can’t.” I caught her fingers and gave a reassuring squeeze. “Take your bow. My other side will be here soon.”
Her chin trembled. “But you’re…”
“Not really.” My fingers tingled and the edges of my vision dimmed.
Eyes gleaming, she shook her head. “It feels real. My heart… it hurts just the same.” She dragged in a long breath and smoothed the hair from my face.
Her skin was so warm, I could’ve soaked it up for the rest of time. “You don’t need to do that… to comfort me.”
“What part ofit feels realdon’t you understand?” Tears tracked through the blood on her cheeks as she planted a kiss to my lips.
“It isn’t real. It isn’t…”
93
Bastian
Ifound her sitting with my dead self’s head in her lap. Her cheeks were soaked, but she had her bow drawn, an arrow trained on me. “Bastian.” She sagged.
“Not the best day to turn on me, love.” I flashed a smile as she lowered her bow. “But if I’m going to die at anyone’s hands, I’d pick yours. Though, for the record, I’d prefer your thighs.”
She made a sound that wasn’t quite a laugh or a sob as I stroked her hair and helped her up. “You may have mentioned that before.” Her gaze lingered on the body. “It doesn’t feel right to leave him.”
“Look away.” I hefted a marble bust from its plinth.
“What are you—?”
I smashed my other self’s head in. “No one can know. This will stop them recognising me.” I stood, shielding her from the sight. “I’ll have to make sure I get hold of the body during the clean-up, though. Here…” I pulled the moth-hilted dagger from his hip and pressed it into her hand. “Had a feeling you might need your weapons. The Wicked Lady doesn’t hide away, even during an attempted coup.”
She strapped the dagger in place. “It’s just Katherine.” She nodded, a crease between her eyebrows. “The Wicked Lady. The ember. It’s all me. It always was. Only… before I couldn’t bring all those parts together. I think now, I’m nearly there.”
