lily harper 04.5 - the bladesmith (10 page)

“You are alive, my dear
man
,” he started, emphasizing the word “man.” “Because I separated Donnchadh from you but allowed you to maintain your humanity.” He shrugged as he studied me. “As to where Donnchadh is, he is contained. You need not worry yourself about Donnchadh any longer.”

“Ye allowed meh tae maintain mah humanity?” I questioned him as I shook my head, trying to understand what this meant.

“This is not what we agreed to!” Persephone spat at Alaire as she faced him in anger. “I told you I wanted him dead!”

“He will be no trouble to you in his human form, my queen,” Alaire responded as he offered her a smile before turning to face me again. “Yes, you are human now, Tallis Black. You can rely on none of your former abilities nor your immortality. You are as you were when you came into this world.”

I said nothing. There was nothing left to say. I sat there in stunned silence as I watched Alaire offer his arm to Persephone. She continued to glare at me for another few seconds before she accepted his proffered arm and the two of them sauntered out of my cell just as leisurely as Alaire had first walked in.

I watched Persephone turn and lock the door to my cell, but I could not say that I really saw her. I was so enveloped in my own thoughts that I could think of nothing beyond them. Even as I heard the sound of the iron door to the prison wing closing behind Alaire and Persephone, I still could not focus on it.

“Tallis, are you okay?” the angel rasped, but I did not respond. “Dude, please answer me! I gotta know you’re still alive!”

“Aye, Ah’m still here,” I said, my voice sounding suddenly foreign to me.

I was still here.
I swallowed hard as the weight of the realization struck me.

I was human.

Table of Contents

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TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE