He hesitated. Just like she’d seen in her dreams again and again. But even Fairy dreams didn’t always come true. Was that why she hadn’t hidden from him? No. Why lie to herself? She’d been too preoccupied with her own lovesickness.
The sickness was gone, as was the love.
The Mirrorlings who’d been shadowing the hunter had been born from her sisters’ foolishness. So much rage. Payback for an ancient debt. More ancient than herself.
And she was so tired.
It was all she could feel. Tiredness.
Her hunter was still hesitating. No, that’s not what she wanted to call him. His destiny was to protect her. That’s why she’d sown the stone in him. But the crossbow had its own will. He’d just had to bring it here.
So much rage. So much ancient rage.
The stag wanted to jump in front of the bolt. He struggled desperately against the green shackles that protected him. They were all so keen to die for her. But why? The bolt would find her. Her sisters had been right. And still, she would’ve taken the same path again. Because it was her path.
The jade returned as soon as her moths attacked him. Her own magic shielded her assassin. All for Kami’en. Even that thought no longer hurt. The Golden Yarn was in her hand when the bolt struck.
So much darkness, so much light.
Was that what they called death?
The Golden Yarn slipped from her fingers as she surrendered to the element that had borne her. It was just a little trickle, but it willingly received her last spark of life.
Her sisters would perish, and it would be her fault. Again. That was the last of the Dark Fairy’s thoughts before they dissolved and became as clear as nobody would ever allow them to be. And the rest of her died.