KELLAN WARD
Blood.
At first, he didn't understand what he was seeing. The world narrowed into a single, horrifying moment—the blade in Aiden's hand, the flash of metal, Aurora's gasp as she staggered back. He heard her sharp cry, the rattling clang of the knife dropping to the floor, his own voice roaring her name.
"Aurora!"
She crumpled, knees buckling, hands pressed to her chest. Blood spilled between her fingers—too much, too fast. He reached her in an instant, catching her before she hit the floor. His mind screamed for him to take action. Oh, God. Oh, God. His hands shook as he pressed them to her wound.
"Aurora, look at me! Look at me!" His voice was ragged, already breaking. Her eyes fluttered, wide with shock, her lips moving but no sound came out.
He heard footsteps, a door slamming. Aiden. Gone. The coward. He wanted to kill him, tear out his spine, but all he could do was hold his wife together and pray the gods didn't take her from him now.
