'There are various lines of thought as to why the princess only awoke her sacred powers during the Miracle at Fort Hateno, after so much had already been lost. [...] Many scholars have romanticised the story and view that pinnacle moment as an act of true love, though contemporaries never publicly commented on whether the princess loved her appointed knight. Either way, it was too late—the hero died at the scene.'

—Extract from 'The Tragedy of Princess Zelda and the Great Calamity' by Traysi Journaux

In The Shadows

~O~

Chapter 9: I Can't Lose You

"Sweet merciful Din, could you look any more anxious?"

I sigh and lean back in my seat, pretty surprised that Kotake's made it half an hour before asking me anything. I decide to stare out of the window at the passing countryside and I lie, "I'm not anxious."

But of course I'm anxious. No, I'm much more than that; I tipped over the edge of anxiety about twenty minutes ago. Now I'm just terrified—terrified of being wrong, terrified of being right , terrified of what I'll find if I'm right, terrified of willingly being all alone with Cia after seeing just what she's capable of…

But there's something else too—a feeling that I can't shake off. I started feeling it as we drove out of the city limits and the honey glow of the streetlights were engulfed by the darkness of the countryside. I can't shift this feeling that my hunch is right and I can… almost feel Link's presence growing stronger the closer we get to the Forest of Spirits.

Goddesses above, that's the stupidest thing I've ever thought; you can't sense people.

Nonetheless, it's a feeling that I can't shake as the safety of Castletown shrinks into the distance, and it does nothing to ease my anxiety.

So I'm not anxious. I'm not anxious at all.

She laughs, the sound short and sharp enough to draw me from my thoughts, "And I'm the Queen of Hyrule. Well, if you're not going to tell me then at least let me try and guess." Like you'd listen if I tried to stop you, I just about refrain from saying.

"Go ahead," I say, vaguely gesturing in front of me and sinking further into my seat. "We still have a ways to go."

Kotake watches the road for a while as she thinks on what she wants to say. Being such a quiet part of Hyrule, there's been no other cars on the road since we left Castletown, only a single straight road leading into the dense forest on the horizon. If we were driving here for any other reason then I'd say that it was all rather calming, but now all it does is fill me with dread.

Kotake drums her fingers on the steering wheel and finally decides, "It definitely has something to do with that case of yours. The only time you ever seem to get stressed is when something's gone wrong on your job." I don't reply, both of us knowing that she's right. She's seen me in a state over work more than a few times. "Actually, scratch that. The only other time you're stressed is when something's happened to that boy of yours."

"That's not true," I argue even though, once again, she's right.

"Anytime he's sick, anytime you've argued…" She's counting on her fingers now. "And don't get me started about the time he—!"

"Fine," I snap. "You're right, Kotake. Now can you leave me alone?"

Thankfully, the Gerudo huffs and gives me a precious moment of silence, only to mercilessly carry on after that second ends, "How that boy gets into as much trouble as he does, I'll never know. How did he manage it this time?"

My heart skips a beat and I murmur softly, "He's been missing for the past few days." For a brief moment, Kotake's eyes widen and she mutters something akin to 'I knew it' under her breath.

"And you know where he is?" I hum absently. "Then why aren't all your police friends with you? You're an idiot if you're trying to—"

"It would've taken too long, so I sent Paya off to warn them while I give them enough time to get here," I say plainly, trying to keep the pain out of my voice at the implications of facing Cia alone. If Kotake notices the strain in my voice then she doesn't comment on it.

"So you think you can wander into a bunch of old ruins and save him from a murderer?" I glance over at her, surprised; I never told her about the Temple of Time. "What?" she almost squawks. "There's nothing else in the woods apart from those ruins and I'm smart enough to put two and two together. Anyway," she waves me off before I can reply. "You're distracting me. Why are you going alone?"

"It's not like I'm going to ask you to come with me." But she doesn't laugh. I sigh and add, "If you knew what I knew about this case… then you'd know that we can't wait any longer."

