Page 117 of A Thief to Die For

No.

Even if her eyes weren’t open and empty, there’s no mistaking the bloodless pallor of her skin. My sister, all the family I had left in the world, is gone.

Ryland’s hand shoots to her neck, checking for a pulse. He grimaces, then readjusts his fingers. ‘Come on, come on,’ he chants. The seconds painfully tick by, until Ryland finally gives up and drops his head. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘No, Agatha,’ I whisper, pulling her head into my lap and rocking her gently back and forth – but I stop when I see her chest. ‘How did this happen? She wasn’t shot three times.’

Ryland looks just as stunned as he stares. His hand drifts to his own chest, feeling around. He winces. ‘She … Agatha healed me. At least the worst of it. But how … I was –’

I don’t understand. ‘Are you saying that the connection did this somehow? You gave this to her?’

His eyes snap to me. ‘No. It doesn’t work that way.’ He grimaces in pain as he tries to move closer. ‘I thought she was you. I mean, the sun was shining …’ He shakes his head in disbelief, then goes still. ‘She sounded like you. She even said that Agatha didn’t want to come over … so I tried to connect with her. To heal her. But I … I don’t know what happened. I must have stopped.’

And she returned the favour.

He keeps talking, but I can’t listen any more. The rest is pointless. All that matters has been said.

My sister made yet another impulsive choice, and this time it’s too late for me to save her.

I cling to Agatha as a weakness slips over my body. A strange mix of numbness and the feeling of being buried alive.

‘Marian,’ Ryland says, voice broken.

‘He’s over here,’ Levi calls, running up.

Samuel follows, his face scowling, sword clutched as he assesses for threats. He checks to make sure Atlas is dead before turning to Ryland. His movements go unnaturally slow when he sees the blood. ‘Are those arrow wounds? How many?’

‘Two bolts – one gut, one chest. Partially healed.’

Samuel’s narrowed gaze slides to Agatha in understanding. ‘How partially?’

‘Enough,’ Ryland says.

‘Not for an infection. Show me,’ Samuel commands.

Ryland reluctantly moves his arm from his stomach, wincing at the movement.

Sam lifts Ryland’s shirt for him, then abruptly stands. ‘We leave right now,’ he snaps. ‘Levi, get a trailer. Kill somebody if you have to.’

With wide eyes, Levi nods and sprints off.

Samuel turns to me. ‘Are you injured? You going to be able to ride?’

‘She can come on the trailer with me,’ Ryland says.

A long strand of Agatha’s hair, the exact same colour as mine, is lying across her nose. With a gentle finger, I tuck it behind her ear. Slowly, my head shakes.

‘No, you’re not able to ride?’ Samuel asks, his voice softening. ‘Or no, you don’t want to ride with Ryland?’

‘I’m not coming,’ I mumble. But there is relief in knowing that Ryland’s taken care of.

‘Marian,’ Ryland says carefully. ‘I know this is … awful, but you have to come to Kingsland.’

No, I don’t. There’s only one thing I have to do. My mind won’t stop drifting back to Agatha, and my heartbeats turn arthritic. Every fibre of my being begs for this to be a lie. A cruel nightmare.

We were supposed to have more time to fix the problems between us.

Now any chance of real reconciliation is over. I struggle to take a breath.