Page 179 of Lady of Starfire

“I will be in the den if you need me,” Tybalt said quietly, Traveling from the room.

Cassius reached out, grabbing the front of Cyrus’s tunic and tugging him forward. His other hand came up and cupped Cyrus’s jaw. “I will not take another Source, Cyrus. It will be you or no one. It does not need to be tonight. It does not need to be tomorrow. It will be when you are ready, and if that day does not come? That is okay, too. We will figure something out. And if we do not? I choose a powerless existence with you over power with someone else. You deserve love, Cyrus. I’ll say it until you believe it, and then I’ll say it so you remember it.”

“I don’t know how to fix this. How to fix me,” Cyrus replied in an agonized whisper.

“You don’t need to fix a godsdamn thing,” Cassius replied, bringing his mouth to his. It did exactly what Cassius had once said he’d do. When words weren’t enough, he found another way. The kiss was slow and thorough, and Cass pulled back first, keeping his lips a breath away when he said, “You need to choose it, Cyrus. After that, we clean it up together.”

Cyrus reached up, wrapping his hands around Cassius’s wrists. “What’s best for me is you.”

The hand fisted in Cyrus’s tunic loosened, fingers sliding down his torso and landing on his hip. “You took that mugweed from my rooms, didn’t you?”

“Yeah,” Cyrus sighed.

Cass’s lips tipped up. “I have more I hid from you.”

“Thank fuck,” Cyrus muttered a moment before Cassius pulled them through the air.

They were back on the balcony, Cassius already striding for the door to get the mugweed.

“Cassius, wait,” Cyrus called after him. Cass paused, turning back. Cyrus rubbed at the back of his neck. “We should find Cethin or something. Have him give the Mark. Probably shouldn’t do that while we’re fucked up on mugweed.”

“I said it didn’t need to be tonight, Cyrus,” Cassius said slowly, moving as if to take a step but then staying where he was.

“I know what you said,” Cyrus answered. “But it’s something you need, and despite what you said, it does need to be done sooner than later. We need to go to the continent, and you need to have your magic at its strongest when we’re there. And I just…”

“We don’t need Cethin, Cyrus.”

Cyrus dropped his hand to his side. “We don’t?”

Cassius shook his head, still rooted to that same spot. “I’m Avonleyan. Same as Scarlett and Cethin and Razik.”

“Marks have to be drawn precisely, Cass.”

“I know. What do you think I have been studying in those books all this time?”

Cyrus’s brows rose. “You’ve been studying the Source Mark?”

“I’ve been studying the Marks in general, but yes. I’ve been practicing the Source Mark more than the others.”

“So you can…” Cyrus trailed off.

Cassius nodded. “But only if you’re sure, Cyrus.”

The thing was, Cyrus didn’t know if he’d ever be completely sure. Not with everything Gehenna had done to his memories. He would forever question if it was the right choice. If he was hurting the ones he loved. Some small part of him would always grapple with distinguishing the lies she’d sewn.

He blew out a harsh breath, hand tugging at his strands again. “It won’t be a twin flame Mark, but it will be something. To help ground me when her words are threatening to overtake my reality. To remind me that you’re still here. That I chose this, and you chose me. Despite it all.”

Cassius didn’t say anything. Just turned and walked back into the room. Cyrus sighed, pushing his hands through his hair again before he followed. Cassius was already coming back in from the other room, flipping through the pages of a book until he found the one he was looking for. Uncertain eyes lifted to his.

“This is it, Cyrus,” Cass said. “It’s a lifetime.”

“That’s what we’re going for, isn’t it?” Cyrus asked, trying to muster up his cocky grin.

“You know what I mean,” he retorted, scanning the page. “Last chance to say no.”

“What’s best for me is you,” Cyrus answered. There was no hesitation when he said it. No second guessing himself or questioning the truth of those words.

“From what Scarlett and Sorin have said, this will be…uncomfortable,” Cassius said, setting the book on their bed.

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