Mother of Death & Dawn (The War of Lost Hearts, #3)

by Carissa Broadbent

“It was a gift, Max,” she murmured. “A gift to have known you. I hope that you have the most incredible, happy life. I hope you find a future worth forgetting your past. Make it worth it. Find joy. Do you understand?”

The shapes weren’t a map, or an island, or a code. They were the boundaries where tan skin met white. They were a face. Tisaanah’s face. I was such a fucking idiot.

“Listen,” he said, after a long pause. “I’m not much for words, so I’ll only say this once. If you ever have to guess what I want, or what is best for me, it is you. Alright? I have made that decision already. I do not make it lightly. Don’t disrespect that by claiming that you know better for me than I do. I have made bad decisions before. But you are not, never have been, and never will be one of them. It is always you.”

Tisaanah Vytezic, leader of the seven Threllian nations, and Maxantarius Farlione, rightful Arch Commandant of the Aran Order of Midnight and Order of Daybreak.”

I threw my hands up. “Because we are all stealing thrones today, aren’t we?”

“I just… There was a long period there when I really thought we would lose you, and the idea of a thing like this happening was…”

“I forbid you from dying on me, Tisaanah. I would make a pathetic widower.” “I won’t if you won’t.” The corner of his mouth quirked. “Deal.” “Deal.”

Caduan took my hands. Together, we stitched the world's wounds closed. Together,

Sometimes it’s nice to see good people live a good life.

It had all been because of him. Every moment in this life, every freedom we earned, every happiness that I found. It was all because of him and that single sacrifice that he made for me.