Page 52

Chapter 52

I woke aching in the best way as Bastion pressed a kiss to my shoulder. ‘Morning, Bambi. How are you feeling today?’

I considered. ‘I don’t know. We dealt a significant blow to the evil Coven last night, not just in getting my father arrested. The griffins were pretty slasher-happy. There were lots of dead bodies on the floor. We’ve cut off the head of the snake.’

‘With a poison like that, it’s not enough,’ Bastion noted. ‘We need to root it all out.’

I sighed. ‘I know. I’ve begun to realise why the position of Crone is one for life. I don’t think I’ll ever be done hunting evil witches. It’s like the Forth Bridge: by the time you’ve finished painting it once, it’s time to start painting it all over again. ’

‘I have faith in you,’ he murmured, ‘but you can’t influence human nature. Some people just want power and they don’t care how they come by it.’

Once I might have been counted amongst that number. I’d wanted to be the Symposium witch member; I’d wanted to be remembered with such zeal that I might even have crossed a line or two. Things had changed now, though. I didn’t care anymore about being remembered; I cared about living my life in the right way, bringing about positive change for myself and those around me.

I still didn’t want kids, which was good because the Crone position didn’t allow for a family even though it allowed for a husband. Hmm, now there was a thought. ‘Do you want to get married?’ I asked Bastion as I trailed my fingers over his washboard abs.

He blinked. ‘Are you proposing?’

‘No, we’re discussing. Hypothetically, one day, would you like to marry me?’

He pulled me into his arms and kissed me thoroughly. ‘Today, tomorrow, any day,’ he promised. ‘I’m a fan of wedding cake. And wedding nights.’

‘I’m serious,’ I huffed.

‘So am I.’ He propped himself up on one arm. ‘I love you, Amber DeLea. And I’m more than happy to spend the rest of my life showing that to you.’

He kissed me again and this time he accompanied it with a big ball of love that he threw down our bond to me. He loved me, he wanted to spend every waking moment with me, he wanted to grow old with me and he definitely wanted to marry me.

‘Oh,’ I said when we came up for air.

‘Oh,’ he repeated with a grin. ‘For some reason, I find I can’t be without my irascible sassy witch. And I don’t want to be. I’m ready for forever whenever you are. Just say the word and I’ll put a ring on it.’

I grinned. ‘Not today. But soon.’

‘I’ll take soon.’ And that was the last we said for a long while.