by M. R. Forbes
Eryn did as Alyssa asked. She got to her feet and walked over to where the dying woman was pointing. There was the smallest of slits in the wall, a piece of ebocite so thin she could see through the haze of it. Beyond was a massive chamber, filled with chains and gears and ropes that delivered ingots into a huge pit where it was melted down and poured out into a channel that ran down into a hole. At the top of the hole was more ircidium, covering it over and plugging it up. Armed juggernauts circled it, waiting.
"What is the choice?" Talon asked.
Eryn closed her eyes. Without a wizard to maintain the wall, without slaves in the mines, without an army to keep the Cursed from changing, the Shifters would get free, and all of their civilization would die. Not just die. How many would be tortured the way Teran had been? How many would suffer at their hands, so much worse than they ever had at his?
Mother, I promised you I would survive. But how can I go on knowing that the world is going to end if I do nothing? How can I turn my back on the path that Amman has set before me?
She couldn't.
"There is no choice," she said. "I'll stay. I'll take your place."
"What?" Talon said. "Eryn, no."
"I have to, Talon. The world will die if we don't stop it."
"Then let it die, if that is what fate intends. A thousand years, and where has it gotten us? All of the killing. All of the darkness. All of the pain and grief and loss. Look at us now. Look at what we've all become."
"Thomas, you can't give up," Alyssa said. "Please. I have given every last breath of effort in my soul to see our people survive. They need you. Eryn needs you."
"What do you want me to do?" he asked, his voice a low, sad moan.
"Whatever she asks of you."
Alyssa groaned in pain and shifted again, a flare of life flickering behind her eyes.
"Eryn, you will need to seal the room and purify your body of the prozoa. Once the room is sealed, you can never leave, or the prozoa will enter and you will begin to change. The cure is gone. I can't say that I'm sorry it is. What I did to my son was the hardest decision of all."
Eryn nodded. She looked around the room. She tried not to think about spending a thousand years in it. She tried not to let the idea of the decisions she would have to make overwhelm her. She would have to become him. The tyrant. The monster. She had no options but to keep the armies organized, to return slaves to the Washfall mines, to hunt the Cursed and ensure they didn't become Shifters. And now, without the cure, none of them could be allowed to survive.
Not a single one.
And Talon would have to be the one to hunt them. He and the other remaining member of the Nine. Thornn. They were the only ones that could succeed in that task once the Mediators were all gone.
Her heart broke at the idea of asking it of him, but what else could she do? This wasn't about her, Talon, Teran, or Thornn. It was about the thousands living in the Empire. It was about the joy she had once felt in the arms of her mother and father before she had learned she was Cursed. The excitement she had felt when she first met Wilem. The love that she felt when she looked in Teran's eyes. They were emotions that all should have an opportunity to experience, even if it meant a life in Heden for the unlucky few.
One day at a time. One moment at a time. That was all she could do.
Teran rose and joined her, taking her hand. He put his hand on his chest and motioned at the ground. I'm staying with you.
"I can't ask you do to that for me," Eryn said.
He shook his head, pointing at the ground again. I'm staying.
Eryn smiled. This would be so much easier with Teran at her side.
"You can't, my son," Alyssa said, ending her hope before it could take root. "I can see how you feel for Eryn, but while you are immune to the effects of the prozoa your body still carries it. I'm sorry, both of you, but it cannot be. This is a task that must be undertaken in solitude."
Eryn gripped Teran's hand tightly. She didn't want to be alone. Not again. She closed her eyes, fighting back the tears. She was never meant to find love and keep it. She was never meant to find a permanent happiness. Amman had made her to save the world, to save His people.
She had to believe that this was His will.
"Everything you need to know is written in those books, and in my journals. I'm sorry for this, Eryn. This is not what I ever wanted for anyone. We tried so hard to bring light to this world, and we brought only darkness instead. There is nothing that can ever make up for that, and I know I will do my penance in Heden."
"You did the best you could," Eryn said. "That is all anyone can do."
