Page 372 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 2

Alex winced. When would Kronos deal the final blow? Waiting was going to drive him insane.

“Do you acknowledge this?” Kronos asked the men in the room.

Affirmations in every language were heard throughout the room, and Anna grinned up at Kronos. The Immortal nodded to Anna, an affectionate smile on his face. Then he guided her to where Alex stood, still waiting for the terrible news.

“Behold your free wife, Alexander Kunzberg Herzog von Hessen, Elder-Son of Wilhelm. Take good care of my Daughter.”

Alex’s jaw dropped open as he stared up at Kronos. “What?”

Kronos smiled. “You are a worthy man, Alex. I saw your thoughts when I asked if you would free her. Only a man willing to let her be free is worthy of this precious creature in front of me.” He gave a deep chuckle, then added in a soft, “Besides, she would not let me sever the bond.”

Alex inhaled sharply and looked at Anna, who gazed up at him with an adoring smile. “Is that okay?” she whispered.

Alex grabbed her around her waist and spun her around, his heart flying into the cosmos. “Oh, my Anna. My precious Anna.” He hugged her to him as tears streamed down his face. He tipped her chin up and kissed her. “Ich liebe dich, meine Frau, mein Schatz, mein Leben.”

“I love you, Alex.” Anna smiled lovingly up into his eyes and lay a gentle hand on his cheek. “My husband, my love, my life.”

Encore

In a towering structure just outside St. Petersburg, Russia, an air of fear emanated from a small room perched at the tower’s pinnacle. A shrill, gut-wrenching scream reverberated within the confined space, ricocheting around the tower, cascading down the stairs, and echoing into the recesses of the main house.

Devin sat upright in his bed, eyes darting wildly across the dark chamber, searching for the origin of his torment. His shirt and blankets clung to him, soaked as if he had been standing in a torrential rainstorm. He blew out a breath, but it offered no solace. Every time he dared close his eyes, he was thrust right back into the endless black world he had created for Anna.

Time had become a distorted blur in his isolated existence. Had it been days? Weeks? Months? Years? Did it really matter? He was sentenced to remain in this tower until his final breath, entwined with the haunting specters of Anna’s memories.

His attempts to avoid the agony were useless. Despite his desperate efforts, the terror always found a way to ensnare his mind, whether day or night. When he woke, the pain from the ghostly torture lingered, though there was no physical evidence of the trauma he’d endured in his mind.

No matter his efforts to avoid sleep, slumber inevitably took hold and enslaved him back into its dark embrace.

Alex crept into the bedroom he shared with Anna in his family’s home, trying not to wake her. He paused in the doorway, a smile on his face, remembering Anna standing in the same place the first time he’d seen her. So much had changed since then.

The curtains were drawn over the windows, but the evening sun still managed to light the room enough for him to see her small form in their enormous bed. He smiled and tiptoed closer.

She was curled on her side, eyes closed, her arm wrapped around a small bundle of blue blankets to her chest. An empty bassinet stood nearby and Alex smiled. He stepped close and smoothed the blanket away from his tiny son’s sleeping face.

Alex’s heart nearly exploded with happiness. The two loves of his life curled together in one place. He leaned down and kissed both soft cheeks.

Anna inhaled deeply and opened her eyes. “Hi.”

“I was trying not to wake you.”

She smiled. “What time is it?”

“Almost dinner time. I didn’t know if you’d want to get up for dinner or stay in bed.”

“He let me sleep for a couple of hours.” She laughed softly. “Maybe keeping him close will let me get more than an hour at a time.”

“I know I sleep better when you’re next to me.” Alex grinned. “Like father, like son.” He leaned down and gently picked Johann up. “Why don’t you take a shower and then we can go down to dinner?”

Anna smiled and sat up. “That sounds wonderful.” She stood, kissed Johann’s head, and disappeared into the bathroom.

Alex sighed and slowly walked around the room, staring down into the most beautiful baby’s face he’d ever seen. He spoke softly in German. “Do you know how lucky you are to have such a wonderful mama?” His heart swelled again with love and happiness.

They’d moved back to Germany after the ballet season’s completion in June. Anna was already three months pregnant by then and she wanted to be settled in Germany before the baby came.

Kurt had stayed in New York with them during the season and had started dating Stefanie. They’d married a few months ago and had moved into a home near Stuttgart so Stefanie could continue dancing.

Anna was planning on joining the Stuttgart ballet company once she was ready, but she wasn’t in a hurry. Johann was only a few days old, and she said she wasn’t in any rush to leave him.

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