Wren POV
Arrows like the sky and land on a deathbed in the middle of a lake. The fire ignites the bed, turning it and the deceased to ash. I watch in silence as the flames sink into the water, disappearing beneath the surface.
Everyone from the Immortal Realm is here, except I don't know how I got here. My eyes glance around the crowd, looking for someone to explain to me what is going on, and they land on Macy. She is wrapped in Edward and Winston's arms, and they are holding her up because she can barely stand. Her body shakes with silent sobs. Despite being the Fae Queen, she is unable to keep her composure.
"Macy," I call to her, but her eyes glance right through me. It is as if I am not even there.
I run to her and try to reach for her, but my hands are nothing more than a mist. They fade through her body, but she shivers at my touch. "Someone needs to find Wren. She deserves to know."
My breaths become frantic. "Macy. What do I need to know? I am right here."
Winston ignores me. "I will leave for the Human thing first thing in the morning. I have a feeling Mom knows where she has gone."
Macy nods weakly, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Tell her to bring the twins home. It is safe for them here now that Gracus is dead."
My eyes dart back to the lake, and I let loose of my breath. "It is Gracus in the middle of the lake."
"Do you think she felt his death?" Edward asks.
I spin around to look into his eyes. They are filled with unshed tears, and he holds Macy closer. She nuzzles into his neck, and I see a black feather in her hand. She twists it absentmindedly before handing it to Winston. "Give this to Wren when you find her. She will want the remaining piece of him since she wasn't here to say goodbye."
"Why would I want to say goodbye to Gracus?" My eyes narrow on the feather, and I recognize it immediately. "No!"
I scream and rush to the lake. I wade into the water, but I don't get far when something pulls me under. My arms thrash against the waves, trying to break the surface, but no matter how hard I kick, I can't make my way up.
My head breaks through the water, just in time for me to see what's left of the deathbed sink under the water. "Destin," I scream, but water fills my voice and pain echoes in my chest.
I am pulled to the bottom of the lake, and I can see Destin's face through the water. His skin is burned, and the flesh beneath peeks through. It was his deathbed. I don't try to get out of the water. Instead, I float along the bottom and stare at his fading body.
Before I can give in to the suffocation, I am pulled from the water. I don't move. I keep my eyes closed tightly, wishing that death would take me too. This isn't a pain I can bear. My heart aches, and my soul burns. Nothing could hurt more than this.
"Wren," Charlie's voice breaks through the darkness. "Come on, Princess. You have to wake up."
He taps me on the cheeks lightly, and my eyes dart open. Water spews from my mouth, and I gasp for air like I had been pulled from the lake. Charlie rolls me onto my side, and I vomit more and more water. He doesn't hide the concern on his face. I doubt he could if he tried. This is uncharted territory.
"What happened?" His voice wavers.
"Destin," I call out his name, and tears spring to my eyes.
Charlie grabs my face and forces me to look into his eyes. "You were dreaming."
I jump to my feet and lift the sleeve of my shirt. I hold out my right arm and show Charlie the symbols that signify my bond with Destin. "They are fading. He is dying."
He pulls his lip between his teeth. "No. It is the distance between you two that is putting strain on the bond. Why would he be dying?"
I scream in frustration. "I was there, Charlie. I watch his deathbed sink below the waters of the lake. I jumped in after him. He is dying."
"Your visions," he whispers. "They aren't accurate."
I grit my teeth together. "We have to return."
"But you said," he begins, but I glare in his direction, and he shuts up.
I drop to my knees and pull up the loose floorboard in the middle of the room. I pull out several bags that I packed in case of an emergency. They are filled with everything that is important and what's left of the cash my parents gave me. I toss them onto the bed before rushing into the closet and changing. When I return, Charlie is still sitting on the bed.
"Are you coming?"
"Yes," his voice is calm, but I can see the storm raging behind his eyes.
I open my bedroom door to find Veyra on the other side. She is holding a kitten stuffed animal tightly in her arms. Her green eyes are filling with tears. "We have to go home."
Kneeling beside her, I place a little kiss on her forehead. "We are leaving, right now, and we won't stop until we get there."
"What if we are too late?" Charlie asks.
A little escapes from Veyra's lips. "We won't be. It is going to be okay. Go get Coren and bring only what you need."
She nods and runs back to the room she shares with her brother. I turn to Charlie and poke my finger into his chest. "Don't speak like that in front of the children. They need us to be hopeful."
"We could be walking into a trap."
I scoff loudly and grab the bags off the bed. "The mate bond doesn't lie, Charlie. You know that. I am going back to the Immortal Realm, and I will face whatever consequences wait for me there. But I will not let Destin die. Not without me by his side."
Charlie nods, but I can tell he isn't fully on board, but I don't care what he wants. He helps me finish packing and doesn't argue. He opens his mouth to speak several times but seems to be unable to find his voice.
As I close the door to our house, he finally speaks. "Everything is going to be okay."
It's a lie, and we both know it.