Chapter 18 · Then make me remember now

She did not know why she touched him. Her fingers found the blood beneath his nose and wiped it away.

"Then make me remember now," she said.

His breath caught.

"How?"

"Tell me the truth."

"About what?"

"Why did you save me?"

The core pulled harder.

Lucan closed his eyes for one beat.

"Because I was there when they sentenced you. Because I heard Bram change the order. Because I knew the blade would be cursed. Because I tried to stop it and failed."

Nora's fingers stilled against his cheek.

"You tried?"

"I broke the guard line. I killed three men. I reached the platform too late."

"You killed three men for me?"

"I would have killed thirty."

The red thread dug into her skin.

"What did you do after?"

"I took your blood from the blade."

"Why?"

"Because the curse left a door open."

"And you pushed me through it."

"I dragged you through it."

She searched his face. "You knew I would wake up."

"I hoped."

"You watched me die."

"I watched you come back."

"Where?"

Lucan said nothing.

Nora's hand closed around the front of his coat. "Where did I wake up?"

The core screamed without sound.