Something grabs her attention before she can respond and I quickly regret following her line of sight. My heart squeezes as the headlights illuminate old signs pointing towards the ruins ahead, the hill at the top of the road nothing more than an ominous shadow amongst the trees. The only half-comfort I can get is the fact that if Cia's here then she's waiting for me. I doubt I'll be able to talk her down from what she's doing but I might be able to stop her from hurting Link any more than she already has.

I inhale a shaky breath—I don't want to think about what state I'll find him in, if I find him at all.

As we reach the top of the hill and the chain link fence rises up, I try to focus my attention on what Impa had told me about negotiations in our early days of working together, "Make sure you listen more than you talk," she'd said to me. "You have to understand the other person's intentions and strive to find any sort of common ground." I swallow thickly—I doubt I'm going to find that with Cia. "Emphasise with them as best as you can. Even if they're a monster, they have to believe that you understand them."

The only problem I've got is that I haven't negotiated for someone's life before.

We jerk into a stop and Kotake pulls on the handbrake. Our gazes turn to the clearing ahead of us, the crumbling stone walls and floors of our destination illuminated by the headlights and the moon. The temple itself is in a half-decent condition for being left for years and completely open to the elements, only one main wall and half of the roof having crumpled and one of the three main spires lying in a broken heap on the ground near the entrance. Some of the lead bondings in the window arches are still there, as well as a few broken pillars and small steps dotted around.

Kotake casts her attention back to me, though I don't return the gesture, "Don't do anything stupid, kid. Trying to act like a hero will get you into as much trouble as he is."

Cia doesn't want me to be the hero, I think darkly. She wants me to be the princess…

I nod but say nothing, mustering up what courage I have to get out of the car. Kotake doesn't leave straight away as I head over to the fence, something I can't help but feel glad about because I'd have trouble traversing the uneven ground without the headlights. A grunt escapes me as I find my footing on the fence and start climbing, cursing under my breath when my shoes slip off the small gaps between the metal.

Kotake finally leaves once I finally hop over the top of the fence and land on the other side, the comfort of the headlights disappearing into the night, though I'm thankfully not plunged into darkness just yet since I still have my phone. The wind has dropped now too so once I can no longer hear my car, only the sound of my shaking breath cuts through the deafening silence.

Well, it's now or never…

Shafts of moonlight light up the way and cast long shadows across the ruins as I make my way through the once holy site. I've visited this place before but visitors are rarely allowed inside the grounds themselves so if it weren't for the urgency of the situation, I'd be looking at a few fines for what I'm doing.

Thinking about what Aganhim mentioned about secret passageways beneath the Temple of Din, I manoeuvre around the wreckage of the broken left wall and over to the back of the main chamber, my heart dropping when I move around a broken chunk of wall to find not only an open wooden hatch on the floor but also a small, lit torch hanging from a bent brasier. There's only one person who would light this torch and open this hatch, and I swallow thickly at the thought.

I was right; Cia really is here.

And with no one else to back me up, it's up to me to stop this.

My brain, being the wonderfully useful thing that it wants to be, decides that now is the perfect time to start considering all the potential scenarios that might play out from now on. There's just enough signal that my phone can still send my location to Paya, so I send her a quick message before placing it down next to the hatch.

'She's here. Be quick.'

As I pick up the torch and cast its light into the stairwell below, I fruitlessly try to ignore my thoughts and force myself down the steps. My heart starts pounding louder than I've ever heard before, my breath dragged out in ragged rasps as I instinctively tighten my grasp on the torch with both hands. The sound of my shoes against the steps echo between the walls and I can't help but slow my pace despite my best intentions. As the stairway opens up into a similar set of tunnel systems that we saw in the Temple of Din, however, my eyes quickly spot the main difference.

Only one tunnel is lit up.

My stomach twists; she really is making this easy for me.

That ominous feeling I've been unable to shake hits me with full force as I start down the lit tunnel. That strange feeling of being able to "sense" Link also hits me hard too and grows with each step I take. I keep my breathing under control when I spot the end of the tunnel moments later, slowing down just before I step over the threshold into the next room in case Cia decides to take me by surprise.

But she doesn't.

