Page 258 of Of Sins and Sacrifice

“You did,” I whisper.

“Then be my female. And let me be your male.”

I gulp down. Slowly, I sink to my knees and join him on the ground.

Placing my hands against his cold cheeks, I cradle his face in my palms.

“You silly, silly male. I’ve been yours from the moment you called me Minnie,” I murmur, for that had also been the moment I started calling him Mine.

Leaning in, our breaths mingle for a split second before his lips are on mine in a kiss that makes my heart weep: of joy but also of sorrow because my love for him might be infinite, but our time together is not.

Yet even knowing the heartache that is to come, the punishment I’ll likely face, I cannot bring myself to part with him again.

Never again.

THIRTY-SEVEN

Mine’s nameis called and he grabs my hand to go with him.

Sensing a shift in the air, I tell him, “Go ahead. I will be with you after I check something out.”

He glances at me but doesn’t ask what. Instead, he only says, “Vow you will come back to me.”

“I vow it.”

With a slow nod, he heads to the crowd forming in the courtyard. I watch his retreating figure just as a mass of energy materializes next to me.

“What in the Source do you think you are doing, Minerva?” Molokai demands in an angry voice.

I should have expected he would follow me since I disappeared from his side. But I was too concerned with Mine’s well-being to worry about that.

“I have something to take care of here,” I answer.

“With a human? I saw you.”

I slowly raise my eyes to meet his. “And what did you see?”

“You were embracing,” he spits out in disgust.

I shrug. “Are you going to tell on me?”

He presses his lips together, and there is my answer.

“Someone else will find out.”

Knowing how strong Kai’s sense of justice is, his reply surprises me in a way I hadn’t dared hope before.

“Not if I’m careful. At least not for a period of time.”

“You are playing a dangerous game, Minerva. How long has this been going on?”

“Long enough to know his intentions are genuine. As are mine.”

He snorts as if he could never fathom such a thing. But I wouldn’t expect my brother to understand things of a sentimental nature. He’s too frigid for that. Yet the mere fact that he’s not forcefully taking me away gives me a modicum of hope.

“You have no idea what will happen to you?—”

“On the contrary,” I interrupt him. “I do, and I am willing to face the consequences.”

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