The Silver Sister who had let us in opened the cathedral door, hiding in the shadows until we passed.
It was the last time I ever needed to step foot into the Silver Cathedral; I gave it one last glance in farewell. It was where I had met Cirri, which made it special in some way, but it was more of a memory of the place she’d escaped than anything special.
I held the carriage door open for her.
I couldn’t just let them die out, she said suddenly, still standing in the street. They take girls from all walks of life. If not for them, Light knows where half of the Sisters would’ve ended up. My parents might have just tossed me in the street to fend for myself. But they bring the girls in and give them an education and keep a roof over their heads. It was the only home I’d ever really known. Yes, Eldest Sister is horrid, and yes, they hate vampires, but they do some good in this world and I couldn’t stand to see it ruined.
“You don’t have to justify yourself. That was entirely your choice, and I believe it was a good one.”
Cirri stared up at me, the white towers reflected in her green eyes, and suddenly smiled. Her shoulders relaxed, the tension flowing out of her. From the moment the steward brought the key to Ravenscry, putting the lai Darran estates and family burials into her hands, she had been knotted up with worry of what to do about it.
Now it was gone, her decision made and carried out.
It was the right choice, she said. The only choice. And now I’m completely free.
With that, she ducked into the carriage, pulling me in after her. I barred the door, grabbed my wife, and pulled her onto my lap before knocking on the ceiling.
The carriage lurched into movement, and Cirri tipped her head towards me, pressing a kiss to the corner of my mouth.
To hell with this trip, she said suddenly. Let’s go home.
“So desperate to get back to work?” My tongue flicked out, playing over the smooth skin of her throat, and she shivered with pleasure.
A little, she admitted.
I raised my brows and tilted my head, angling my mouth towards that delicate point on her throat where her pulse danced just under her skin.
Mostly desperate to be away from here, she said, and I kissed the soft thump of her pulse, feeling its speed as she gazed out the window. This place is the past to me now. It’s meaningless. I want to be at home with you.
“And your books and pens and quills and stories…”
Cirri grinned at me.
“I do understand what you mean.” I glanced out at the streets of Argent, the choked rows of houses, stacked one on the other, the ever-present smog. I missed the cool, clean air of the Rift, the winding forest paths we could walk together. “To home, then, Lady Scrollkeeper. The work won’t wait, and neither will the bed.”
How glad I am that you know me so well. She pressed her forehead to mine, eyes closed. You hear me, and I love you.
I wrapped my arms around her, a far cry from that first carriage ride, holding her close and savoring the beat of her heart under my palms. With my blood in her veins, it would beat for eternity, binding her to me more closely than any charm ever could.
My Cirri. The fire of my life, the light in the darkness.
I took her hands, kissing her silver-laced fingers, and slowly, carefully formed words in her language as her smile widened.
You see me, and I love you.
THE END
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About the Author
Hello, dear reader!
If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review on Amazon! All of the books I write are important to me, and leaving reviews helps support authors so they can write more for you!
Cate loves all things paranormal with a side of horror. She lives in the South with her family and pets, and loves every kind of coffee, horror and fantasy movies, and cats. Reading is her favorite hobby when she’s not writing.
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For more books by Cate Corvin, check out the links below!
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