"Thomas, do not cry for me. I have lived a thousand years watching you, seeing you happy with the family that you had, and loving you. It is the only thing that has made this bearable. I will die thankful that I was able to see you one more time, and to say goodbye in person."
"I murdered you," Talon whispered, the tears coming once more.
"No. You gave everything you had for me, and I thank you for it."
"I love you," Talon said.
"I love you as well, Thomas. Remember, you are the First of Nine. A warrior. A leader. A champion. Remember, I will always be with you. Help Eryn keep the Shifters from destroying our world, and perhaps one day you will find another way. A better way."
She froze, fighting to keep breathing. Failing.
"Perhaps one day, you will set us all free."
"I will. I promise."
She reached up to wrap her arms around him. He leaned down to hold her close.
They remained that way long after she died.
THE END.
Author's Note
Thank you for reading Tears of Blood. I understand that the ending to the series may not be what you were expecting. I understand you may be frustrated, angry, upset, and otherwise disappointed by the way things turn out for Silas and Eryn. In a way, I am, too.
From the first word I wrote in His Dark Empire, I always had it in mind that this was how the story was going to end. Not because I wanted to throw an M. Night Shyamalan, Sixth Sense twist in at the close, but because I have always believed that this is the story that needed to be told, even knowing that the ending would be unpopular with many.
Why?
In the words of Ernest Hemingway:
"If two people love each other there can be no happy end to it."
At its heart, Tears of Blood is a love story, and like love, I believe the value is in the journey. The highs and the lows, for better or for worse. If you fell in love with Silas, Eryn, Oz and the rest, then I hope that you enjoyed that journey. I hope that as you perhaps reflect on the series, you'll consider the sacrifices made in the name of love throughout the series, which culminated in a final, ultimate sacrifice for each.
Despite the uncertain future that they have been left with, I hope that you can find something beautiful in that.
More Books By M.R. Forbes:
M.R. Forbes on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/author/mrforbes
Starship Eternal (War Eternal, Book One)
http://amzn.to/1xSYZeY
A lost starship...
A dire warning from futures past...
A desperate search for salvation...
Captain Mitchell "Ares" Williams is a Space Marine and the hero of the Battle for Liberty, whose Shot Heard 'Round the Universe saved the planet from a nearly unstoppable war machine. He's handsome, charismatic, and the perfect poster boy to help the military drive enlistment. Pulled from the war and thrown into the spotlight, he's as efficient at charming the media and bedding beautiful celebrities as he was at shooting down enemy starfighters.
After an assassination attempt leaves Mitchell critically wounded, he begins to suffer from strange hallucinations that carry a chilling and oddly familiar warning:
They are coming. Find the Goliath or humankind will be destroyed.
Convinced that the visions are a side-effect of his injuries, he tries to ignore
them, only to learn that he may not be as crazy as he thinks. The enemy is real and closer than he imagined, and they'll do whatever it takes to prevent him from rediscovering the centuries lost starship.
Narrowly escaping capture, out of time and out of air, Mitchell lands at the mercy of the Riggers - a ragtag crew of former commandos who patrol the lawless outer reaches of the galaxy. Guided by a captain with a reputation for cold-blooded murder, they're dangerous, immoral, and possibly insane.
They may also be humanity's last hope for survival in a war that has raged beyond eternity.
Dead of Night (Ghosts & Magic, Book One)
http://amzn.to/1kfpqnS
For Conor Night, the world's only surviving necromancer, staying alive is an expensive proposition. So when the promise of a big payout for a small bit of thievery presents itself, Conor is all in. But nothing comes easy in the world of ghosts and magic, and it isn't long before Conor is caught up in the machinations of the most powerful wizards on Earth and left with only two ways out:
Finish the job, or be finished himself.
Balance (The Divine)
http://amzn.to/10KdkJW
My name is Landon Hamilton. Once upon a time I was a twenty-three year old security guard, trying to regain my life after spending a year in prison for stealing people's credit card numbers.
Now, I'm dead.