The tunnel opens out into a large chamber unlike anything I could've imagined. It's not too much smaller than the main chamber in the ruins above me, and its vaulted ceilings loom above me. I vaguely remember Agahnim saying something about people using the ground beneath temples as secret places of worship and this place seems to fit that perfectly. Old, barely recognisable tapestries hang from the walls between large bookcases, a few pews pushed to the edges and a strange pile in the corner of things that I can't quite recognise because it's too dark.

Shaking my head, I cast my attention back to the rest of the chamber, lit candles sitting in small alcoves in the walls barely flickering from the stillness in here. The air seems thicker too, almost cold and stale, and the smell of blood suddenly hits my nose so quickly that I flinch.

The dream I had last night drifts back into my awareness.

"And now, princess… it's your turn…"

My eyes follow the dusty, battered red runner up towards the statue of the Goddess Hylia on the other end of the chamber, unconsciously leaning forward as I try to make out what's directly under it, though it's so dimly lit in here that it's obscured by the shadow of the statue.

I think I can just about make out the outline of a person—

The breath catches in my throat.

Even though there's a voice at the back of my mind screaming that Cia could be anywhere and I can't afford to act without reason, I can't just stand here and fear the worst when I can find out for myself. My eyes flicker around the room as I slowly make my way towards the statue, the torch's light edging closer to the figure until I can finally make out what it is.

And what I find frightens me.

Link…

Goddess above, he's barely recognisable. Bound to a chair with his hands tied behind him, his unconscious form is slumped forward with his head resting limply against his chest. I barely manage to stop myself from dropping the torch as I fall to my knees before him. His green shirt, now stained beyond recognition with blood, is partially unbuttoned to reveal the damage beneath. His shoes are oddly missing though, and there's a lilac scarf lying discarded on the floor nearby (which looks like the one Cia held at Tetra's flat), but those are the least of my concerns.

What has she done to you…?

My chest strains as I desperately try to keep my breathing under check, but to no avail. I cover my mouth to suppress a sob, eyes filling with unshed tears as I spot awful markings across his neck, still red and a stark contrast against his pale skin. And yet, as I reach out to his face with quaking fingers, a voice shatters the moment of grief.

"So, princess… you've finally made it," a voice, her voice, remarks.

You…

"Cia."

I snap my head up to the voice's source, my heart skipping a beat as Cia steps out from the shadows, candlelight reflecting off of the knife she holds as she twists it in her hand. The sight of her sends my blood cold and I instantly place myself between her and Link.

She looks at me with a bemused expression, choosing not to remark on my move as she instead muses, "When Astor didn't come back with you, for a moment I thought you weren't going to make it in time."

Her words knock the air out of me. I can see it in her eyes: she wants me to take the bait—but I refuse. I won't get anywhere by letting my emotions get the better of me.

"You don't seem too worried that Astor didn't come back to you," I say instead, barely able to keep the fear out of my voice. She chuckles.

"Why would I need to worry for him when I knew he wasn't coming back?" I blink, surprised by her tone. She raises a brow when I say nothing in response, "You seem confused, child."

I take a moment to breathe and ignore her pet name for me, then ask, "Why would you send him after me, then? Surely you'd want every person you can get on your side and wouldn't want to risk losing them."

"He was starting to stray from his intended path," she replies cryptically, laughing when she takes a step forward and I tense up instinctively. "Come now, you must be terribly uncomfortable down there, and I pride myself on being a good host." She gestures to one of the pews with her knife. "Why don't we sit somewhere a little more comfortable?"

I clench my fists, "I'm fine here."

Cia rolls her eyes and frowns, "Destiny didn't make you the hero, child. Don't act like one for the sake of your emotional attachments."

Kotake's words echo at the back of my mind and I know she's right. If I can keep Cia occupied, then I can keep her attention off Link. And, as much as it pains me to leave him, I'm of no use here and he's not too far away. Cia's in control of the situation and it's not like I'm going to change that, nor do I want to. After all, if we want to get anywhere then she needs to feel in control.

I nod and rise, following her lead and taking a seat first. It takes every fibre of my being not to constantly glance over at the still unmoving Link. Cia takes the torch away and sits down a few paces away from me with her back to the main aisle in the chamber, consciously covering the only exit to ensure that I can't make any sort of escape. Though, since I'm here willingly, I doubt she thinks I'll do something so stupid.

