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AURORA’S POV
I watched in horror as blood gushed out of the wound. It took me a few moments to realize what he had done.
“Why the hell did you do that?” I shouted, making him lay in my lap.
I was about to use my magic to assess him when he held my hands and shook his head.
He gasped for breath and muttered, “I… I have to die…”
“NO! I am so sorry I blamed you earlier… I… I was just angry with myself…I…”
He struggled to get up as he said, “You don’t understand… My soul is linked to The Dark Lord… Till I am alive, he can come back for you… for Tiara…”
I felt like someone had punched me in the gut. I grasped his hand and said in a panicked voice “You don’t have to die… I will find a way to unlink you…”
He groaned in pain and managed to mutter, “It is too late for that… I want you to promise me something…”
I squeezed his hand and said, “I will do whatever you ask, Caleb. Just hang in there.”
“Promise me that you won’t let guilt destroy your life…” He groaned and gripped his chest as a few drops of tears rolled down his eyes.
I wanted to reply but my mouth felt like it was stuffed with sawdust. All I could do was gasp and whimper as pain radiated from my core to all the parts of my body.
He turned to Meredith and said in a strained voice, “I am sorry…I could never give you the happiness you deserved. Find someone who can love you as much as you love me…”
He gasped and said the last few words with a weak smile, “Tiara is my daughter. No one can love her more than me, not her father; not even her mother…”
My heart became numb and my mind became blank as I lost sense of time and space…
TYSON’S POV
When I returned after burning Adam’s body, I was stunned beyond words. Caleb was lying with a dagger in his heart while Aurora was sitting there like a statue, listless and lost.
“Aurora! Aurora!...” I called out to her several times but she didn’t respond. I even tried shaking her but it was useless.
I slit my wrist and placed it near her lips. The blood trickled down her chin but she didn’t drink.
“Aurora… please… look at me, Luv… I just can’t take this anymore…”
Her lack of response was killing me but I was out of my wits. Zarina helped me teleport to our bedroom and then left to check on Tiara. It was important to assess her and ensure that she was fine.
The moment I placed her on her feet, she walked into the bathroom and shut the door. I was glad that she did something but she seemed far from alright.
Ten minutes passed, then twenty; then thirty went by but she didn’t come out. I paced up and down the room; pausing in between to knock at the door or say something.
I couldn’t restrain myself anymore. I melted the doorknob and barged inside to find Aurora sitting under the shower. Hot water cascaded down her body while she sat there staring into the space in front of her.
I kneeled in front of her and forced her to look into my eyes. “You are so self-centered, Aurora. You don’t even know how to honor a dead man’s last wish.”
Electricity coursed through me as she used her magic on me. Convulsions hit me and I fell to the ground.
“Tyson! I am so sorry, I didn’t want to hurt…” She said but then became quiet…
No! I couldn’t let her go back into the void of darkness. I forced myself to get up and grasped her arms. I kissed the top of her head and said, “I know that, Luv. You can never hurt anyone…”
She buried her head into my chest muttering, “But, I hurt them, Tyson. I killed so many of them… The faces of those people are haunting me, Tyson. Please make it go away…”
I picked her up gently and carried her to the bedroom. Stripping her wet clothes, I wrapped her in a towel. Then, I pulled her into my lap. Snuggling close, I whispered into her ears, “We will make so many memories together that you forget all about this incident…”
“Is it possible, Tyson?” She asked with hopeful eyes.
Rather than replying, I decided to show her. Lowering my head, I claimed her lips and we got lost in sweet passion; healing each other…
AURORA’S POV
I watched with adoration as Tiara played with the new rattle that I had made for her. It played sounds according to her mood.
A month had passed since Caleb died but I couldn’t get rid of the guilt and anxiety. I couldn’t sleep at night. A single thought kept reeling through my mind on repeat, ‘What if I became like Tyson’s mother.’
I made unique toys and articles whenever Tiara slept. It helped me pass time but it couldn’t reduce my apprehension at all…
A sweet chirping noise erupted from the rattle as Tiara glanced at us and smiled. I rested my head on Tyson’s shoulder and wondered, “What if I become like your mother, Tyson?”
He gripped my shoulder and lifted my chin so that our eyes met. His eyes blazed with fury as he said, “You are not allowed to say that ever again. Did you understand?”
Letting out a deep sigh, I said, “I can’t help but wonder, Tyson. I have felt that power, Tyson. It is an addiction, million times stronger than LSD or heroin. Once you have tasted it… it is impossible to restrain yourself…”
He squeezed my shoulders gently and said pursing his lips, “But you did, Aurora… you stopped…”
“Only because Caleb stopped me on time. What if a similar opportunity presents itself before me? What if I go too far before someone can stop me?”
“There is only one way to make sure that it never happens,” Zarina said walking inside.
“What is that, Zizi?” I said looking at her with hopeful eyes.
“I have been searching for ways to destroy the stone and I think I have finally found a way…”
“I have collected all the materials needed for the spell too. All we need now is your approval, Aurora.” Aslan said sitting beside me.
I ran my hand through my hair and said, “Once the stone is destroyed, I can finally relaxed…” I turned to Tyson and asked doubtfully, “What do YOU think about this?”
He pulled me closer and said, “I am willing to turn the world upside down if it means that you can be at peace again…”
I felt like a huge burden had been lifted from my shoulders. Once the stone was destroyed, I wouldn’t have to worry about becoming an evil witch.
I picked up Tiara and swirled around. Tiara giggled happily and I kept moving round and round. All of a sudden, my feet staggered and I fell but my head never hit the floor.
Zarina used magic to cushion my fall. I saw Aslan take Tiara from my arms before darkness engulfed me.
.