Page 78 of Seduced By Darkness

“For the next three months,” Eris says.

She’s sharpening a knife in the corner, her entire focus locked upon the blade.

As silence reigns, she looks up. “What?”

Sometimes I wish she didn’t have to be so fucking honest.

“Then we have three months.” Vi bites her lip and then offers me a shy smile. “I don’t want to waste another moment on worrying about my mother. I want to see your city. I want to meet your people. I want to… be your wife.”

There’s a blush to her cheeks at those last words.

Gods, even now she sees the good in the moment. I squeeze her hand.

“Thalia, you’re in charge of my city,” I tell her, making a sudden decision.

“I am?” My cousin’s eyebrows shoot up.

“You are.” I take a backwards step toward the door. “Don’t burn it down. Don’t blow it up. And don’t let your demi-fey take over the keep. Finn, you’re in charge of helping Eris get that stick out of her ass.”

“Me?” Finn holds his hands out. “Why are you throwingmeto the wolves?”

Eris gives me a long, slow, unamused look.

“Where areyougoing?” Lysander looks intrigued.

“My wife and I are going to take a honeymoon,” I tell them all. “I want to forget about murderous queens and broken alliances. I don’t want to even hear a single murmur about politics. I am taking Vi to Valerian, where the only thing that might bother us is the wraiths.”

“You’re going to freeze your ass off,” Baylor mutters.

Vi clears her throat. “I don’t have very much magic, but if there’s one thing I am good at, it’s setting things on fire.”

I wink at him. “There. You see. Toasty warm.” I give her a considering look. “You set things on fire?”

“Long story.” Vi’s face closes over. “Maybe I’ll tell you about it when those nights are cold.”

“I’m fairly certain no stories will get a chance to be told,” Thalia says, as she shoos us toward the door. “Go. Have fun. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“Well, that limits the options,” Baylor says.

“Ha, ha, you’re so amusing.” She scrunches up a piece of paper and throws it at him. “Don’t make me put you on guard duty for the next fortnight. You heard him. I’m in charge.”

“Maia save our souls,” Lysander says mournfully, looking toward the sky as if he’s praying directly to the goddess.

There’s a shy smile on Vi’s face as she takes them all in.

This. This is what I wanted to show her. This is what I want her to be a part of.

But in the meantime….

“Are you coming?” I ask, offering her my hand.

“Maybe soon,” she whispers, with a teasing twinkle in her eye as she accepts my hand.

We haven’t been alone since I won the right to have her.

“Definitely soon,” I promise, as I draw her through the door and kiss her in the hallway outside.

Epilogue