A pregnant silence befalls us, and I can't help but notice how calm Cia is as she studies me. I'm sure the fact she holds the power here helps, but she's oddly composed for someone who's doing such horrible things and the evidence of it sitting mere metres away.

"Fulfilling my duty to the Goddesses would be impossible alone, so it was only natural that I'd need to recruit help," she finally explains, keenly watching me for any sort of reaction. "Astor was one of those who viewed the world like me… or so I thought. I originally considered his fascination with finding the potential keepers of Wisdom as a specific desire to please Nayru, but I soon realised that he was focused less on fulfilling the will of the Goddesses and more on satisfying his blood lust."

My gut twists as I think back on the wild look in his eyes when he attacked me; she's not wrong.

"I needed a way to cut ties with him, and then the Goddesses presented me with an opportunity." She reclines in her seat, so sure of her control over the situation that she closes her eyes. "By sending him after you, he would either succeed in bringing you here and I would dispose of him another way, or he'd fail—as I thought he would—and rot in a cell while the Goddesses led you straight to me. Either way, I'd get what I wanted."

I cast my mind back to when I spoke to Astor. He believed that, despite the risks, Cia sent him to speed up the process of me being at her mercy. But I remember how he referred to what he and Cia were doing as their way of "getting their fixes." I knew back then that his goals and Cia's were different. The way Astor attacked me wasn't calculated like Cia's interventions have been—it was driven by a desire to inflict pain without a thought of the consequences.

"And you're sure that Astor won't tell the police where you are?"

She laughs, the sound making me jump, "I have that man wrapped around my little finger, child. He won't tell them a thing."

"You said Astor was one of those who saw things like you. How many others were there?"

"You might as well have asked me how many stars are in the night sky." I raise a brow at her, uncaring for her rather eloquent analogy with everything that's going on. "I've had many, though my favourite was Volga. But, like Astor, he strayed too far from his intended path—I'm sure you'll find his name somewhere in one of those cold case files down at that little station of yours." I wet my lips to say something, only for Cia to shake her head and speak before I can. "Now, enough with the interrogation, princess. Why have you come here? Have you come to bargain for the hero's life? Or have you finally decided to accept your fate and submit yourself to the will of the Goddesses?"

I narrow my eyes at her, "You're adamant in calling me princess when you're not even sure I have the Triforce of Wisdom." But Cia doesn't seem to be fazed by the remark, remaining silent. I try to keep Impa's words on my mind as I walk through this minefield of words Cia's created for me. "I'm not here to bargain," I lie. "I want to understand."

She laughs and presses her free hand over her heart, "Such a naive sentiment! Do you really believe that if I bare my soul to you, then I'll miraculously see the errors of my ways and let you both go?" She's unable to hold back a wolfish grin as she adds, "You'd be sorely mistaken, princess."

"I'm not stupid," I spit. Then I remind myself to keep calm and say, "I just want to understand why you've decided to keep doing this after so long. Surely the Goddesses would've given you a sign or some sort of reward for your 'efforts' by now."

"Oh, they have. I think you'll understand soon enough. Now," Cia adds without missing a beat. "Our dear hero informed me that you're better versed in history than he is. Is this true?" For a brief moment, my eyes flicker over to his form a few feet away. He still hasn't moved since I got here. My heart's pounding enough as it is, but it's getting harder to breathe the longer he doesn't move.

Without looking back at her, I nod numbly, "He'd be right."

"Well then, I'm sure you know all about the miracle at Fort Hateno?" Again, I nod; who doesn't know the story? "And you know why the princess was able to awaken her powers at that very moment?"

"There are many theories—"

"I'm not looking for theories," she cuts in. "I'm asking for your opinion." I blink, suddenly surprised at her insistence on talking about history.

"I-It's not something I've thought about much," I say honestly. "I guess it was a final act of desperation on her part. That, or the Goddesses finally deemed her worthy. Or—"

Hold on.

No… that's not what Cia's on about. There's one other theory behind the miracle. My face drops as it clicks into place and I quickly find her eyes.

Cia smirks at me, "Do enlighten me on your revelation, princess."

