The second Jin safely extracts Jimin, my whole body sings in relief. Nothing else matters, Jimin will survive. Jin will take care of him.

I wish that I could look Namjoon in the eyes, but I am still too ashamed of the way that I'd treated him. Clutching his pant leg I quietly speak my apology.

"I'm sorry, " I nearly whisper.

The words are hard to say, and there is still fear in me for my situation. No matter what we do, someone is bound to get hurt today.

And I noticed some time ago that I could no longer get my legs to obey my commands. I don't want Namjoon to hurt for my sake, especially after how vile I was to him.

But the look in his eye tells me that Namjoon feels differently.

"I know that you didn't mean it." He tells me gently.

Far more gently than I feel I deserve.

"We all say things we don't mean when we are scared or hurt."

As his words wash over me I am filled with hope. Maybe all of this is going to end up just fine after all.

But my hope is dashed just as quickly.

With one swipe of the creatures massive scythe-shaped arm, Namjoon is sent flying. And although he manages to stand quickly, he is bleeding profusely across his abdomen where the creature's appendage had sliced him.

He nearly crumples in on himself the moment he draws himself back up to full height but manages to catch himself.

But he is taking far too long.

The creature rushes towards him faster than any living being of his size should be capable of, and I know with sickening certainty that this will not end well for Namjoon.

All this time, Namjoon has been so kind to me. And despite my love for Jimin, or maybe because of it, I don't want to see Jimin's precious brother dead. Especially as a result of our love.

There is only one thing to do.

With a speed the likes of which I never knew I possessed, I rush forward. There is no thinking, no feeling, only blind, adrenaline-fueled action. For a moment it looks as if I won't make it in time, but miraculously, I manage to make it just in time to push Namjoon out of the way.

Unfortunately, this means that I end up skewered by the creatures deadly appendage instead.

Everything seems to slow down, and I can feel a chill in the air I hadn't felt before. I look down in shock, the scythe-like appendage still buried within my chest. I laugh hysterically, tears building up and then falling free as I think about all the things I'm going to miss.

"Evie!" Namjoon screams.

His distraught face swims before my eyes in nauseating motion.

And when the King of the winter court flings me from his person, my back connects with the ground so painfully that stars explode before my eyes. I try to sit up, but my body is both weak and disoriented. My elbows collapse, hands unwilling or unable to support my weight any longer.

"If only I could see the stars, " I muse.

Maybe death would feel less lonely if I wasn't staring up at the forest's canopy of trees rather than the wide open sky.

Then again, I've never died before so what do I know?

There's so much that I regret, none of which are the things I thought that I would. And in the end, the fact that my life is only worth a momentary distraction is heartbreaking. I didn't save anyone, Namjoon is still in immediate danger. My tears increase in volume as my frustration with the situation at hand grows.

And speaking of hands, I can't feel mine anymore.

"Damn it, Evie!" Namjoon screams, barreling to my side in an instant.

"Damn it all, " he sobs, grasping my hand as if to show me that he is here.

I briefly wonder if he is aware of the fact that I can no longer see him.

"Don't you close your eyes!" He screams, shaking me violently as he does. "You're not allowed to die! Jimin will be heartbroken!"

I laugh, a short, barking kind of laugh that is drowned quickly by the blood that my body is forced to cough out. The metallic taste invades my mouth, coating my taste buds with the stuff until it is all I can smell.

"Just focus on yourself, " Jin interrupts, appearing by my side out of nowhere. "I'll take care of Evie."

As Jin's magic begins to pour into me my eyesight is the first thing to return.

Namjoon focuses his attention, now razor sharp, upon the monster before us. His underlings lay dead all around, bodies littering the ground like so much refuse.

He is alone now, a development that I had not noticed before.

The fairy's hands begin to move in slow and imperceptible motions. A blinding light begins to radiate from the palms of his hands as he halts, palms positioned forward.

Like a miniature sun, the light within his hands continues to grow in brilliance, quickly becoming far too bright for anyone to see. It's blinding in its radiance, and so warm. My body is suddenly so heavy, and I struggle to keep my eyelids open at all.

"Just a nap, " I tell myself. "Just a little nap... That's okay right?"