Page 138 of Moonlight Hearts

“We called the healers.And the cleaners,” Simeon said.“Bennet, the axe?”

“Burn it, then salt it.That should do it.Amory, my heart, come on, let’s leave here.”

Simeon looked at his axe with mild disgust.“Ugh.Seems excessive.Bennet, it’s freezing out there.Let’s wait until someone finds you clothes.Just in order to…avoid any embarrassing situations.”

I shook my head.“We need to wait for Echo and Thaeros.”

More people came into the room through the door the witch had almost broken, and I knew them, except not like this.They were the regulars with the sandy hair, the triplets, one of whom was a nurse or a doctor, except it wasn’t just three of them.Unless I had miscounted, it was seven.

Two of them saw Soyer and me and came over.Two each split off to go to Echo and Thaeros.

“Hello.We’re here for cleaning, but we’ll do first aid while we wait for the healers,” one of them said.

“We should go find you shock blankets,” added another.

I nodded as if I understood what had happened, as if things made sense.All that mattered, all that made sense was that Soyer was here, and that the witch wasn’t.

I hugged him close.“I showed her the watch.She didn’t like that.You were right.”

He made a desperate sound.“Oh, Amory.Amory, my love.I never wanted you to meet a witch ever again.Never.”

“But…this is the one.The witch who hurt you just for wanting a few cherries.I was scared you’d be afraid, that if you saw her—”

He cupped the back of my head, holding me close.“I know.I froze up.I was scared out of my mind, and I froze up, and you got a fucking witch blade in your chest.”

“Yeah, but that’s fine now.”

He grumbled.“You sound like you need a lie down and a break.”

The witch blade.My thoughts caught up with what had happened.“Caecilius?”

I tried to turn away from where Soyer was effectively pressing my face into the crook of his neck, but he wouldn’t let me.

“He’s dead.Don’t look, my heart.He’s dead now.You don’t need to see it.”

“He lost it.He wasn’t thinking straight.”

Soyer snorted.“Yeah, no shit.”

I heard the crinkling of a shock blanket being unfolded and draped over us.It was a familiar sound and sensation, and it shouldn’t have been.Either of us bursting into flames really wasn’t ideal, and it was hard on the infrastructure.

“I’m glad we didn’t burn the building down,” I said, adjusting the shock blanket one of the triplets who weren’t triplets had given me.

Simeon made a noise of agreement.“True.You two are quite something.You should make sure you have good insurance, you know.Or just don’t erupt into flame.”

Soyer kissed my forehead.“Don’t listen to him.He’s full of shit.I’ll always burn for you, Amory, always.I love you, and I don’t want to be without you.”

I kissed him on the lips—an acknowledgment.“You’re not meant to be without me.You’re my firebird.We’re meant to be together where loneliness can’t find us.”

Simeon snorted.“Weirdos.Make sure to cover up, at least.It’s charming and all, but nothing anyone really needs to see.”

It didn’t matter that we were naked or who saw us.I had my firebird, and he had me.Everything was as it should be, as it would be, as it had to be, our hearts’ flames burning for each other.

Forever.

Epilogue 1

WeleftwhenLynnand Duncan got there.Duncan gave me a critical look when—wrapped in my shock blanket—I asked him to make sure Thaeros and Echo would be okay.