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
Chris, however, tensed beside me. “And Olivia? Elise?” he asked, his voice tight.The Elders exchanged nervous glances, their faces falling. Finally, Elder Paul shook his head. “We have searched the crowd for them, but there is no sign of them.”“If they made it out of the building,” Fatima said qui
“Olivia, stop! Please! She’s pregnant!”Olivia didn’t falter. If anything, Chris’s words just fueled her. The heat of the fire seared my skin, my hair, my dress, and I closed my eyes, a sob escaping my throat. I was going to die here, and my child—our child—would never even have a chance at life.Bu
AvaI awoke to an eerie silence, my head throbbing and tender from where I had been struck. The once lively party had now come to a deathly silent standstill, and I found myself being roughly thrown at Olivia’s feet.As my vision cleared, I saw Chris, Leonard, and Ophelia kneeling beside me, their w
And then, just like that, he released me and disappeared into the crowd. I watched him go, my heart aching, before turning to find Ophelia.She appeared at my side moments later, her grip on my hand almost painfully tight. “Shall we do this, darling?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly.“Just l







