“You will be pleased to know a part of him will live on through your Annabelle. Not through the piece of his demon self, for that piece has died, but through the essence of his love. And because you mixed something of yourself in there, she will be bound to you, now and always, your life for hers. She need only give you a piece of herself to complete the joining and stop the spread of your spiritual death.”
“Thank you,” he found himself saying. “For this chance with her, I thank you.”
“She was always meant to be yours. The question I needed answered was whether or not you could appreciate the gift.”
“I can. I do.”
“I know.”
Breathing deeply, Annabelle jerked upright. As she patted her neck, her chest, perhaps searching for her fatal injury, her gaze searched the room. “What happened?” she croaked. “Why am I alive?”
“I had a choice, and I chose you. I will always choose you.”
“Zacharel?” Tears welling in her eyes, she threw herself into his arms. “I have the worst news! I fought your brother. He was alive. I… He… I’m so sorry. I killed him. There was no other way, and—”
“I know.” He pulled back and righted her robe, shielding her breasts from view, then crushed her back into his chest. She clutched at him, and she cried, and all the while he shook. How close he’d come to losing her…how much he’d now gained. He cared not for who saw him in this weak moment.
“Oh, Zacharel. I have so much to tell you.”
“There’s nothing I do not already know, love. Unforgiveness is, was, my brother.”
Her breath was a trembling rasp as she disengaged from his embrace to frown at him. “How did you know that?”
“I was forced to watch the fight. I tried to reach you, would have done anything to reach you. I am sorry I did not.” He cupped her cheeks, so glad to feel the warmth flooding them. “I’m so very sorry for all you were forced to endure.”
“Don’t you dare go into a shame spiral. You have nothing to be sorry for.”
“At least try to hold a grudge.” He placed a soft kiss on her lips. “You’ll make me feel better.”
The kindest of smiles flashed up at him. “I think that’s the first lie you’ve ever told. So, uh, how am I healed?”
“I gave you the love my brother once carried.”
The smile slowly faded. “Your greatest treasure. You shouldn’t have—”
“You are my greatest treasure, Annabelle. Never doubt that.”
Her eyes filled with another stream of tears. “How can you say that? I helped kill him.”
He wiped away a tear with the pad of his thumb. “No matter what happened, I killed him, then and now. Never doubt that, either.” He would never have the closure he craved, but that was okay. That was life. He had Annabelle, and that was all that mattered. “I love you.”
“I love you, too. And thank you. You’re my treasure, too.”
“Good, because you now have a choice to make. You may meld to me, merging your life span with mine.”
A gleam of hope in those blue—no, blue no longer, he realized. Watery eyes of gold peered up at him, a shade more precious than any he’d ever seen. “Or?”
“Or nothing. That is your only choice.”
She pressed a kiss into his lips, as soft and gentle as his had been. “I thought you said you knew how to bargain, but right now I’m just too happy to instruct you on the proper way. You’ve got yourself a wife. Or a consort. Or a mate. Or whatever you want to call me!”
“You have been my wife since the beginning, I think. That very first day, you taught me how to feel. You saw me at my worst, and helped make me better. What we do next will be a much stronger bond.”
Cheers erupted around them, and he turned. His entire army now filled the room. Thane and Koldo must have summoned the rest of his men.
Thane dropped to his knee, head bowed.
Koldo did the same.
Bjorn and Xerxes, too, then Axel, and then, one by one, the others joined, until the twenty members of his army were showing their respect.
Zacharel pushed to his feet and helped Annabelle to hers. She pressed into his side, her head resting on his shoulder.