“We’re always going to have our moments, believe me, I’ve spent a lot of time in the past few months being so fucking pissed at you. But at the end of the day, you’re my sister. I know everything you’ve done has been because you love me. Because you were trying to protect me. Because you love me, and I understand that.”
Kara moved from the chair to the bed at my side. “But I need you to understand you don’t always have to protect me. I’m pretty good at protecting myself.”
I sighed and wrapped my arms around my sister, pressing our heads together. “I know. I just forget sometimes you’re all grown up. After Nol disappeared, I just felt so much pressure. Pressure that I needed to be the one to protect you now that he was gone, and our parents were dead. But if you’ve showed me anything over the past three years, it’s that you don’t need me to protect you like I thought I did.”
“I like knowing it though.” She shifted to look me in the eyes. “I like knowing if I ever need you, you’ll be there for me. No questions asked.”
“That’s what big sisters do.”
“Thank you for sacrificing yourself for me.” I swallowedthe lump in my throat. “I felt a lot of guilt at first, that you sacrificed yourself for me. I know you saw things differently, but everyone needed you. It felt like everyone was falling apart without you. Including me. I kept thinking it should have been me.”
“Kara—"
“Please, Len, let me get this out. I’ve been needing to say it for so long.” I pressed my lips together and let my sister continue.
“But when we got you back and you told us what had happened to you, I felt relief, relief Lennox.” A sob caught in her throat. “Because I know I would have never survived what you did.”
My chest constricted. “Kara, you’re stronger than you believe.” I blinked back tears. “I see how strong you are, even if others can’t see it, I know you are. You would have survived as I did.” Even though the thought of Kara enduring what I did at Adreona’s hands churned my stomach I knew she’d survive it, just as I did. I might tend to wear my strengths on the outside, but Kara’s were internal. Only those that really knew her saw them.
“When this war is all over, you and me, we’re going to have a sister weekend. Just the two of us.”
“I’d like that.”
“Me too, Kar.”
We were both silent for a minute before Kara spoke again. “You really think we’re going to make it out of here alive?”
“I honestly don’t know, Kara. But I’m trying to take a page out of Luka’s book, trying to borrow some optimism.”
Kara gave me a watery smile. “Optimism looks good on you, Len.”
64
LUKA
The orange tint of the sun poked its way through the horizon, over the dark silhouettes of the trees. This was it. Our last moments before—no matter what, nothing would be the same after today, whether we won this war or not. People would die. We’d see things—we’d be changed whether we wanted to or not.
Lennox’s silhouette was outlined in the early rays of the sun as she stared out into the horizon. Her blonde braid fell down her back, the light color bright against her dark leathers. She was armed to the teeth—we both were. Two swords strapped to our backs, our sheaths filled with daggers.
No matter what happened, I was thankful for the time we got together. No matter how short.
I wouldn’t change a second of it.
Everything that led us to this path was part of our story. Even the hard parts—I wouldn’t trade her fucking stabbing me after we met. It was all a part of our journey—a part of us.
“What are you thinking about?” Her voice drew me from lingeringthoughts.
“Of us, of our story. That I wouldn’t change a thing.”
She smiled softly. “Me either.”
I drew her into my arms. “Really, you wouldn’t change any of it?”
“Not a moment. It all led me to you. Even if we die on that battlefield, I’ll die knowing I got to die with you by my side. My love, my mate.”
“We’ll go down swinging together.”
“Until the stars turn to dust, Luka Rossi.”
