Free Exiled by Nina Croft Page B

coppery scent of blood permeated the air. Cass shifted the knife and slashed her left wrist, the cut more uneven this time as her hand shook.
    Dropping her arms to her sides, she glanced down at the crimson blood pooling around her. Magic was a tangible thing now, filling the room as it drained from her body. Through her heavy lashes, she could see Freya’s tears.
    Her legs gave way. Callum scooped her up in his arms and sank to the floor with her cradled against him. He stroked her hair from her forehead, and she curved her lips into a smile.
    “I love you.”
    “And I you,” he murmured.
    The dim light was fading as darkness grew behind her eyes.
    “I would have chosen to stay with you, if I could have found a way,” she whispered.
    “I know.” His arms tightened around her. She’d thought she would never feel his touch again and she wanted to stay with him. But this would be enough.
    Her lashes flickered closed, and the darkness took her.
    ~*~
    Callum held her close, feeling the life draining from her body.
    In all the years he’d been lost between worlds, alone and almost insane, he’d prayed for one more moment with Casterix. Sworn he would go to death content if he could have the time to say good-bye.
    He’d had that and more. He should be satisfied. Instead, he wanted to scream at the fates that had brought them together only to part them.
    “She hovers between life and death,” a voice whispered above him. He tore his gaze from Cass’s face to the Goddess. “If she dies, she will take you with her; it is her life force which holds you in the land of the living.” At least he would not have to stay alone.
    “She cannot remain here,” the Goddess continued. “The land will never forgive her.”
    “She knew that,” he replied.
    “And she is willing to give her life for Arroway. That sacrifice should be rewarded.” Hope flickered to life inside him. He pushed it down, waiting to hear what she would say.
    “I can send you both back to the world of her exile. Neither of you can ever return to Arroway. But there is important work to do there, helping the witches who wish to return home.”
    “You can send us back?”
    “It must be your decision. Death or exile.” What would Cass want? But he knew—she would choose him. “Return us.”

Epilogue
    Cass lay on her back, something heavy pressing her down into the hard ground.
    She forced open her lids and stared up at the night sky. A single fat, yellow moon hung low in the starry sky, casting its light down on the stone circle.
    She was back on Earth. And Callum was on top of her. Which was all very well—wonderful actually—but she couldn’t breathe.
    She wriggled, hoping he would get the message, and he rose up on his elbows giving her space to draw the air into her lungs.
    She was alive. A wild exhilaration filled her.
    Callum pushed himself up so he was sitting beside her. She took his hand, needing to touch him. Death had been so close.
    She’d felt it tugging at her, calling to her.
    “What happened?” she asked. “I thought I was dead.”
    “The Goddess awoke.”
    “It worked then?” He grinned. “It worked. You saved her, saved Arroway.”
    “So how did we get here?”
    “She said you couldn’t stay on Arroway, that the land would never forgive you. I had to choose to follow you into death or she would send us back here.” Pain flooded her, quickly washed away on the realization that she was alive and Callum was beside her. She’d never allowed herself to think of this world as home. It had always been the place of her exile. Now she would make a home for both of them here.
    Callum stroked her fingers. “You don’t mind? You can never return to Arroway. But I had to choose.”
    “You chose right.” She took his hand, raised it to her lips, and kissed his palm. “Welcome to Earth. Welcome home.”

Nina Croft grew up in the north of England. After training as an accountant, she spent four years working as a volunteer in