“There is nothing more to say.” I turned around, heading for the door. “I’m going to say goodbye to Tate and?—”
“I’m sorry, Vesper. I love you, and I will spend the rest of my human life trying to show you I mean it.”
The image that came to my mind felt like I was being hit in the face with an iron bar.
My mother, old and gray. Me, unchanging.
In a flash, I was by her side, holding her to me in a hug. Hesitantly, she returned it. When she did, she squeezed me as tight as her arms could manage.
“I’ll be waiting,” she said. “And good luck.”
“He told you.”
I pulled away as she wiped her tears.
“He showed me. I couldn’t be happier for you, Vesper. I mean it.”
“Until next time,” I said, pausing at the exit. “Maybe if I can find it in me, you’ll be invited.”
“I’d like that.”
I stepped out, my lovers the first thing I saw. Cedar had her arms around Aurelia, holding her close as Tate showed them a sword he made. Gabriel was off to the side, talking to some of the other hunters.
When Cedar and Aurelia looked at me, the weight on my chest lightened. My fingers found the box in my pocket.
Forever. With them.
I couldn’t help but smile.
It sounds perfect to me.
Aurelia
Vesper was hiding something.
It was weird because somehow she had persuaded me to come back to the Castle palace. A place I was convinced I would stay away from for at least another month.
The first few days away from my mother had been hard, but the more Vesper, Cedar, and I explored, the easier it became.
I feltfree.
Sometimes even a bit bored. But that was life, wasn’t it? The boredom I experienced before was due to being literally locked in the palace, but this time it was thanks to peace.
There was no fighting. No running for our lives—unless, of course, Vesper decided she wanted to get fucked. And I was more than okay with that.
Which brought me back to wondering why Vesper would bring us back here. Specifically, to this place, between the large fountain and the millions of colorful flowers my mother had been busy planting.
It was beautiful.
My life before this was filled with black, red, and gold. Limited colors because they matched the Castle family. But nowthere was pink, green, blue, and every other combination of colors imaginable. It was like walking through a sea of rainbows.
“Why are we back here so soon?” Cedar asked.
“And why are you nervous?” I followed up.
Vesper stood in front of the fountain and faced us.
“There was a specific moment when I knew the course of my life would change. Do you want to know what it was?”
