after life | Page 5

e c o uld c o m e t o a cce pt h im se lf in t im e.

It w as w ort h a c h ance . I t h ad t o b e. E ve ry th in g in m y h eart t o ld m e t h at L u ca s d ese rv e d a noth er c h ance , a nd t h at w e
d ese rv e d a noth er h ope o f b ein g t o geth er.
I t ra ce d a fin ger a cro ss L u ca s’s fa ce : h is fo re head, h is c h eekb one a nd t h e o utlin e o f h is lip s. T he h eavin ess a nd
p ale ness o f h is b ody re m in ded m e o f a c a rv in g in s to ne — fix e d, u nliv in g, u nch angin g.
“It’s c lo se ,” B alt h aza r s a id . H e c a m e c lo se r. “ It’s t im e.”
Ranulf n odded. “ I s e nse it a s w ell. Y ou s h ould s te p a w ay, B ia nca .”
“I’m n ot le ttin g g o o f h im .”
“Ju st b e re ady t o m ove , t h en. I f y o u h ave t o .” B alt h aza r s h if t e d h is w eig ht fro m o ne fo ot t o t h e n ext, s te adyin g h is
s ta nce lik e a fig hte r p re parin g fo r b attle .
It’s g oin g t o b e o ka y, L u ca s, I t h ought, w illin g h im t o h ear m e p ast t h e d iv id e b etw een t h is w orld a nd t h e n ext.
W asn ’t h e a bout t o c ro ss t h at d iv id e t o re tu rn t o m e
? S o m ayb e w e w ere c lo se e nough fo r h im t o lis te n. W e’r e d ead, b ut
w e c a n s till b e t o geth er. N oth in g m atte rs m ore t h an t h at. W e’r e s tro nger t h an d eath . N ow n oth in g e ls e e ve r h as t o c o m e
b etw een u s. Y ou a nd I n eve r h ave t o b e a part a gain .
I w ante d h im t o b elie ve t h at. I w ante d t o b elie ve it , t o o.
Lu ca s’s h and t w it c h ed.
I g asp ed — a re fle x o f t h e b ody I ’d c re ate d, m ore a m em ory o f w hat s h ock d id t o a liv in g b ein g t h an a nyth in g e ls e .
“B e re ady,” B alt h aza r s a id . H e w as t a lk in g t o R anulf , n ot t o m e.
Shakily , I la id o ne h and u pon L u ca s’s c h est. I re aliz e d o nly t h en t h at I w as w ait in g fo r a h eart b eat. H is h eart w ould
n eve r b eat a gain .
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