If You Leave, I Leave novel · Chapter 20 of 24

Chapter 20: The Thirtieth Night

Corwin's POV

The moon filled the round window, and its light fell on the Stone.

I stood at the edge of the floor with the council's spears lowered behind me.

My wife walked out to the Stone alone.

In the robing room she had told me what she meant to do.

I had said it was hers to decide.

I had not said I wasn't afraid.

"The leaving Luna may withdraw," the Moon Elder said, "and the Tether holds."

"I know," Aveline said.

She turned to face the hall.

"I'm not withdrawing."

A sound went through the court, and Tilda's hand flew to her mouth.

"I'm not staying because a stone ties me to him," Aveline said. "And he is not going to stay because a stone ties him to me."

She looked at me, over all those heads.

"I want to find out what's left when the rope is gone."

I took one step toward her, and the nearest spear came up an inch.

I stopped.

It was not my choice, and I had promised never to ask.

"Aveline," I said, and it came out as a plea. "If it breaks, I may not know you."

"Then I'll sit there until you do."

She cut her left palm with the bone-handled knife and laid it flat on the black stone.

The Stone lit.

Red fire ran up through its veins, and the moonlight poured down through the roof on top of it.

Something snapped inside my chest.

It was a clean, enormous sound, and my knees went.

I heard Tilda shout my name.

I heard the spears rattle, and the Elder say "Hold."

Then I stopped hearing words.

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