Book Seven: Chapter 255

“Is this some kind of joke?” Cyrus shook his head in disbelief. “This isn’t funny, Mike.”

“It never has been.” There was pain in Mike’s eyes as he leaned over the fence and flicked his fingers at the obelisk. The smooth surface of the obelisk rippled to reveal dark words carved into the marble, hidden by an illusion spell.

Papa Cyrus

Beneath it was the year of his birth followed by the current year. Cyrus staggered back, his hand going to his chest.

“This is a dream,” he said. “No, a nightmare.”

A firm hand closed around his, and he looked up to see Lily. There was anger in her eyes, along with sadness.

“This isn’t a dream,” she said. “Not this time.”

“But...why? How?”

“It happened the night you rescued my children.” Mike stared ahead, his jaw set in determination. “I didn’t realize it at first, but I did before we left the forest. You were killed while protecting Grace.”

“That’s simply not possible. If I was dead, that wo