Okay, I was supposed to be dead. I got killed after all; but a funny thing happened after I had turned the mortal coil...
I met Dante Alighieri - yeah, that Dante. He told me I was special, a diuscrucis. That's what they call a perfect balance of human, demon, and angel. Apparently, I'm the only one of my kind.
I also learned that there was a war raging on Earth between Heaven and Hell, and that I was the only one who could save the human race from annihilation. He asked me to help, and I was naive enough to agree.
Sounds crazy, I know, but he wished me luck and sent me back to the mortal world. Oh yeah, he also gave me instructions on how to use my Divine "magic" to bend the universe to my will. The problem is, a sexy vampire crushed them while I was crushing on her.
Now I have to somehow find my own way to stay alive in a world of angels, vampires, werewolves, and an assortment of other enemies that all want to kill me before I can mess up their plans for humanity's future. If that isn't enough, I also have to find the queen of all demons and recover the Holy Grail.
It's not like it's the end of the world if I fail.
Wait. It is.
Join the Mailing List!
"No," you cry. "I will not submit myself to even more inbox spam. I have quite enough garbage coming in from people and places that I care a lot more about than you."
"But," I reply, "if you sign up for my mailing list, you'll know when my next book is out. Don't you want to know when my next book is out?"
"Eh... I'll find it on Amazon."
"True enough, but you see, a mailing list is very valuable to an author, especially a meager self-published soul such as myself. I don't have a marketing team, and I don't have exposure in brick and mortar stores around the world to help improve my readership. All I have is you, my potential fans. How about a bribe?"
"Hmm... Keep talking."
"Picture this... giveaways, a chance at FREE books. There is a 10% chance* you could save at least three dollars per year!"
Silence.
"Where'd you go?" I ask. "Well, I'll just leave this here, in case you change your mind."
http://mrforbes.com/mailinglist
* For illustration only. Not an actual mathematical probability.
About the Author
M.R. Forbes is the creator of a growing catalog of speculative fiction titles, including the science-fiction War Eternal novels, the epic fantasy Tears of Blood series, the contemporary fantasy Divine series, and the world of Ghosts & Magic. He lives in the pacific northwest with his wife, a cat who thinks she's a dog, and a dog who thinks she's a cat. He eats too many donuts, and he's always happy to hear from readers.
Mailing List: http://bit.ly/XRbZ5n
Website: http://www.mrforbes.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6912725.M_R_Forbes
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mrforbes.author
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mrforbes
Table of Contents
Chapter One - Talon
Chapter Two - Spyne
Chapter Three - Eryn
Chapter Four - Eryn
Chapter Five - Eryn
Chapter Six - Talon
Chapter Seven - Talon
Chapter Eight - Talon
Chapter Nine - Talon
Chapter Ten - Spyne
Chapter Eleven - Spyne
Chapter Twelve - Spyne
Chapter Thirteen - Eryn
Chapter Fourteen - Eryn
Chapter Fifteen - Eryn
Chapter Sixteen - Talon
Chapter Seventeen - Talon
Chapter Eighteen - Talon
