A hand flew from nowhere; catching a handful of blue robe and yanked her hard, back onto the path.
Lirael let out a short scream or surprise and let herself be pulled forward. She coughed, staring at the black mass underneath her, shaking.
She looked up, her eyes slightly blurred and blinked hard to clear them. A square-jawed, hard-eyed face. Glossy black hair that fell to her chin, and brown eyes framed in thick black lashes could be either piercing or warm. Her skin, like Lirael's was strangely pale and there was a grey tinge about her eyes that alarmed Lirael greatly.
For a moment, Lirael stared at her sister, and then Sabriel burst into tears.
'What?' Lirael whispered, cupping her sister's face in her hands.
'Dead.' Sabriel spluttered. 'He's dead.'
Lirael's heart plummeted into her stomach, and her head was reeling. 'No.' she whispered.
'Dead.' Sabriel repeated, tears streaming down her cheeks, 'Gone. Lirael… he's gone.'
Lirael's eyes widened. Deftly, she reached forward and pulled her sister into her arms.
Shaking, Sabriel buried her head in her sister's shoulder and sobbed uncontrollably.
She uttered a cry, a sound of pure grief and despair, and Lirael shushed her, rocking her gently in her arms, tears also in her eyes.
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Sorry – I know its an appalling short chapter but since this is the shock I thought I'd keep you waiting. Please don't hate me for letting him go!
sniffs
Wild Blood Rose
