My eyes burned.
I had changed him as thoroughly as he had changed me.
“I am sorry, Lucille,” Ronen finally whispered as he ran his hand through myhair.
I could’ve told him to stop apologizing. That he had nothing to be sorry for. Instead, I said, “The night will always be a safe haven for the stars.” I let him feel the unspoken emotion I’d sensed from him the day he first said that. The one I was still too scared to say aloud, even if he already had.
He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to my lips. “For all the days I breathe, and every silence after.”
We lay in silence, both too awake to sleep. I kept thinking about the answers we still needed. I’d need to shut my eyes soon and meet with my future self. She held our last key, and I had a sneaking suspicion it was the answer to Aspen’s Severance Rune. But what about the pentagram and Cato’s interpretation?
“Ronen?”
“Yes, gorgeous?”
“Besides our bond, was there any other reason you didn’t want to be king?” I asked.
He continued combing through my hair and sighed. “There was a chance the Unmaking Ceremony would kill Lucifer if I did. I didn’t want to steal another parent from you.”
Cato knew what I had to do. That was why he said it. For this moment. I finally had a way to kill Melanie. I pushed away the creeping dread seeping into my gut.
“Why?”
“Just curious.”
Ronen pinched my chin and tilted my face up. One corner of his mouth lifted, knowing full well that was a lie.
“I’m working something out. But I don’t have the answers yet. I need to dream-walk tonight.”
He nodded, accepting that response. Then he kept me there as his expression shifted, his lips pursing with determination and concern.
“What?” I frowned.
The grip on my chin tightened, and Ronen held me within the gold. The fluttering in my chest slowed, filling with more of him. His emotions danced through my head while his essence wove through mine, almost holding me hostage like his hand.
“Aspen was bitten.”
The invasive bond lurched awake, and I jerked. Its claws tried to dig in, only to hit an impenetrable wall of teeth, shadows, and the will of a male who would not bow to an inferior force.
“You still with me, Hellion?”
“Yes. But is he?—”
“Aspen’s fine. Sam’s immunity worked to stop any serious cellular damage.”
I let out a relieved breath, and Ronen’s hand cupped my face.
“I just wanted you to know. That, and Aspen accepted Hadrian’s claim.”
I perked up at that. “So Hadrian has fur now?”
“Yes. And fire. He’ll be a good asset.”
“What’s he look like?”
Would his body be covered in blue flames like Rune’s was with Ronen’s shadows?
“You’ll find out tomorrow.” Ronen smirked.
