He stared down at her face, pushing her hair from her eyes. His widened eyes said it all, but he said, “You saved my life. I owe you everything.”
“Of course I saved your life. We’re even now. And, I know you heard what I said. Do you believe it?”
“That you love me?”
She nodded. “I think the exact words were something like I think I’m in love with you. Pretty sure I called you a dolt, too.”
His mouth tipped up on one side in a slight grin as he asked, “So, you’re still thinking about it? Well, while you get it figured out, I can say, without a doubt, that I love you Liverity Strongwill. You crawled into my heart when you were that vulnerable young girl, and I was lucky enough to be chosen to serve you. Now, I can’t imagine my life without you.”
Liv stood silently staring at him, joyful surprise filling her chest. “Do you mean that?”
He nodded and kissed her lightly before gazing down on her again as he explained, “I was dying, Liv. No, I was practically dead. And all that I could think was that I’d wasted my life on things that didn’t matter. I wanted to go back, to get another chance to be by your side, loving, fighting, and living.”
“What about your revenge?”
“It’s an easy sacrifice to make. Revenge is meaningless if I don’t have you. Everything I’ve been through has led me to this moment. I wish I didn’t have to experience the pain and the devastation, but without them, I’m not the man I am today. I’m the man who loves you. Is that good enough?”
Liv felt like her heart had suddenly transformed into a balloon filling with emotions she never thought she’d get to feel in her lifetime. In an instant, she understood why Tay hadn’t been able to leave Niya. She never wanted to be apart from Rise again. Yet, as she heard the stomp of boots on the floorboards above them, she realized they didn’t have time to waste if they were going to escape together.
“Come on! I found some stairs at the back of the dungeon that lead up to the living area.”
Just as soldiers began to start down the front set of steps, Liv and Rise ran toward the dark recesses of the dungeon. They ran up the stairs there and came out on an open landing above the great room where at least forty soldiers stood looking around.
“There! I see them!” One of the soldiers pointed, and the rest of the heads swiveled in their direction.
“Come on! Let’s keep going up!” Liv ran for the stairs with Rise right behind her.
They reached another floor, but Liv kept going until they encountered a small square trapdoor at the top of a sturdy, wooden ladder. She threw back the bolt that held it locked shut, and Rise pushed it open until it flipped backwards and slammed on the shingled roof.
They stepped out onto a landing, slammed the door behind them, and looked around. They were at the top of a tower turret with a slanted rooftop and no way down.
“What now, Liv?”
“Now, we see what my sorcery can do. Before we came up here, you asked me if being the man who loves me is good enough? You are so much more than good enough, and it’s time you embraced that heroic part of you. Now, take off your shirt.”
“What? Here? I don’t think this is the time for sex, princess.”
She laughed, and if they weren’t in such danger, she might let the giggles take over, but she needed to get them to safety. Or, rather, Rise did.
Take off your shirt and turn around.
He did as she instructed.
“Do you trust me?”
He didn’t hesitate. “Wholeheartedly.”
Liv closed her eyes and clapped her hands together. She rubbed them quickly until she felt the sparks there. No doubt, her father had pinpointed her exact location and would be here very soon, so she had to work quickly.
With the life giving electricity that her father used to destroy, Liv reached out and placed her hands onto what remained of Rise’s wings. He jerked at her touch, but he didn’t pull away.
With the sole focus of regeneration, Liv imagined his wings growing before her, bigger and lighter than before. As she pictured it in her head, she felt the crack and pop of emerging life.
Rise cried out, but he still didn’t pull away.
After only a few seconds, Liv had to take a step back to make room for the span of his mighty wings. Once they had fully grown back, she collapsed to the ground, exhaustion overtaking her.
Rise flapped his wings a few times, reacquainting himself with the motions.