"You think that the princess's love for the hero awoke her sealing powers," I say quietly, immediately linking it to the present moment with paralysing fear. "And you think that the Goddesses revealed us both to you so you can help history repeat itself."

Her smirk twists into a bemused smile, "Very perceptive. I'm glad I didn't have to spell it out for you like I did for him." My chest constricts when she rises onto her feet. I go to stand too, only to freeze when she holds up a hand to stop me. My heart rate picks up as I slowly sit back down, my mind racing as I worry about what she's about to do next. Cia takes a step away from me, then another when she's certain I won't move.

"You know, there was a story in prose I always loved as a child," she muses. "If I remember right, it went something like… her appointed knight gives his life, shields her figure and pays the price. The princess's love for her fallen knight awakens her power… " My heart drops at the grin she gives me. "To test such a theory, we'd need a fallen knight, hm?"

I can feel all the colour drain from my face, something she takes great delight in. As she readjusts her grip on the knife, I know I have only seconds to react.

No… please…

I react instantly, on my feet and flying towards Cia before she can even think about going near Link. I cry out as I crash into her, sending her staggering back a pace but failing to disarm her. But Cia, of course, could see this coming from a mile away and snatches her knife away with a laugh before I can reach out for it again, effortlessly knocking me away with a swift elbow to the chest.

Before I can recover, I raise my head with wide eyes to find the hilt of Cia's knife crashing down towards my head.

My world goes dark.

She shoves me back and I crumple to the floor in a heap, grunting as an immediate wave of pain slams into me. I might not be concussed anymore but I'm not completely recovered either, something I mentally curse at as the world spins behind my closed eyes. All I can feel is my cheek against the cool stone. My breath, ragged and uneven, is as loud as the ringing in my ears and I can barely muster the strength to open my eyes, my vision blurry. I can't even think about getting up and stopping her.

Get up, I hiss mentally. Get up, dammit!

Her laughter doesn't make the pain any easier to stomach. Tears burn at the edges of my eyes as I push my arms underneath me and prop myself up, the small movement eliciting another groan from me.

I watch on helplessly as Cia's fuzzy form glides over to Link, tucking her knife beneath his chin to lift his head and murmuring something in his ear. He flinches at the sound, the first movement he's made since I got here and, if it weren't for the crippling fear coursing through my veins, I'd slump to the ground in relief—he's still alive.

But not for long if I don't do something.

"Are you still with us, princess?" Cia coos. I grit my teeth and shove the pain down so I can push myself up onto my hands. I blink rapidly to clear my vision, and the first thing I properly see is her smile. I struggle onto my knees, pressing my hand to the side of my head when I feel something warm; my fingers come back stained red.

Goddess above… I can't stop now.

But I can't move, I can't fight; I can't do anything. And it's going to cost me.

Reclaiming her weapon, Cia circles Link like a hunter to its prey, keeping her eyes on him as she moves. I watch on with my breath caught in my throat, focusing solely on Cia as I desperately try to get up. Only my breathing breaks through the deafening silence as Cia finally stops and readies herself.

Nothing prepares me for what happens next.

Staring directly at me, Cia drives the knife straight into Link's leg.

Cries tear through the air, both his and mine, and the crushing weight of his pain sends me back down to the ground. I don't even bother to hold back the flood of tears that start falling, balling my hands into tight fists and shoving myself back onto my knees—bracing myself against the pew when I sway.

As his cries quieten into whimpers, I remind myself of one thing.

She won't stop until he's dead. A thought that would make me cower any other time now fills me with determination. I won't let that happen.

Cia revels in the sight of me climbing to my feet, adrenaline keeping me from falling back down. "Come now, princess," she taunts, her voice laced with excitement and wonder. "Awaken the power you were destined to wield!"

I don't listen to her.

I only see the person I've come to save and my resolve is clear.

"You won't touch him again."

She seems unsurprised by the growl in my tone, but rather excited as she readies herself to prove me wrong. Cia wrenches her knife free, eliciting more pain from Link, and takes up her weapon in both hands, going straight for his chest without a moment's hesitation.

