“What did you tell her?” Rath asked looking at the closed door.

“I told her I had business to take care of. She knows nothing of Arya.”

Vilandra looked from her brother to Rath and said, “Let’s go.” Vilandra led the way through the corridors. They were still empty so Zan assumed the party was still happening. Vilandra led them into the secret passage that led to the servants’ quarters. The end of passage opened into a hallway which was narrow and dark. Vilandra led Zan to the end of the hallway to a small gray door.

“She’s in there,” Vilandra said quietly.

Zan looked at the door. His heart was pounding and his palms were sweating. Arya was here, she was really behind that door. Zan took a deep breath and reached out grasping the doorknob with his hand. Slowly he turned the knob and opened the door. What he saw when he opened the door, caused a sharp pain to go through his entire body. Arya was lying on a narrow bed. She looked so pale and lifeless. Zan turned to his sister and asked, “What’s wrong with her? Where are the physicians?”

Vilandra looked at Arya and then to her brother. “The physicians have already been here, Zan. There is nothing they can do for her.”

Not believing his ears, Zan looked at his sister and gasped, “No, there must be something they can do.”

Vilandra shook her head no. Zan looked from her to Rath who was standing nearby looking helpless. “Go to her Zan. She’s been asking for you since she got here.”

Zan turned and looked at his love lying helpless a few feet away. He thought she was dead years ago, but now she was here in front of him, but she was about to be taken from him again. Zan walked over to the bed and knelt down beside her. He took her pale hand into his own and squeezed it, hoping for a reaction from her. He then lowered his head and kissed her hand softly, savoring the feel of her skin against his lips. “Arya,” he whispered. “Wake up, Arya, tell me what has happened to you.”

Zan heard the door close, but he didn’t turn. He assumed that Vilandra and Rath had left him alone with Arya. “Please, Arya, talk to me.”

Zan felt Arya’s hand move in his own and he looked at her face. Her eyes were flickering as she was waking up. She let out a soft moan and said, “Zan?”

Zan reached up with his other hand and smoothed her hair away from her face. “Yes, Arya, it’s me, Zan. What has happened to you Arya? Where have you been, my love?” Zan had so many questions for her, but he didn’t want to press her now, she looked so weak.

Arya opened her eyes and looked at Zan with such love. “Zan, it’s really you. I was so afraid I wouldn’t make it in time,” Arya said weakly.

“Yes it’s me, Arya. It’s Zan. What are talking about? Make it in time for what?”

Arya tried to sit up, but she let out a groan of pain. Zan let go of her hand and gently forced her to lie back down. “Don’t try to move my love, you are injured.”

Arya laid back down slowly and smiled. “Yes, it seems I am. I have seen you again, so I can die in peace.”

Zan took Arya’s hand in his own again and pressed it against his face. “Don’t talk like that, my love. I will not let you leave me again.”

“It wasn’t meant to be this time, Zan. In this life we could not be together, we will have to wait for the next life I suppose,” Arya said smiling at Zan as he kissed her hand. “At least I can help you in this life," Arya paused, trying to catch her breath. "I came here tonight, because I know that Khivar is planning a large attack and, Zan, he has inside help.”

Zan look at Arya, surprised by her words. “What are you talking about?”

Arya closed her eyes for a minute, obviously in pain. It hurt Zan to see Arya like this. He wanted so much to take her pain away. Slowly Arya opened her eyes again and smiled at Zan. “I have been working with Visery," Arya said slowly. "He and I infiltrated the Khivar's camps and have discovered his plans. We were headed back here together when we were attacked. Visery died saving me.”

“Arya, you’ve been working with Visery?" Zan said not believing his ears. "How did this happen? I thought you were dead. Have you been working with Visery all this time?”

“It doesn’t matter now, Zan," Arya said squeezing Zan's hand. "I’m sorry for the deception, but I had to make you believe I was dead."

"You what?"

"I didn't want you to have to choose between me and your family, so I made the choice for you.”

"Arya, no, how could you do this to me?" Zan asked pulling his hand away from Arya's and standing up. He looked down at her frail frame and tried to fight back the anger that was surfacing. He didn't want to be angry with her, but he thought back to the night he heard of Arya's death and remembered the pain and suffering he went through because he felt he was to blame. It had taken two years to forgive his father for driving her away. In fact, he only truly forgiven his father on his deathbed. Zan had never gotten over the loss of Arya and he never forgave himself. That is why it had taken him so long to marry even though he knew it was his duty as king to marry and produce an heir.

