Absolutely true. I went into this knowing it was Elijah's story. Yes, it's a continuation of Spirit Wolves, but it's not a continuation of the Sentinel's story. I've never written a story so quickly as this one. It was just there.
Yes, Kage was very much aware of the brevity of his life. I'm glad he was able to live it to it's fullest during the short time they had together and that he found love. He needed it.
I have been steeling myself for months in preparation for the comments on this chapter. Believe me, I've been getting the cold shoulder from @Mrsgnomie since April, I think. @astone2292called me a "monster". @Danilo Syrtis, well, I could feel his sadness across an entire ocean.
Kage's dying was far from cold-hearted, even though it may seem that way. My heart stuttered when I wrote the chapter.
The Boss is going to make an appearance very soon. So won't Sebastian’s squad.
I'm glad you used the phrase "what if?"
That is exactly what I want my readers to be wondering. In my opinion, every good story should make the readers question 'what if'.
Elijah is in shock. His reactions are just that... his way of dealing with things.
When I wrote the dark to light scene, I could absolutely picture it clearly in my head. I didn't want Kage's death to be all darkness. Elijah always maintained there was goodness within Kage. He was so right.
Elijah can't shadow shift, but it wouldn't make a difference anyway. He's committed to seeing things through to the bitter end. He now had too much invested.
Kage's death broke my heart. He left behind something for Elijah to take strength from, plain and simple. He's going to need it.
I don't see my writing as exceptional so thank you for the compliment.