“No,” I said, shaking my head. “Don’t say that.”
He smiled and kissed my forehead. “It’s all right. I see it. I see it growing so much harder for you to leave me at the end of a day spent together, to bear my absence for days on end, and often with barely any warning beforehand. I experience that strain too. You are not alone in that.”
“I know how important your work is.”
“That it is. Butyouare important to me.” He drew in a shuddering breath. “More so than even that.”
I choked. “What?”
“You heard me correctly. You have become the most important thing in my life. Above everything else. Creating this house for us is my way of conveying that… through action rather than merely words. Through proof.”
My throat went dry. My heart thumped almost violently against my chest. “I don’t understand. What about—”
“Being needed by the supernatural world?”
“Yes. That. And I wouldn’t ever ask you to give up your work. Not only is it vital to safeguard, contain, and—”
He grasped my hands. “Shh, treasure. I had a far more practical and enjoyable solution in mind.”
I arched an eyebrow.
“Your work at Haven Initiative has shifted. The children are now grown. The facility has evolved into a community where most of them have settled, save for a few who’ve scattered. Things for you have moved from teaching and mentoring into a more supervisory role, which I’m aware you don’t particularly care for. You’ve remained for the children themselves, because you enjoy their company. And of course, so you can be around Ariana Martel as often as possible. Cassius is a different story as you live with him and the family.”
“How is this—”
“You are uncharacteristically impatient tonight,” he teased, tickling under my chin.
I snatched his wrist and held it between us. “And you’re building very slowly to something very big and life changing.”
“Yes, I suppose I am dragging my feet a little as a result of my nerves.”
“And my eagerness to hear it all and analyze every detail is making that impossible for you to continue with.”
“Yes. When we are both stressed and ill at ease, our different responses don’t really mesh well. Although, it does make for an amusing time, yes?”
I chuckled. “It really does.”
“So, my dear love, as I was saying, several of my apprentices are now ready to enter the field without my constant supervision. That will significantly reduce my time away. And even when I am needed to examine destabilizations to the balance, to see to rogue black magic users, other such disturbances, I would like you to accompany me. You enjoy teaching and also learning constantly, exploring new spellwork, magical interactions, possibilities… I have many apprentices who could do with a balance that your teachings fused with mine will bring to them. Your knowledge base is virtually unmatched.”
“I… goodness. Really?”
“Truly.”
I stared at him, mouth agape.
“How do you feel about that? I can ensure that you are still able to visit Haven, see the Celestials there, Ariana, and definitely also keep in proper touch with Cassius, Winter, and their family as I understand how much they mean to you. But I’d also like you and me to… have our own separate life.” His eyes shone at me. “For us to live and love together, Ketheron.”
I couldn’t contain my smile for the life of me. “Then with this house here… we would… I wouldn’t—”
“You wouldn’t be left alone here. You need care and company at all times. I am well aware of that. I wouldn’t have created this without being able to finally offer that to you.”
“Even before this recent destabilization to the balance where you had to take off for such a long time, you were working so much more than usual… was that to pave the way for this?”
“It was. I didn’t tell you because I wasn’t certain I could bring it about.”
“But you have.”
“I have.”