I react before she does, and within moments I've crossed the gap between us with the determination not to allow things to go as they'd done before. I collide with her shoulder-first, pushing her hands up and away from Link before she can touch him again. The force sends the two of us back into the statue of Hylia, both of us grunting on impact but recovering quickly.

Cia bares her teeth at me and hisses. But adrenaline's coursing through me so much that I refuse to let her scare me, not with so much at stake. I keep my hands on her wrists and throw my weight against them until the knife slips from her grip and clatters against the floor, moving my hands down to her shoulders to pin her down and I kick the knife as far away as I can just in case. A fiery frustration glitters in her eyes.

"You," she seethes. "How dare you interfere with the will of the Goddesses!"

"If either of us had pieces of the Triforce, then wouldn't they have activated by now?" I counter as calmly as I can. She struggles furiously in my grip and I know I won't be able to hold her back for much longer. "And after how many you've killed in their name with no success, why would they reward you for bringing more innocent people together to murder?"

"Lies!" Cia practically screams. "You dare claim to know the will of the Goddesses when you continue to defy your destiny!"

"I defy nothing, Cia. I'm here, just like you wanted," I pause and shake my head. "You thought that the power of love would activate the power of the Triforce, but after years of showing your love and dedication to the Goddesses with no reward, why did you think that we would be any different?"

Cia finally breaks out of my grasp with a yell and pushes me back a pace, unable to take her knife back with me in the way. She breathes hard as she glares at me. "Your words are meaningless," she spits. "There's clearly another reason apart from love. But no… your souls are bound to one another; it would be impossible to think that—"

"You're wrong."

I freeze when I realise it was me who said that.

Cia snaps her head up to meet my gaze, "What?"

My heart skips a beat and I realise I can't back out now. "I do care about him," I say louder. My heart squeezes as I finally face the truth of my feelings out loud and the irony that I'm doing this in front of a murderer isn't lost on me. "But history isn't going to repeat itself, Cia; it was never going to."

She clenches her jaw, "No… you…"

"No, Cia," I counter sternly. "The reason your tests aren't working is because you're wrong. And I'm not going to let you hurt anyone else."

My words echo around the chamber until they're engulfed by the silence. Cia stares at me for a long time, the fire in her eyes slowly disappearing. I watch her sceptically, making sure that I'm firmly placed between Cia, Link and the knife just in case she wants to try something.

She's oddly calm as she sighs and closes her eyes, "For so long, all I wanted was to fulfil my destiny and be of use to the Goddesses." She looks at me with a strange expression. "But now I finally understand why the Goddesses guided you here…" I raise a brow, not buying her sudden change in demeanour one bit. "The Goddesses wished to test my devotion… and I certainly won't let them down."

There's a beat of silence.

Then Cia flies at me with such ferocity that I've got no time to defend myself before she's on me. She crashes into me and sends me flying to the ground in an instant, my head just missing a collision with the floor and Cia's own head when she lands on top of me. The priestess recovers with incredible speed and effortlessly pins me down. I struggle furiously in her grip but, with her knees on my arms, I can't break free.

My eyes spot Cia's knife that I kicked away.

It's not too far.

If I can get my arm free—

Cia takes my face into her hand before I can think anymore on it, slender fingers gripping my face so tightly that I wince. She tilts my face from side to side and studies me curiously. "I saw the Goddesses in his eyes… I can see them in yours too," she murmurs, almost in a trancelike state. "Say, do you know how one goes about extracting a piece of the Triforce from someone?"

I stay quiet, waiting for my chance to free myself.

She smiles, "Pity… well, I suppose there's no time like the present." She lets go of my face and moves her hand down until it rests over my heart. "The Triforce is bound to a person's spirit. When the chosen vessel dies, the bond between them and their piece is severed and can be claimed by another."

"So why don't you just kill then and be done with it?" I demand. Cia merely laughs.

"You misunderstand, child. The bond between the Triforce piece and its chosen is severed after death, but it's a bond that is stronger than anything else in existence and doesn't always shatter upon death." She shakes her head. "To ensure that the bond is completely destroyed, the body must reach a point where it falls into shock and is unable to retain its piece any longer. It's my job to push them over that threshold. If it fails, then their bodies can die and be reincarnated so I may try again."

