Page 179 of Stolen Empire

He nods and stands, leaving me alone in the dining room.

I sit there for a while, staring at the empty teacups, as I try to process everything that's happened.

My mother's here.

I have a cousin who's accepted me as blood.

The war with the Radich crew is nearly done.

And Dimitri loves me.

The last thought makes my chest tense, and I push myself to my feet.

I need to find him.

I walk through the house, checking the rooms, until I find the balcony overlooking the courtyard.

Dimitri is standing there, his hands braced on the railing, staring out at the snowy fields beyond.

He looks tired and tense.

I step outside, shivering immediately, and he glances over his shoulder.

When he sees me, his expression softens, and he turns to face me fully.

"How are you?" he asks.

"Overwhelmed," I admit, moving to stand beside him.

"But in a good way."

He nods and looks back out at the fields.

We stand there for a while, and I let myself lean into the moment.

It feels fragile, precious, and I'm afraid to break it.

"I meant it," I say softly, thinking of the moment I introduced him to my mother.

I expect him to ask what I mean or to what I'm referring.

But he simply slides his hand across the railing to wrap around mine.

"I mean it too, Katya."

There's a tenderness to his tone that draws me in.

I lay my head on his shoulder and he moves his arm to wrap around me.

"I love you, and I don't say that word lightly."

I sigh peacefully, breathing in his scent.

He's strong in so many ways, and tender in all the right ones too.

When he first took me I wondered what I was in for, and now I know the truth is I was always safe with him.

"So, what do we do now?"