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N-no matter She could fix this She could She would, she would, she would Because she wouldn’t give up Not ever Panting, wheezing, Viola dragged herher best to fit the pieces of the puzzle together

“Come on! Heal!” He had before

Like Crimson, he’d just…stopped

“I’ht Death came for me”

Though she cradled his head in her lap, he spoke from behind her Or rather, his spirit spoke from behind her

She knew he petted her hair She felt a chill, all his warone Hot tears spilled down her cheeks “I can fix this”

“You cannot make me a new body, and that is what I need to stay”

Hair slapped her cheeks as she shook her head “There has to be another way”

Instead of trying to convince her otherwise, he said, “Before I ht es “I’m not ready to leave you I’m so sorry,” he repeated

His heartbreak hastened hers, but she shook her head again “No No! You’re healing, and that’s that I’oddess, and I will not lose my husband”

She got to work, easing his body to the side, scra coument Now”

“I won’t let you use one of your lives onyou only because I know you’re safer this way”

“I said now!” she screeched, palace walls shaking The floor shaking Vines shot up froround and coiled around his wrists and ankles, even in his spirit for him to do as she’d commanded “Thank you,” she told the world

“Viola—”

“You are not abandoning me Not now”

He pressed his lips together Had he faded even more?

“I’ll weld you whole again Every part of you” She tore off her long-sleeved shirt, revealing the tank top underneath “I can separate a spirit from a body, so why can’t I repair a body and reconnect the spirit?”

Viola worked for hours With painstaking care, she used streaible and connect tangible with tangible Giving him what he’d forbidden One of her lives At soer needed And still he faded Faded right before her very eyes

I won’t panic I won’t Faded wasn’t gone And this was a far ery than she’d performed on Fluffy when she shared a piece of her heart with hiery, too In some ways, however, the process was easier Brochan’s body accepted her lifeforce as if they were one and the same Two halves of a whole Maybe they were