Page 129 of Revere

Not just him and the House. I finally understand the depth of that vow—of those words. Through blood and family. Life and death. We are all Sigma Sin, and we are all in this together.

We are ushering in a new era.

The man lowers the book and reaches for a knife on the table behind him. The Sigma House insignia is carved into the handle.

“You have chosen to take your mark at your wife’s hand, is that correct?”

Jacob nods, and the man hands me the blade.

My hand shakes as I wrap my fingers around the handle. Everything is foggy as I try to steady my breathing and remember the image I’ve drawn a hundred times this past week so I get it right.

Mila even let me use her knives to practice. But skin is a lot more fragile than blocks of wood, so I need to be careful.

Jacob stretches out his forearm for me, trusting me fully as I bring the tip of the blade to his skin. Slowly, I draw the SigmaS, followed by the roman numeralIand anN. Finally, I cross the last line of theNwith a horizontal line to make a cross of it, representing the presidential seal of the fraternity’s insignia.

Blood drips from his arm onto the floor, but he doesn’t so much as flinch.

When I’m done, I’m still shaking as he takes the blade from me. I roll my sleeve back enough to reveal my full forearm and offer it to him.

It’s rare for the president’s wife to be marked with her husband, as it represents complete devotion. By taking the mark, I hand over my life to the House. There is no walking away from it or him. And I do so willingly. I look into Jacob’s eyes, and I don’t second-guess my decision.

This is our fate.

Just like he promised.

Jacob is careful as he draws the same mark on my arm.

I flinch twice, and he pauses when I do. But I manage to make it through. Finally, as Jacob finishes the last line, he hands the knife back to the man and pulls me closer.

“I love you, Patience Stone.” He lifts my arm to his lips and places his mouth over where I’m dripping blood, drinking me down.

My life flows into him, and when he drags his tongue over the wound and my knees wobble, Jacob catches me.

I look up, and to the sound of the Sigma Sin chant, I smile at my husband. “I love you too.”

At that, he claims me in a bloody kiss, sealing our promise.

EPILOGUE

JACOB

Two Months Later

The house is dark when my driver drops me off out front.

I refuse to spend a night away from Patience, so even if it means flying home at two in the morning, I get on a plane. In the future, when I travel for long trips, she’ll come with me. But she refused to miss the tests she had this week, so I’m making it work, flying back and forth.

I smell my wife the second I step through the door. My own personal paradise.

Setting my bag in the entryway, I pull the poppy out of my suit jacket pocket and spin it between my fingers. I find my way up the stairs and down the hallway to our room, where my angel is sleeping.

She’s bathed in moonlight with the curtains wide open and her blonde hair fanned out around her.

Perfection I don’t deserve.

Heaven I claim every chance I get.

Setting the poppy between the pages of her book on the nightstand, I leave my gift for her. She scolded me once aboutsneaking in when she was sleeping and leaving her poppies, but now she decorates our house with them. Poppy paintings. Poppies in vases. I’ll ship them in from far and wide to make sure she always has as many as she desires.