I closed my eyes again blocking the light of the morning sun from my eyes. Keroberus was lying across my feet while Clow was still holding me tightly.
Something seemed strange about my master, his dark eyes were so intense that I am certain he could have killed a man with just a glance. Pulling him close, I placed a light kiss against the tip of his nose. Clow slid from my arms like he was made of water and threw his robe on hastily.
I followed him to his study after getting dressed. He was rubbing the bridge of his nose with his finger pondering over a book of spells.
"Clow-sama?" I looked up at him and walked over to his chair kneeling beside him. He patted my head and glanced down at me with sorry eyes. It was the first time I ever saw my master so sad and troubled.
"Longtree knows Yue, it is only a matter of time before he pins the murder on me."
"But you never killed him!" I spat out defensively.
"I know Yue, my angel. But the problem is how do I convince him that I did not murder Alexander…"
"Would they really hurt you?" I closed my eyes and stroked his cheek.
Clow nodded and kissed my forehead. "Of course they have been hunting for a way to place me on trial as a as a magic user. I have to find a way to protect you and Keroberus. The only way is to finish the cards we have begun to make and seal you both with in."
I looked up at him on the verge of tears. "But you would have to die."
"I know that Yue." Clow held a vial in his hand. "Tonight at the full moon and midnight. I shall commit my final act as your master."
"NO!!" I pushed the vial from his hand and allowed it to shatter to the floor. "I am not letting you kill yourself."
'Yue." Clow placed his hand against my cheek, swiping the tears that I was not even aware I had begun to shed from my cheeks. "I have to. I want to protect you."
"Take me with you." I begged on my knees beside him.
"I can't Yue." Clow lowered his hand against my head petting my hair back gently. "I need you to guard the cards with Keroberus."
"But master… I love you."
"I love you too." Lifting my chin up he gazed into my eyes. "I beg you, Yue, live for me. I know it will be hard for you, but please, when the new master of the cards comes, please treat them kindly. Do not measure them against me. I will return to you latter when the sun passes over the moon. I promise."
I nodded my head sorrowfully.
That night Clow summoned us to his study. In his hand was a cup of poison-laced wine. Looking over at Keroberus and I, he motioned with his hand for us to come forward. We knelt on either side of our master as he sat in his chair. As he brought out the book of Clow cards he had finished earlier I could feel my heart sink into the bottom of my stomach.
"Yue, Keroberus, my guardians. It has become apparent that I seal the Clow cards with my magic and leave this world."
Keroberus nodded his head. "I understand master. Longtree is getting closer to Yue's origin and I would rather see you die gently than to suffer a trial of those blessed with the craft."
Clow shook his head. "I don't know if it has been a blessing or a curse."
I placed my hand against his knee and smiled gently. "It was a blessing to me." I closed my eyes. "Just falling in love with you Clow-sama was a blessing enough."
After bidding Keroberus a brief farewell, he was sealed inside the book. I looked up at my master lovingly and placed a gentle kiss against his lips before he drank the poison.
Clow slumped into the chair, his breathing labored by the effects of the poison he drank. As the sound of glass breaking was heard in the house, I faded into the seal of the book leaving my now dead master.
Longtree and his squad had broken into the house to find Clow dead in the armchair and a book lying at his feet.
Longtree shook his head and picked up the book. "So Wilkins.. What shall we rule this case?"
Wilkins a young inspector with glasses and a tan trench coat closed his eyes. "I think we should just rule he died of natural causes Longtree. No offense, even if the man is dead. If what I heard about him is true. I wouldn't want to even anger his ghost."
Longtree nodded his head. "And the murder of Alexander Jamison, I know he had something to do with it." As Longtree motioned to my master a loud thunder crash was heard outside. "Maybe not. Lets just call the coroner and get the body removed from this house and lets get out of here. Being near this guy freaks me out."
Wilkins laughed behind the old inspector. "What are you afraid that his hand is going to reach up and grab you?"
"With the rumors you heard and the ones I grew up with about this man… It wouldn't surprise me in the least if he could raise the dead."
Wilkins looked at the book that Longtree held. "Longtree, do book normally glow with golden light."
"No." Longtree looked down at his hands to the glowing book. "Okay that is it." He placed the book down and ran out of the house behind Wilkins.
Later when the coroner arrived there was no body in the house, only
the black robes were seated on the chair neatly folded with the book of
Clow on top of it.
THE END… or is it?