Valeria thrashes suddenly and Argos is pushed off balance. Valeria leaps for me. I bite into my hand to draw blood. The runic circle flickers again. Valeria crosses the golden border. She snags Colette’s arm and jerks her from my grip.
I spill my blood on the fading runes at my feet. “I choose to break the bond. I choose Colette Amelot, human, instead.”
“It’s too late,” Valeria says, laughing.
The runes don’t seem affected by my blood oath. Nothing’s happening. I meet Colette’s fearful but courageous gaze.
Will I be forced to leave with Valeria to protect her and the rest of those gathered? Should I give Cyrus or Grumlin or Tully the word to end Valeria despite her warning about what would happen to me?
A memory of Colette smacking me with her pink-feathered quill flashes through my mind. I laugh, and Colette’s face comes into view, breaking through the memory. She cocks her head slightly, but she’s smiling.
“I love you,” she says, her words inaudibly soft over Valeria’s continued jeers. I know what Colette is saying though, because each word pierces my heart as no other words could.
“I love you too,” I reply. “I choose you.”
The ground trembles. A sparking heat dances over my body. Valeria yells and releases Colette, the vampire’s eyes wide.
“It’s broken!” Colette runs to my side. “The bond is broken!”
Tully waves her wand at the vampires. Arrows made of purplelight blaze through the air. The vampires take off toward the forest and Cyrus roars out a stream of fire to hurry them on.
A great cheer goes up from the townsfolk, and Colette hugs me tightly.
I feel warmer than I ever have. These people see me as I am. This woman loves me as I am. I lift Colette high and spin her around. Her braid is loose, and thick strands of her honey-colored hair fly free as she laughs. Her green eyes crinkle at the edges. I can’t wait to make her laugh every single day of our lives together.
I bring her close and stare at her in wonder. “I can’t believe you’re mine.”
“Well, hurry up and believe because I need an Archer kiss.”
“Is mine different in some way?”
“Oh yes. A girl hasn’t lived until she’s been kissed by a half-goblin, half-vampire boy.”
I grin against her lovely lips and kiss her to the sounds of continued hurrahs. Tully and Lysandra are especially loud about their approval.
“Take her home, goblin-vamp!” Tully shouts. A zing of magic hits my backside and I lift my head to give the witch a stern look.
“When’s the wedding?” Lysandra asks, giggling.
We travel back to town, Halvard and Romcarrying two of the large soup cauldrons each. Tully magically transports the rest. Singing a Snowlight song about red birds and seed wreaths, we have definitely destroyed the quiet peace that the holiday is known for, but from the smiles I see around me and the drum of my happy heart, I’d say no one is too upset about it.
Chapter 25
Colette
The green garland hung across the inn’s mantle sparkles, the tiny candles magically lit by the inn itself. Strings of woolen snowflakes in red hang from the rafters. The whole place smells like clove and nutmeg.
Archer and I stand side by side, lifting a hand to get our publishers’ attention. Both Mistress Avalon and Quinn made it to Leafshire Cove just in time to hear our reading.
We take turns telling the short tale, each of us reading our character’s point of view chapters to the laughter, gasps, and murmured comments of our audience. When our characters break out of the wine cellar, the crowd erupts into applause.
After a half hour of answering questions about books and greeting our publishers, we head to our own table in the back, where a meal sits steaming and ready for us. There’s sweet frostberry tea for me and…
“Oh yuck. Is that more coffee?” I ask, staring at Archer’s mug.
He lifts it and sips. “Ah. The ideal drink.”
I shudder, and he snickers at me as I start on an orange bowl of soup. It’s creamy, spiced to perfection, and hearty—exactly what I need right now.
