Chapter 79

• ZARA POV
• My heart hasn't stopped thumping since Finna dropped that bombshell. Sabrina, bless her, didn't waste a second. She immediately summoned Glinda. We left Finna and Hana back at the den, and even though Glinda had grumbled a bit about being able to help, she still transported us instantly to where Tristan's body was.
• The clearing by the river was peaceful, almost restful, which made seeing him there even more jarring. He was lying so still, so unnaturally quiet. I bit back a sob, trying to be as quiet as possible, and ran to him. The crimson stains on his clothes, on the ground… it was everywhere. My breath hitched. There was just so much blood. And... and he wasn't breathing. I couldn't feel a pulse. Panic clawed at my throat. "Tristan?" I whispered, my voice trembling. "Tristan, can you hear me?" I reached out a hand, hovering over his arm, afraid to touch him, afraid of what I would find. "Please," I begged, my voice cracking. "Please, Tristan, wake up."