The Faerie Curses

Chapter Fifty-One: The Longest Night

"Diandre..." I whispered, my voice cracking.

For a moment, all I could do was stare at the iron dagger protruding out of his body, a grotesque weapon that didn't belong in his heart.

This dagger didn't deserve to take it, either.

I choked on my words, desperately reaching for Diandre's coat again. The stab wound in my leg protested with blinding pain; it was nothing compared to the helpless, hopeless desperation I felt right now. My shoulders raking with silent sobs, I held down the material into his injury in an attempt to apply pressure.

"Just hold on," I told Diandre, my voice quivering. "I'll make the bleeding stop, I promise."

"Please, Marissa," Diandre murmured softly. His hand touched my cheek ever so gently, his touch faint, as if he were already gone. "It's...no use." His eyes squeezed shut for the smallest of moments as he sharply inhaled.

Queen Titania and Glen stood beside me in defeated and mourning silence. The summer queen wiped her eyes, her gaze dropping grimly to the ground.

Glen's arm rested on his mother's shoulder, and his lips were set in a grave line. I could tell by his face contorted with helplessness that he wanted to do something, anything to help.

But neither of them moved.

I pressed the coat harder into the wound in Diandre's chest, letting out a small whimper as his blood flowed all over my hands and covered them completely in slick, red warmth.

"Dammit," I swore, my cursing meaningless. "I can't stop the bleeding, dammit! Why won't it just stop?"

Diandre's face was a sickening white now, and he shook his head slowly as his white shirt became consumed in blood.

"Marissa-" he murmured. "I need to tell you before it's too late-"

"NO!" I cried. Tears sprang into my eyes and I ruthlessly swept them away with my forearm. "Don't you dare say that, Diandre. You're going to be fine, I'll just try harder."

My voice broke, and I let out a cry of anguish as  Diandre rested his head in my arms. His eyes were so dull now, lacking that electrifying, determined energy that I had always seen crackling inside him like a storm.

He was fading; The one piece of my family I had left was fading.

"Dammit, stop, stop, stop!" I swore through my sobs. "Don't even think about leaving me, Diandre."

I ran my hands through his hair, my touch remembering the sensation of it from years and years ago.

His childish laughter rang through my ears as I glared at Glen and Titania, my face wet as I tasted salt lingering on my lips.

"Why the hell are you just standing there?" I shrieked at them. "Please, you have to help him! You can heal him, can't you? Dammit, you have to try and heal him!" My pleas were rambling babbles that were lost in my own blinding fear.

I held Diandre close as everything I knew splintered and shattered around me. I wouldn't let him go, I wouldn't. I couldn't let him go, not after what we had been through. If death himself came to claim him, I would fight the bastard with everything I had until Diandre was mine again.

I was aware of Glen kneeling down beside me, but I could barely see his face through my blurred eyes. But I could feel him next to me; I could feel his sadness and his despair as he looked down at Diandre's dying body.