Page 95 of The Blood Queen

But not by him.

When the dust is settled, when I do what I must do, it is a bit of a comfort knowing that he will have a place he loves to call his, a chance to live a life outside his father’s machinations and the fate he got tangled up in because of me.

“Thank you,” I whisper to him as his kiss shifts from my lips to my neck. I arch into him.

“For what?” he asks, his breath warm against my skin, his words a touch as delicate as a whisper.

For proving to me that I am not alone.

For showing me that I am more than my service.

For loving me for me.

“Everything,” I whisper as his lips touch my ear. “Everything.”

His arms tighten around me.

“I love you,” I say.

I hadn’t said the words aloud before.

I hadn’t dared to give voice to what is in my heart.

Tears spring unbidden to my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. I refuse to leave this moment, here, now, the two of us together, whole.

Tonight is not about sacrifice.

Tonight is about claiming what I need.

Who I need.

We may not have a future, but we have now. And I will not let the terror I ride toward in the morning take me away from this moment, this man, this love.

He is mine.

I am only his.

25 Samson

It takes us just over a day to march from Stirling to Edinburgh. The stone we’re aiming for is thankfully outside the city, on the southern end, so we circumvent the populated areas—and hope the High Blade does too.

It’s wishful thinking. If she’s making this her final stand, she’s going to have her army taking every opportunity to strengthen themselves.

Hard as I try to stay focused and not lose myself in fear, my mind fills with images of Forres, burned and slaughtered.

We can’t stop what the High Blade’s doing now.

But we can stop her from hurting anyone after this.

According to the updates we get from certain fae creatures—one who can send messages on the wind, others who can fly speedy fast over the cold fields—the High Blade’s still marching toward the Caiy Stone. Should get to it ’round when we do.

Having support and information is certainly an adjustment. Alyth and I kind of got used to winging everything and hoping for the best, so to go into this battle with a full army of vicious fae beasties at our back and a plan lying ahead? It’s almost luxurious.

Since we know the High Blade is approaching the Caiy Stone from the northwest, we take our smaller group and loop around to come at the stone from the south. This way, we run a chance of getting between the High Blade and the stone, and if not, we don’t gotta fight our way through the whole Red Cap army before we can get at it.

Then Alyth and I and a half-dozen allies will break off to go through the stone. The rest will remain to fight the High Blade and Red Caps.

From my horse, I look over at Alyth.