Thank you to those who added my story to their author alert. This is my first fanfic, so seeing that people had read this made me feel really, really happy. Thanks again!

This will only be a short story, and I will have the other chapters posted very soon.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, they belong to Libba Bray

Kartik POV

I had heard her screaming, begging for them to let her stay with me, and it had broken my heart. I wanted to get up and run to her, but the tree held me tighter and tighter that I could barely breathe.

I could see my brother standing over me, his eyes hooded under the dark sky. He now looked exactly as he did before that fateful day last June. The brother that I had known and loved was back, and now we were being separated again.

He kneeled down next to me and placed his hand on the nearest tree root, closing his eyes. Suddenly, a great gust of wind came, and with it the roots that were suffocating me loosed and retreated into the ground. I looked around me in wonder, and then turned my gaze to Amar, a sad smile on his face. I leaned forward and grasped him in a tight hug, and held onto him for a few moments, tears streaming from my eyes. When we parted, I was not the only one crying. Abruptly, the roots and branches that had held me so tightly now latched onto him, and I then understood what had happened.

Just as I had sacrificed myself for Gemma, he had a deal of his own with the Winterlands. Just as quickly as I had gotten him back, I was now to lose him again, with no going back this time. This was the end. He looked at me with that same, sad smile.

"Go to her, brother." He said softly, and with a shuddering gasp, he was gone. Stolen by the Winterlands, forever bound here in this place of sadness.

But I was not. I gathered my strength and stood up, turning away from the tree and walking back in the direction of the garden.

When I walked into the garden, I saw the Gorgon and all the other creatures that had helped us win the battle standing together. They all looked up at me, unsurprised.

I walked away from them with a nod, going forward to the portal to my world. I was not ten paces from it when I heard the wind calling, swirling around me. Wait, it called. You sacrificed your own life for the Priestess…for that, you shall be granted any wish your heart desires…Choose wisely, for the magic cannot and will not be undone…Make your choice.

This was simple and yet so impossible at the same time. There was only one thing that I craved above all else.

"I wish to be with Gemma, forever."

What's going to happen…Good? Bad? Ok? Please let me know; it would really brighten my day and make me a better author!

Next chapter will be very soon, I promise!