Page 63

“It feels so good to be normal again,” Bella sighed, dropping her head to Harker’s shoulder.

“So you can’t take the ring off?” Gin asked. “Likeever?”

“Not during the day,” replied Bella. “And I’m just not going to risk it during the night. What if someone teleported me away to another world where it’s daytime?”

“Wow, that ring is quite acommitment.” Tessa winked at Bella.

“Yes, it is,” Bella said, oblivious to Tessa’s hidden meaning. “But wearing this ring forever and always is a small price to pay for not turning into a monster. I’m just so grateful that Harker found the designs for Meda’s collar.”

“Well, actually,” Harker said, clearing his throat. He turned to face Bella, taking both her hands. “I never found the designs for Meda’s collar.”

A perplexed crinkle formed between her eyes. “You didn’t?”

“No. This ring,” he said, tracing the gold band with his finger, “it’s not magical. It’s just a normal ring, made with love.”

“But it worked!” Bella exclaimed. “The ring kept me from turning into a monster!”

“No, Bella,” he said, shaking his head. “Youkept yourself from turning into a monster. And I knew that you could. You just needed to believe in yourself like I do. There is no breaking this power that you have. Ava wove it into your very existence. It’s part of who you are. But youcancontrol it. You proved that.”

“I…but…how?”

“When I saw you use your magic during the night—when I saw you control the power when the curse was dormant—I knew,” he told her. “The curse and the magic it gives you are interwoven, inseparable. If you can control the magic, you can control the curse. You just have to believe it. So when I realized that, that’s when I got the idea to make the ring. To make you believe.”

“You lied to me,” Bella said quietly, drawing away.

“I’m sorry. If I’d told you the truth about the ring, then you never would have believed you could control the curse.”

“You’re right.” She sighed. “And I’m not mad at you, Harker. I’m mad at myself. If I’d realized I could control the curse, I wouldn’t have had to run away from everyone I love. We’ve lost so much time. Time we could have spent together.”

“We have time now,” he said. “I will always be there for you, Bella.”

“I believe you.” She clutched him tightly, pulling him in for a kiss.

“Well, now that you know, I guess you don’t need the ring anymore,” he said, his expression bordering on sheepish.

“This ring is a reminder of the lengths you would go to in order to save me. I am never taking it off,” she said passionately, clutching the ring on her finger.

They kissed again. It was a long kiss too. I finished a whole pizza roll in the time it took them to finish.

“Geez, guys. Knock it off,” Tessa laughed. “You’re so cute, you’re making even me blush.”

“Like that’s even possible,” Bella told her.

Tessa tittered. “Oooh, score one for the feisty witch!”

“Now all that’s missing is we get Zane a girlfriend,” Gin said happily.

They looked at him.

“If you guys even mention Aerilyn’s name?—”

“Who said anything about Aerilyn?” Gin batted her eyelashes.

“Zane did,” Tessa told her. “She must be on his mind.”

“Of course I am,” Aerilyn declared, strolling casually into the room.

I snorted.