The Palace (Chateau 4)

“Yes.”

She cupped her face and stepped back, the revelation hitting her in a way she could barely handle. More tears came. Her breathing skyrocketed. An emotional crescendo washed over her, breaking her in two. “Oh my god…” The look she gave me was unique, special, never seen before. “I knew it…I knew you would.” She dropped her hands from her face and moved into me, gripping me as tightly as if she hung from a cliff. “I always knew.”

The night was spent with her in my arms.

She kissed me in a way she never had before.

Made love to me in a way she never had before.

Our relationship had always been intense and passionate, but it was much deeper now, much bolder.

She’d fallen more in love with me.

She’d never be able to give me that final piece of her, not when I continued to do something she detested. But once she allowed herself to, that small piece was heavier than all the rest.

If I’d known, I would have done it much sooner.

She was everything to me. It was hard to believe that she hadn’t always been a part of me, that this powerful connection was recent. My memory played tricks on me, and sometimes I thought she had been in the dumpster with my brother and me. That she was right there with me the night my family died. The connection between us seemed to disobey the laws of physics—because time didn’t apply to us the way it did with everyone else.

When the sun came up the next morning, everything changed.

She knew I’d depart that afternoon, and she couldn’t keep it together.

I was a soldier going off to war—and she was afraid I would leave her widowed.

Tears would come unexpectedly. Panic attacks would strike her and make her hyperventilate. All I could do was kiss her to calm her down, but another round came again…and again.

“Chérie.” My thumbs brushed away her tears as she sat beside me on the couch, her face puffy and red. She’d taken a few painkillers because the tears had brought on a headache she couldn’t defeat. “What happened when you were trapped in that bedroom with Gilbert?”

Her bottom lip trembled as she looked at me.

“I defeated them all—by myself. Nothing stopped me from getting to you. I was outnumbered ten to one. That made no difference. The same will happen tonight. I will slaughter them all, free the girls, and come back to you.”

She nodded slightly. “I just don’t understand why you can’t send someone else, pay them whatever they want.”

My thumbs continued to brush away her tears. “Because I’m the one who did this. I started the camp. I ignored Magnus and got all my men killed. I’m responsible for everything—and I will fix it. I’m not a coward.”

“I know you aren’t. But you should stay…for me.”

I shook my head. “Magnus would never stay. And I can’t let him go in alone. I need to be there to watch his back.”

“He doesn’t need you—”

“Doesn’t matter. Where he goes, I go. You understand that better than anybody.”

She gave a bigger nod through her tears, thinking of her sister.

“I’m going to leave you with Raven at Magnus’s house. You’ll be safe there if I don’t—”

“Don’t fucking say that.” Tears poured down her cheeks. “I don’t…I don’t want to hear that.”

It always hurt to watch her cry, but it hurt even more to see her like this. It was almost enough to make me back out so I could stay there with her.

Almost.

We arrived at the apartment.

She would normally take in the beautiful scenery with a mesmerized gaze.

But right now, she was too delirious to care about anything.

We took the elevator to the main floor and stepped inside.

Magnus and Raven were heard speaking, saying their goodbyes.

Raven sounded identical to Melanie when she spoke to him, tears in her throat. “I never thought I would have a man like this. I just got you…I’m not ready to let you go. You’re supposed to be my husband. We’re supposed to make babies. Please don’t take that away from me.”

Melanie had stopped crying, but she was clearly on the brink of doing it again. With her hand in mine, she let me guide her forward, Magnus and Raven appearing through the main sitting room.

My brother and I stared at each other.

Melanie and Raven did the same.

Magnus turned to Raven, ready to say his final goodbye.

With wet eyes, Raven stared at him, unable to speak because it hurt so much.

Magnus moved to her, cupped her face, and kissed her.

She clutched him tightly. “I love you.”

Magnus let her hold on to him as long as she needed before he turned away. “I love you too.” He moved past me and approached the elevator, purposely not turning back to Raven, like it was too hard to look at her again.