Page 160 of A House of Gold
His love wraps around me like a blanket.
"Sleep," he says. "We still have a few hours before midnight."
"Will you stay?"
"Yes."
"Promise?"
"I promise. I'll be here when you wake up. I'll be there during the ritual. I'll be there tomorrow when we fight." His arms tighten. "Wherever you are, I'll be there."
"Even when I'm bonded to the others?"
A pause, then, "Especially then. Because you're mine, Raven. Bond or no bond. The others can claim pieces of you, but this..." He presses his hand over my heart. "This is mine. And I'm not giving it up without a fight."
"Good," I whisper, sleep starting to pull at me. "Because it's yours. For as long as you want it."
"Forever, then."
"Forever."
I drift off like that, safe in his arms, his heartbeat steady against my back, his presence a constant warmth through our bond. Yes, everything is changing. But tonight, I’m just Raven.
And I'm loved.
I wake to Croesus shaking my shoulder gently.
"It's time," he says.
I sit up, disoriented. The room is dark except for the golden glow from the windows. Croesus is already dressed, hair pulled back, looking every inch the Lord of his House.
The warmth from earlier is gone. Now there's just tension. Purpose.
"The others are ready," he says. "The ritual chamber is prepared."
I nod, climbing out of bed. My legs are shaky, and I'm sore in a way that reminds me of what we did. What we have.
I dress quickly, simple black clothes, easy to move in. Pull my hair back. Try to look like someone who's about to bind herself to six fallen angels and not someone who's terrified she's about to die.
Croesus watches me prepare. I feel his love. His terror. His determination.
"Ready?" he asks when I'm done.
"No."
"Good answer." He offers his hand.
I take it.
“Let’s go anyway,” he says. And together, we walk toward midnight and magic and whatever comes after.
34
The ritual chamber is deep in the house of gold. Croesus leads me through in silence, his hand tight around mine.
The door, when we finally reach it, is different from the others in the house. Not gold, but black stone carved with symbols which hurt to look at directly. Protective wards, I realize. Ancient ones. It’s definitely not the same ritual room I’d used for my purges.
Croesus pauses before opening it. "Once we start, we can't stop. No matter how much it hurts. No matter what you feel. We have to complete the ritual or–"