I grit my teeth and just about stop myself from rolling my eyes, "Or you take pleasure in the suffering of others and want an excuse for it."

She doesn't take offence, merely lets out another bark of laughter and leans in close, so close that I can easily see the different purples in her irises, "This is my destiny. I wouldn't expect you to understand. Now…" Cia reaches over for the lilac scarf that's on the floor nearby, and I see my chance.

I throw my body weight towards her as hard as I can, knocking her off balance enough to push her off me and free myself. She gasps as she hits the floor hard but I don't even think about looking back at her, scrambling towards the forgotten knife before she can recover. As soon as my fingers wrap around the hilt, I flip onto my back and roll out of the way of Cia as she flies at me with the scarf pulled taut in her hands. When we recover, we attack at the same time.

Twisting the knife in my grip, I throw myself towards her with the hilt aimed at her, just as she flies at me. I purse my lips and dodge her attack at the last moment, hissing when her nails tear across my arm in an attempt to grab me, but I'm too focused on pushing all my weight down on my counter attack.

The hilt of the knife hits her in the side of her head.

The momentum sends us to the ground in a heap.

I manage to recover first and scramble away as I wait for her to spring back into action and attack me again.

But she doesn't.

I stare at her for a few moments, breathing hard as the adrenaline starts to dissipate. She stays on the ground, her face pressed against the floor and her eyes shut. She's still breathing which is good, though I'm still too nervous to go near her in case it's a ploy on her part.

Then Link makes a pained sound from behind me and I know that I can't delay any longer.

Remembering the scarf on the floor, I quickly grab it and steel myself for what I'm about to do. I slowly kneel down next to her, nudging her a few times before forcing myself to drag her back a few paces and use the scarf to tie her hands behind her back. My eyes fall on Link then, and my heart breaking at the sight of him.

Help is coming… he just needs to hold on…

I swallow thickly; I don't know if he can last that long.

Then I shake my head—I can't be thinking like that. I have to do something.

The silence quickly starts to get to me as I crawl over to his side, grabbing the knife I took earlier as I go. "One thing at a time," I say aloud—anything to break the stillness. "One thing at a time…"

Knowing that he won't be able to hold himself up once I free him, I cut the binds on his ankles first before looping my arm under his, ready to take his weight when I free his wrists. My heart squeezes at how red and raw the skin is. It doesn't take a doctor to know that they'll be infected if they aren't already. I shake myself and cut his arms free, grunting when he starts falling forward straight away.

I drop the knife and brace myself to support him, easing him off of the chair and onto the floor. The blood from his leg wound, though I'm certain that's not the only place that's bleeding, smears across the stone and starts pooling around us. With little else I can use to stop the bleeding, I shrug off my coat and tie it tightly around his leg. He doesn't stir and my worry continues to grow.

The chill in the room hits me again, making me shudder as I pull Link into my arms and wonder how he's not freezing, although it doesn't take me long to figure out why. The chair's been bolted to the floor so I can lean against it as I hold him close, his head falling limply against my shoulder. His skin, red and clammy, is feverish to the touch and confirms my worries about an infection. I tap his cheek a few times and call his name, but he doesn't respond.

He's going into shock, just like she wanted.

"Please…" I plead, my voice cracking on the word. "I can't lose you… please open your eyes…"

Minutes drag by before his eyes start moving sluggishly behind closed lids.

My heart soars.

Then his eyes finally open, bright blue eyes now cloudy and glazed over, "Zelda…?"

My reaction is instant. I can't stop the wave of emotion that sweeps over me, eyes immediately filling with tears. His voice was nothing more than a croak and filled with unimaginable pain. But the way he looks at me seems as if he's not even sure I'm here.

I reach out with a trembling hand and lift his up to my face, holding it against my cheek as I reassure him, "I'm here." His eyes glint with recognition and he lightly rubs his thumb against my cheek. I can't help but lean into his touch, glad to finally have him back—albeit barely alive.

His breath hitches suddenly, "Cia…" I glance over my shoulder at the unmoving form lying against the wall.

