He laid his fingers on her cheeks. “I said you’re my breath, and my pulse, my heart, my voice. I said, I’ll love you even when all of them stop. I’ll love you, and only you, until all the worlds are ended. So you’ll marry me, Blair. And I’ll go where you go, and fight beside you. We’ll live together, and love together, and make a family.”
“I have to…I have to stand up a minute.” She got to her feet, shaky now, and walked to the fountain. Just to breathe, she thought, to let the cool spray of water wash her face.
“No one’s ever loved me like this. I don’t know, not for certain, that anyone’s ever loved me at all until you. No one’s ever offered me what you’re offering me.” She turned back to him. “I’d be a fool to push it away. I’m not a fool. I thought I loved someone once, but that was so pale compared to what I feel for you. I thought I’d have to be strong enough to leave you behind. I didn’t know you could be strong enough to come with me. I should have.”
She came back to him, offering her hand when he rose. “I’d marry you anywhere. I’d be so proud to marry you.”
He kissed her hands, then drew her gently into his arms to meet her lips.
“Get a good grip, will you?” she murmured. “I’m a demon hunter. I’m not fragile.”
He laughed, and swung her right off her feet.
“Have a care with her! Have you lost your mind?”
As Moira sprinted toward them, Larkin only grinned, and spun Blair again. “A bit. We’re betrothed.”
“Oh.” Moira stopped, her hands fluttering up to her heart. “Oh, well, that’s wonderful. Blessings on you both. I’m so pleased for you.”
She stepped up, kissed Blair’s cheek, then Larkin’s. “We need a celebration. I’ll go back, tell the others. Cian had a notion…but it can wait.”
“What notion?” Blair demanded.
“A way…how did he put it? To thumb our noses at Lilith. But—”
“I’m for that.” Blair patted Larkin’s arm. “Why don’t you go in. I’ll be right behind you. I just want a second with Moira.”
“All right. But don’t stay on your feet too long.”
“Listen to him, after he’s tossing you around in the air. I do wish you happy, Blair.”
“I want you to know I’m going to try, every day of my life, to make him happy. I want you to know that.”
“You do make him happy.” Moira angled her head. “We’re friends, aren’t we, you and I?”
“You, Glenna, Hoyt, Cian. Best friends I ever had in my life.”
“I feel the same, so I’m going to be honest with you. It will hurt when he goes. It will hurt my heart, and when he’s out of sight I’ll weep until my heart’s dry of tears. Then I’ll be light, and I’ll be happy. Because I know he’ll have what he needs, what he wants, what he deserves.”
“If there’s a way we can come back, to spend some time, to visit, you, his family, we’ll find it.”
“That’s a nice thought to hold on to. And I will. Come now. He’s right, you should be off your feet.”
“I think I feel better than I ever have in my life.”
“That’s love for you, but still, you’ll need your strength for what Cian has in mind.”
It was nose-thumbing, Blair thought. And chest-beating. And it was perfect.
“Are you sur
e you’re up for this?” Glenna asked her.
“I am so up for this. It’s so in-your-face.” Blair grinned at Cian. “Good thinking.”
He looked up at the sky, watched the stars wink to life. “Good clear night for it. It’s not what you’d call battle strategy, but—”
“Damn straight it is. Demoralizing the enemy is always good strategy.” Blair turned the swords she held. “So I’m set?” she asked Glenna.