Page 40 of Blood Feast

He pulled her against him and kissed her lips, the sweet, dangerous lips that had brought down kingdoms—and just proposed to him. The refrain of their first dance drifted around them as he drank her in, his Grace, his newgift. His.

When he let her take a breath, she drew in a shaking one. “Oh, Lio. Ifeelyour answer. But will you say it, too? No matter how deep our Grace Union grows, your words will always be important to me. That was our first promise to each other, after all.”

“Cassia,” he said, so aware of how easily he could crush her gift and her hopes. “You can feel how much I want to say yes. But you know what’s required for an avowal. We would have to undergo our Ritual separation. Eight entire nights apart. That would be excruciating for you.”

“I’m willing to face it.”

“I cannot imagine putting you through that right now, a mere month after your Gifting, with your magic so hungry. I had thought to wait…”

“For how long, Lio? After all the waiting we’ve already had to endure?”

He caressed her face. “Until your Craving is more bearable for you.”

“We don’t know how long that could take. Or what could happen on the warfront in the meantime. But right now, everyone we love can be here. No matter what happens, we can make a memory that will last forever.”

He brushed a single tear from her cheek. “I know. But my first concern is you.”

“If you genuinely don’t wish to do this right now, or it makes you unhappy to rush into it, I completely understand. I want it to be everything you’ve dreamed of. But know that I am ready whenever you are, whether that is now or in one hundred years.”

He could not bear the thought of waiting another night, much less a century. But he had felt the agony of her Craving mere hours ago. He knew what eight nights would do to her. He had already seen the suffering he had caused her when she had been mortal.

Yes, and so had others.

A plan began to form in his mind. One worthy, he hoped, of the plan she had so lovingly enacted for him tonight.

She searched his gaze, her arcane senses probing their Union. “This is one of those moments when I need you to be honest with me about what you want and need, Lio. Don’t answer the question of whether you want me to go through our Ritual separation right now. Answer my proposal.”

He could answer, knowing there was hope of making this easier for her.

He lifted the black rose to his lips. “Yes, Cassia. I will avow you, and we will turn all our promises into an eternal oath under Hespera’s Eyes.”

She threw her arms around his neck, and he swung her around. The weight of the world seemed to disappear for that moment, and they both laughed.

He swept her into the familiar steps of their dance. Watching her move with Hesperine grace, he felt as they had never truly danced these steps until now.

“Why were you nervous when you brought me here?” he asked.

She brushed against him they turned together, and warmth echoed in their Grace Union at the intimate touch. “I was worried you would be disappointed.”

He gripped her waist in one arm and lifted her. “Never. In fact, this is dangerously close to perfect.”

A WORTHY ARTIFACT

After one dance, andnot enough kisses for Lio’s liking, their Trial circle joined them on the deck. Mak collared him and Cassia in a hug. “Thorns, congratulations, you two. It’s about time.”

“A triumph, Cassia.” Kia tossed her turquoise silk mantle over her shoulder.

Nodora set her lute aside so she could embrace them, too. “Now we can start avowal planning!”

Released from his sit-stay, Knight bounded over to join the gathering. He came straight to Lio’s side and sat on his feet, his tail wagging hard.

Lio gave Knight’s back a scratch. “Thank you for welcoming me into your pack, old boy.”

Xandra crossed her arms. “It’s a good thing you said yes. We Trial sisters were prepared to take Cassia to my greenhouse with piles of handkerchiefs and chocolate, and possibly send an emergency message to Solia on the battlefield.”

“And Mak and I were planning to take you drinking with Tendo,” Lyros said.

Lio frowned down at Cassia. “You feared I would say no! Why in the Goddess’s name would I do that?”

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