Turning back to Link, I offer him the most assuring smile I can, "She can't hurt you anymore." I squeeze his hand. "Just hold on a little longer. Help is coming." He nods absently, like he hasn't quite heard me, and sighs as he leans deeper into my shoulder.

"Hey," I murmur anxiously, turning his face back towards me. His eyes are fluttering now. My heart starts to beat faster; I need to keep him awake. "Keep your eyes on me, Link. Just a little longer, I promise…" He frowns, barely managing to keep his eyes open and focusing on me—wait, not just me. I subconsciously reach up to where Cia hit me earlier and I'm suddenly aware of the blood trailing down the side of my head. "Don't worry about me," I whisper. "I'm more worried about you…"

"Doesn't hurt…" he mumbles with a shake of his head, the movement small and wooden. My face softens at his words; I wish he didn't have to hurt in the beginning. My heart aches at how worried he is for me after everything he's been through, and I couldn't care less about the cold tears that stream down my cheeks.

I turn my gaze over to the entrance. Goddess above, where the hell are the others? I could go back and find my phone to see where they are, but I can't leave Link like this. Then again, I don't want to think about what'll happen if they don't get here soon. What if something happened to my phone? What if the signal died or Paya never got my location? I know I'm just working myself up but I—

"Zelda…?"

My heart skips a beat. He's still looking up at me and blinking slowly. I hold him closer and softly reassure him, "I'm here…"

"Don't go…" His breathing is getting more shallow by the second as he sinks deeper into my hold. "Stay…"

I interlock my fingers around his and squeeze them gently, "I'm not going anywhere. I promise." He doesn't respond, still awake but dazed and far away. I start talking before I can think about it in a desperate attempt to keep him awake. "When we get out of here, I'll make sure you don't have to lift a finger. I'll take care of the paperwork you always insist on doing. I'll sort out any loose ends we have. Then you can see your family and actually take a break for the first time in forever. How does that sound?"

"Hm," is the only sound he makes.

The sound of footsteps from above us suddenly reaches my ears. I take my eyes off of Link for a moment as the sound grows louder, as if coming towards us. I dare to hope that it's who I think it is and hold Link closer. It can't be anyone else, right?

"Hello?" I call out, the word echoing between the walls. "Who's there?"

I hold my breath.

Then I hear a voice.

"Zelda!"

My body sags in relief.

Thank the Goddesses… they're finally here…

If I wasn't crying enough, I'm sure I would have started crying from relief. But as I turn my attention back to Link, that relief is quickly snuffed out. His eyes are shut again, his breathing so shallow and ragged that I can barely hear it. My heart stops.

I shouldn't have looked away.

My breathing picks up.

"Link?" I choke out, though it comes out more as a strangled yelp. "No, Link, not yet… please wake up. You can't…" My voice cracks. "You can't go to sleep yet… p-please don't go. I can't lose you…"

He makes a tiny sound. If it wasn't so quiet, I would've thought that I imagined it. His eyes are still closed but he definitely tried to say something, though his words are too slurred to make sense. I break out into a smile despite myself. The footsteps grow louder, but he still hasn't opened his eyes.

"Link?" He hums but doesn't open his eyes. I say his name again until he finally does, thin slits of dull blue peering up at me. Squeezing his hand, I muster the best smile I can and whisper, "Stay with me…"

There's a beat of silence where he simply watches me and I already know that he can't hang on. His cloudy eyes are unreadable as they stare through me.

Then his eyes flutter shut and I cry out, dropping his hand and shaking him lightly.

He doesn't respond.

"Link…"

His head slips off of my shoulder and rolls dangerously far back.

"No… please…"

I reach out and cradle his head close, our foreheads touching.

"They're almost here… don't go…"

The footsteps grow louder; they've found where we are.

But it's too late. And it's all my fault.

I shouldn't have let him go with Cia. I should have realised sooner. I should have—

"I'm so sorry…" I sob. "I'm so sorry…"

I hear voices, but they still feel so far away. The world disappears so there's only Link and I left, only the sound of my voice apologising as if that'll change the outcome.

But it won't.

Please, I pray, for the first time in a long time. Please don't let him die…