Page 33 of Surrendering Her Heart

“How? What are you thinking?” Leah asks.

I smile, looking at each person in turn until I end with my eyes locked onto Zamis.

“The Zmaj says that Tajss provides,” I answer. “I don’t think I believed that, but now… now I think I do.”

Zamis smiles so wide it goes from ear to ear. The other Zmaj rumble their agreement. Everyone gets to their feet. I take Kri’cati’s hand next to me and reach over to take his mate, Jax’s hand too. All around the table everyone mimics the action until we’re all holding hands.

“Tajss provides.”

The entire group says it as one. The phrase resonates in my chest and makes my heart thrum. The weight of impending doom lifts and, for the first time since we went on the run from the Order, I feel lighter. I feel hope and I know, everyone in the room does too.

We stand together for a long moment, reveling in the moment and then we break apart and into smaller groups.

“You are brilliant,” Zamis says, taking both my hands and kissing the top of my head.

“You said it first,” I say.

“Yes, but you embodied it,” he says. “And you are right. We know. Now we must prepare.”

He and I walk out of the meeting hand in hand. I lead us back outside. The suns should be setting and I want to see them.Standing on a ridge, the rolling dunes are cast over with long purple bruises as shadows chase away the final rays.

“It’s beautiful,” I sigh.

“It is,” he agrees.

We hold each other as full darkness falls, but despite the lack of the suns, I am certain that the future for us is bright. We’ll face it together. I turn into him, rise onto my toes, and we kiss.

Tajss does provide.

THE END

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