“293 years,” I whispered.
Mikel nodded as he seemed to be thinking.
“That really fucking sucks, but I can wait that long if it is her coming back to me.” He ran his hand through his hair, and the guilt stabbed my heart. Mikel looked hopeful for the first time in nine years, not knowing that his mate was waiting for him.
The conversation with Malamay drifted through my mind. TheBook of the Deadwas with a witch coven, and I knew I needed to go get it. This moment of seeing a glimpse of my old brother back was enough to make me go tomorrow. I could fix this, and the hopeful and happy Mikel, who desperately wanted to be a husband and father, would come back. I could give him his entire life back.
“What did you do to pass the time?” he asked.
I smiled. “I built a house.”
“You built a house.” Mikel stared at me.
“Haden built homes in his first life. He was building one for us when he died, so I finished it. But I also had his family that helped.”
“Remiah’s parents were abusive and are dead now.” He sighed heavily.
“I know, I killed them.” Mikel looked at me like he had no idea who I was, and I just stared back at him blankly. “I was not going to let them hurt Haden or Remiah ever again.”
Mikel smiled softly, and I felt that bond we once shared strengthen again. He was once my best friend, my only family, and I hoped he would be that for me again.
“I should make her a home.” Mikel smiled. “She told me once what she pictured, and I could make that for us. She will love it.”
“That’s a great idea, Mikel.” I smiled, knowing that Remiah would be back before he could probably even start it. Excitement pumped through me. I wanted to bring her back, for Mikel, for Haden, for the realm. Remiah should have always been here. The sooner I did this, the sooner I could enjoy the little time I had left with Haden. The sooner Mikel would be happy again.
I stood up and grabbed the star. “I love you, brother,” I whispered. “I’m so glad the heavens created us together.”
I didn’t wait for him to respond as my star mist took me back to mine and Haden’s home. Haden was standing shirtless at the wall of windows in our bedroom. He turned to me immediately.
“Fucking hell, Storm, I thought you left me.” He frowned as he walked to me. His eyes looked as if he had been crying. This is how he would look tomorrow when he woke to me being gone. I pushed the thought away from my mind and smiled at him.
“I went to get you a gift.”
I held up the box and saw his brows crease in confusion. He reached for it hesitantly and slowly. The orange glow of the star illuminated his handsome face. His eyes snapped up to mine.
“It is your star.” He swallowed.
“No, it is your star. I have been holding onto it until I found you.” I smiled. I used my magic to change its shape into that of a glowing ring. Haden looked at me as I stepped forward and took his hand in my hand.
“Haden Vale, if you’ll have me for eternity, please accept this star. It represents us—everlasting, bright, beautiful. I promise to love you with everything I am. I vow to be yours and only yours for my existence.”
He stayed quiet for a moment, just looking at the ring on my finger that he had given to me. He reached up and pulled it off, and I frowned in confusion for a moment.
“I accept your star, Storm.”
I slid the ring onto his finger as he smiled. He took a shaky breath and looked at me.
“Ardella, if you’ll have me for eternity, please accept this star. I vow that nothing will sever our bond. I will love you beyond death, beyond any limits, and I will always find you. It’s you and me, Storm, until the end of our existence, and then I will demand the fates to make me yours in every world, in every reality, and in every life. And if they do not listen to me, you better believe that I will rip apart the fates and weave them back together so the only result is that we are together. I did it once, and I’ll do it as many times as I need to. You will be mine and mine alone.”
“I accept your star, Haden Vale.”
He let out a breath as he slipped the ring on my finger. Our stars glowed brightly together in the room, casting a shining silvery orange light all around us before searing into our skin and marking us as one.
“Ardella Vale, my wife.” Haden smiled. “I’ve waited a very long time to call you that.”
“And I’ve waited lifetimes to call you my husband, Haden.”
His eyes flashed red, and I sucked in a breath at how terrifyingly handsome he looked when he did that.
