Forever (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale 5)

“You have to wake up!”

“No, because if I wake up, you’ll be dead,” Mina answered. “In my dreams you’re still alive.”

Teague appeared in front of her, hair slicked back, wearing his royal robes, the same ones he’d worn when he greeted her on the steps for the Choosing Ceremony. His eyes weren’t blue though. They were a comforting light gray. But that didn’t matter like it had once upon a time. She knew now that she wanted to be with him, in any form.

“But sleep is not your destiny.”

“Was it your destiny to die by my hand?”

“You freed me, and for that, I can never repay you.” Teague’s eyes were so full of love and understanding—the way they should have always been. He looked at her—not with accusation or contempt—but simple adoration and love. Seeing those emotions made her feel inadequate.

“I killed you! You can’t possibly forgive me for that. Not when I don’t forgive myself.”

Teague came forward and wrapped his strong hands around her. “I forgave you the moment you stole my heart. A part of me will always live on.” He pulled away just enough to touch her heart. “In here. Forever. But only if you wake up and fight for it.”

“I want to stay here with you until I die.”

“Which will be any minute. Don’t waste your life feeling guilty. Because the thought of losing you will kill what’s left of me for sure.”

“I can’t.” She felt her lip tremble, and Teague leaned down, his lips gently brushing against hers in the softest of requests. Asking for her love in return. They brushed against her lips again, and she met him for the kiss. His hands wrapped gently around her face to hold her in place as he deepened the kiss.

She was drowning in the kiss. Losing herself to the feelings. Her lips started to tingle and go numb.

The kiss changed. Teague pressed his lips down and blew into her mouth, forcing her to breathe. Mina opened her eyes in surprise and gasped for breath before rolling over on the beach and emptying her lungs of water.

Her hair stuck to her face, and she peeled it away to take in her surroundings.

She was utterly alone on the beach—at the edge of a warzone. Her heart broke all over again, and fresh tears stung her eyes. Mina collapsed back onto the sand, trying to ignore the way it rubbed against her. And—was she sitting on something? Her bag! She tugged it out from underneath her hip and checked inside. Relief flooded her. She hadn’t lost the Grimoire in the bay.

Fighter jets race overhead toward what was left of the Golden Gate Bridge. Helicopters whirred in the air. Everything was over—displayed on the news. The Fae were exposed. The siren ship lost its glamour, and the helicopter moved in, cameras homed in on the Fae ship. The world wouldn’t understand that not all Fae were bad. The sirens were about to be attacked.

It appeared more than the Coast Guard had joined in the battle for the world. Humans in fatigues ducked in and out of the abandoned cars on the streets. More Fae army boats docked, and suddenly Mina knew who they were.

Gnomes. Gnomes and Reapers. Annalora was keeping her word. The gnomes and Reapers ran through the streets, targeting the human soldiers.

With legs like gelatin, Mina struggled to stand and make her way up the beach to the street. If she stayed still for too long, the omen would find her.

One foot in front of the other. Through pain and exhaustion, she moved, then walked, then jogged until she got up to the main road. She passed an abandoned vendor booth and grabbed a compact mirror from the display table. Had they run? Or were they too busy recording the battle on the Golden Gate Bridge?

Her side was aflame with pain. Mina pulled up her shirt to see a long black scratch on her stomach.

So Death had marked her after all.

Mina felt Death’s presence and knew he was drawing near. Picking up her pace, she ran down another street and turned. Nothing looked even remotely familiar until she collapsed, hitting the pavement on her knees. Then, she remembered the vision she’d had the night she drank Winona’s blue tea. She knew what was going to happen next, yet couldn’t fight the curiosity.

She had lost. Charlie—Charlie!—and her friends were either dead or soon-to-be dead. She’d failed them. Teague was only a memory. What did she have to lose? She wasn’t afraid to see her death coming.

“I’ll be with you soon,” she whispered, as she thought of both of her parents and Charlie, and of the one her heart lost. She opened the compact and scanned the area behind her.

Her mother was right. Only in hindsight can you see Death coming. Mina saw the omen’s pale white eyes glowing behind her. It snarled and growled, saliva dripping from its canines as it tensed to attack.

Mina took off her bag, set it on the ground beside her and closed her eyes, waiting. She let the mirror fall from her hands, and it shattered on the pavement.

***

She heard the growls, but the attack never came. She looked over her shoulder, seeing nothing.