Zan paced back and forth for a minute trying to regain his composure. There was nothing he could do about the past and Arya would not survive the night, so he had to focus on her right now, not on what he was feeling. Zan turned back to Arya who was silently watching him with tears in her eyes. He knelt down and took her hand again and kissed it lightly. "It's okay Arya. I'm okay. I know you did what you thought was best. I just…" Zan stopped unsure what to say next.

"I'm sorry Zan. I didn't know what else to do. If you had chosen to be with me instead of your family, I would have never been able to forgive myself," Arya said weakly. "And if you had chosen your family and your family obligations over me, I would never have been able to forgive you. I had to make the choice, Zan, for both of us. You mean everything to me, but I had to let you go."

Zan kissed her hand again and reached up with his other hand to wipe away the tears that were rolling down her cheeks. If possible, his love for her had grown over the last 7 years. He didn't know how he was going to go on without her. He didn't know if he could stand losing her again, but he knew he had to find a way to go on because he knew that is what she would want.

Arya suddenly seized with pain. Zan could feel her grip on his hand tighten. "Arya?" Zan whispered, afraid he would lose right now. He knew she wouldn't last the night, but he wasn't ready to give her up just yet. Her grip then relaxed and Zan thought for a minute she was dead, but then her eyes opened slowly. "Arya…" Zan gasped.

"Zan, my love, I don't have much time. You must listen to me carefully," Arya said slowly, obviously struggling for each breath. "Khivar has had help from within the palace. We could not find out who was helping him, but we know it is someone of high ranking."

"What?" Zan didn't want to believe it. Someone close to him was betraying him. He didn't want it to be true.

"It's true. As soon as Visery found this out, he knew we had to leave. If they were close to you, they would know about him. And they did know, luckily, they did not know about me, so I was able to help Visery escape. We almost got away too, but…" Arya stopped and grief filled her eyes. "Zan, Khivar has plans to dethrone you and take over our whole planet, and Visery said that he didn't think we could stop them, he is so powerful, more powerful than you know. And once they are done here, they plan to move on to another world. One that doesn't have the technology we have. They plan to take over that world and exploit it's people and natural resources."

Zan was silent. He didn't know what to say. He knew Khivar was powerful, but he had been able to hold off his army for 5 years now and in the last year it seemed they had slowed down. He was hoping that they were weakening, but maybe they were just holding back so they could make a surprise attack. He looked down at Arya. Her face was contorted with pain. "Arya?" Zan whispered.

Arya opened her eyes and tried to smile to reassure Zan, but she couldn't, her strength was leaving her. She squeezed Zan's hand and continued, "Visery told me that the only hope was that we needed to get the Granolith out of the palace and hide it somewhere so that Khivar could never find it. He also gave me this to give to you." Arya used her free hand to point to a crystal that was hanging on a cord around her neck. "It contains all the information that Khivar and his people had on that other world. He said that you may be able to use this information to help you."

Zan looked at the crystal and then looked at Arya. She was slipping away and he would give his whole kingdom if it meant he could save her. It was selfish of him, but he didn't care. He was not complete without Arya. She was the other half of his soul. She gave up everything for him. He only wished, he could return the favor. He could only imagine how she got involved in the mission with Visery. The mission was extremely dangerous, but Rath and Zan had decided it was necessary.

"My love," Arya whispered, interrupting Zan's thoughts. "I see your mind spinning with if onlys and what ifs…you must focus on the future now Zan. You must forget about me and work on trying to save your people. You are their last hope."

"I will never forget about you Arya. I couldn't. You are the other half of my soul, without you, I am not complete," Zan whispered.

"We were split apart in the house of souls," Arya whispered, closing her eyes. "We will find one another again, my love. You must have faith for we do belong together and in the next life maybe we can find a way to be together."

Zan looked at his love and felt her hand go limp. "Arya," he gasped. "Arya, please don't leave me." He reached up and brushed her soft hair away from her forehead and then placed his head on her chest, hoping to hear her heart beat. But there was no sound coming from her chest. She was gone. Zan let himself grieve. He never thought he would have to go through this again, but he should have known Arya would never have taken her own life. She was too strong. After a few minutes, Zan raised his head and looked at her beautiful face.

She had sacrificed her life to bring him this information and he would not let her die in vain. He reached for the crystal and gently removed it from her neck. He then kissed her lips softly and whispered, "Goodbye my love, I will not lose you in my next life."