Chapter Nineteen - Spyne
Chapter Twenty - Spyne
Chapter Twenty-One - Eryn
Chapter Twenty-Two - Eryn
Chapter Twenty-Three - Eryn
Chapter Twenty-Four - Talon
Chapter Twenty-Five - Talon
Chapter Twenty-Six - Talon
Chapter Twenty-Seven - Eryn
Chapter Twenty-Eight - Eryn
Chapter Twenty-Nine - Eryn
Chapter Thirty - Spyne
Chapter Thirty-One - Spyne
Chapter Thirty-Two - Talon
Chapter Thirty-Three - Talon
Chapter Thirty-Four - Eryn
Chapter Thirty-Five - Eryn
Chapter Thirty-Six - Talon
Chapter Thirty-Seven - Talon
Chapter Thirty-Eight - Talon
Chapter Thirty-Nine - Eryn
Chapter Forty - Eryn
Chapter Forty-One - Eryn
Chapter Forty-Two - Talon
Chapter Forty-Three - Talon
Chapter Forty-Four - Talon
Chapter Forty-Five - Eryn
Chapter Forty-Six - Eryn
Chapter Forty-Seven - Eryn
Chapter Forty-Eight - Talon
Chapter Forty-Nine - Talon
Chapter Fifty - Talon
Chapter Fifty-One - Talon
Chapter Fifty-Two - Talon
Chapter Fifty-Three - Talon
Chapter Fifty-Four - Talon
Chapter Fifty-Five - Eryn
Chapter Fifty-Six - Eryn
Chapter Fifty-Seven - Eryn
Chapter Fifty-Eight - Eryn
Chapter Fifty-Nine - Talon
Chapter Sixty - Talon
Chapter Sixty-One - Talon
Chapter Sixty-Two - Talon
Chapter Sixty-Three - Eryn
Chapter Sixty-Four - Eryn
Chapter Sixty-Five - Eryn
Chapter Sixty-Six - Eryn
Chapter Sixty-Seven - Him
Chapter Sixty-Eight - Eryn
Chapter Sixty-Nine - Talon
Chapter Seventy - Eryn
Chapter Seventy-One - Eryn
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Chapter One - Talon
Chapter Two - Spyne
Chapter Three - Eryn
Chapter Four - Eryn
Chapter Five - Eryn
Chapter Six - Talon
Chapter Seven - Talon
Chapter Eight - Talon
Chapter Nine - Talon
Chapter Ten - Spyne
Chapter Eleven - Spyne
Chapter Twelve - Spyne
Chapter Thirteen - Eryn
Chapter Fourteen - Eryn
Chapter Fifteen - Eryn
Chapter Sixteen - Talon
Chapter Seventeen - Talon
Chapter Eighteen - Talon
Chapter Nineteen - Spyne
Chapter Twenty - Spyne
Chapter Twenty-One - E
ryn
Chapter Twenty-Two - Eryn
Chapter Twenty-Three - Eryn
Chapter Twenty-Four - Talon
Chapter Twenty-Five - Talon
Chapter Twenty-Six - Talon
Chapter Twenty-Seven - Eryn
Chapter Twenty-Eight - Eryn
Chapter Twenty-Nine - Eryn
Chapter Thirty - Spyne
Chapter Thirty-One - Spyne
Chapter Thirty-Two - Talon
Chapter Thirty-Three - Talon
Chapter Thirty-Four - Eryn
Chapter Thirty-Five - Eryn
Chapter Thirty-Six - Talon
Chapter Thirty-Seven - Talon
Chapter Thirty-Eight - Talon
Chapter Thirty-Nine - Eryn
Chapter Forty - Eryn
Chapter Forty-One - Eryn
Chapter Forty-Two - Talon
Chapter Forty-Three - Talon
Chapter Forty-Four - Talon
Chapter Forty-Five - Eryn
Chapter Forty-Six - Eryn
Chapter Forty-Seven - Eryn
Chapter Forty-Eight - Talon
Chapter Forty-Nine - Talon
Chapter Fifty - Talon
Chapter Fifty-One - Talon
Chapter Fifty-Two - Talon
Chapter Fifty-Three - Talon
Chapter Fifty-Four - Talon
Chapter Fifty-Five - Eryn
Chapter Fifty-Six - Eryn
Chapter Fifty-Seven - Eryn
Chapter Fifty-Eight - Eryn
Chapter Fifty-Nine - Talon
Chapter Sixty - Talon
Chapter Sixty-One - Talon
Chapter Sixty-Two - Talon
Chapter Sixty-Three - Eryn
Chapter Sixty-Four - Eryn
Chapter Sixty-Five - Eryn
Chapter Sixty-Six - Eryn
Chapter Sixty-Seven - Him
Chapter Sixty-Eight - Eryn
Chapter Sixty-Nine - Talon
Chapter Seventy - Eryn
Chapter Seventy-One - Eryn
Author's Note
Other Books
Join the Mailing List
About the Author
Contents