Page 192 of This Blood that Bonds Us

“Right now?”

“Humor me.” He kissed my cheek and ushered me into the opening in the trees. I was still barefoot and the cool dirt beneath my feet was soft and clean of debris.

“We’re dancing again,” I said as Aaron grabbed me by the waist and pulled me to him.

“Mm-hm.” His voice hummed next to my ear, and we swayed in a natural cadence.

The crickets were back to occupy our dance, only this time Aaron was more sure footed than before. The night was quiet except for the bugs and the laughter of the people we loved most in the world a few feet away. It was almost midnight, and thestars peppered the sky in an endless sparkling blanket. And the light from the fire danced and illuminated our shadows on the trees. A few strands of fairy lights lit up our dance floor.

“I won’t step on your feet this time.” He smiled and twirled me under the twinkling of lights. His hands were strong as he gripped the small of my back and squeezed my hand.

The stars shimmered above, and when I laid my head on his shoulder, I was sure I heard singing. Thane’s laughter echoed in the trees, and I thought of The Legion and the work we’d once done and would never have to do again. I pondered the postmortem meeting of our battle and of how the Calem name was stricken from the story. We were dead to the world but so very alive. To them we’d lost, but in our deaths we’d gained everything.

Our freedom.

And that never would have happened without Aaron Calem. If he’d left me in the forest to die, we’d have never broken that curse over his brothers. They’d be with Her, and I’d be dead or alone.

Aaron changed it.

“I just realized . . . you did it. You rearranged the stars.”

“I know,” he said confidently.

“When you saved me in the forest, it changed everything. You saved us before you even realized what you were doing.”

There was one good ending to their story, and he found it like he’d found me. Because he was kind and pure of heart, he’d saved me, a complete stranger. And even after that night when he’d stood in front of me in the courtyard of our college campus and offered to turn himself in, he’d rearranged the stars and changed the story.

“I know.” He moved his lips to my ear. “You underestimated me. I’m a secret mastermind. Once I found you, there was no way I was letting you go.”

He dipped me under the glow of the lights and kissed his way up my neck. With each dizzying second, I gave a little more of myself to him. He had all of me safely tucked away in his own heart.

“And I’m not done showing you the world and all the amazing things it has to offer, not by a long shot.”

Aaron’s thumb traced my bottom lip, and I moved my head to his chest to listen to his vibrant, pulsing heartbeat. There was no sound more perfect.

People always said good things must come to an end, but I think that’s because death is the inevitable end. But we were blessed with the true gift of the stars. We would never die, and all our dreaming and hope would continue to grow with each passing year. There would be no goodbyes. Our good things would go on forever.