LOGINChris shook his head, rolling his eyes. “Unbelievable,” he hissed as I smirked with satisfaction.The trip to the clinic went by a lot faster on wheels than on foot. Chris remained glued to my side, his hair falling into his eyes as he repeatedly checked on me. I simply smiled in the backseat, and w
Epilogue — Part IIAvaAs the balloon hit me square in the face, I stumbled back, nearly losing my balance. Chris’s strong arm caught me, steadying me as a chorus of “Surprise!” filled the air.Our living room had been transformed, covered with balloons and streamers in shades of blue and silver. A
Her imprisonment in New Moon was coming to an end, and soon she would be returning to Moonstone on parole. The thought filled me with a mixture of apprehension and hope, as it did all of us.But that was not coming for another month.As the Elders filed out, I leaned back in my chair, unable to keep
Before I could comment, the Elders finally filed in, their usual robes swishing around them as they moved. Fatima was now the Eldest since Elise was gone, and so she took the end of the table opposite Chris.Claire hobbled in after her; she had been leaning on a cane lately due to a sudden onset of
Epilogue — Part IAvaMy hand rested on my belly as I waddled through the doors, half-ignoring Chris’s presence. He sighed, letting the door fall shut behind me.“What’s wrong?” he asked, following me to the circular council table in the center of the room.“Nothing.”That was a lie.It was my 40th
For a moment, Chris was silent, his gaze intense as he searched my face. Then, without warning, he dropped to his knees, burying his face in my skirt. His arms wrapped around my waist, holding me close.“Goddess, I can’t wait to marry you,” he murmured, his voice muffled by the fabric.I smiled, run
AvaThe sound of pounding on the front door reverberated through my aching skull, each vibration sending fresh stabs of pain coursing through my temples. I groaned softly, blinking my bleary eyes in a futile attempt to force away the hazy fog that was clouding my mind.What… What had happened?Slugg
“Are those your parents?” she asked, pointing up at the man and woman in the painting.I nodded wistfully as I followed her gaze. The portrait of my late parents had always been my favorite—my father looked particularly healthy with his hair coiffed and his mustache curled up at the ends, and my mot
Chris“Chris, tonight was lovely,” Amelia sighed, gazing up at me with those big doe eyes of hers as we wandered back to the Packhouse. “Just you and me… a candlelit dinner, the finest cuisine.” A shiver rippled through her petite frame. “Really, Chris. Thank you for this.”I forced a tight smile, s
AvaThe next morning, Chris and I headed straight to the clinic, the small plastic baggie containing the mysterious white powder clutched tightly in Chris’s hand. We didn’t waste a single moment; as soon as the clinic opened, we were headed out, barely even having slept all night.“What do you think







