A strange vibration traveled beneath my skin. It wasn’t the cool hardness as happened with the curse that dragged me to stone, but…theopposite.
Warmth. Softness. As gentle as the touch of Lilia’s hand in mine.
I glanced down at my body and raised my hand to look at it. The dark hold that the queen’s magic had locked on me loosened. I could feel it as it pulled away and weakened, slowly leaving my body.
When the final gasp of it tumbled out, I fell forward with a heavy exhale. I used my hand to brace my weight against my thigh.
“Hadrien!” Lilia called out as she stepped beside me and touched my arm. “What’s happening?”
I couldn’t speak for several seconds. A pleasant warmth flowed through me, and with it, the sensation of becoming myself again. I hadn’t sensed how much the curse had taken.
Three years of being controlled. Three years of being cursed. Three years of being tormented.
And now I was free.
“I’m okay, Lilia,” I said, slowly raising my other hand. “The queen’s darkness…” I straightened to stand upright, feeling like myself again. “It’s—gone.” Awe filled my voice.
“Oh, Hadrien!” Lilia pressed herself against me once more.
I held her against me, drinking in every aspect of her touch and scent, promising myself I’d never let her go.
The curse was broken.
CHAPTER 28
LILIA
The queen was gone and her curse on Hadrien was broken. Still, I held on to him for a long time, somewhat in disbelief that we’d survived.
Genevieve and Victor had whooped and hollered near the entrance of Valgarde, then slipped inside to give us privacy.
“You saved me, Little Sage,” he muttered and kissed the top of my head. “What was it you pressed against my wing?”
I pulled back enough to look up at him. “A leaf from the silver tree.”
He was quiet for a moment. “My parents’ tree.”
“Yes.” I reached into my satchel. It was still there where I’d put it, slightly warm from my hands and his wings now. Its surface appeared as smooth as still water. I held it up between us. “The book called it l’arbre miroir. The mirror tree. Its leaves don’t absorb what falls on them—they return it.” I turned it in my fingers. “I didn’t fully understand why that mattered. Until tonight, while we were being attacked. Defensive magic.”
He stared at the leaf for a long moment. Then his gaze moved to Valgarde. Something passed over his face that I wasn’t quite sure of, something between wonder and grief and gratitude. Perhaps all.
“My father’s love for my mother. To protect his mate.” He looked back at me. “And it protected my mate.”
My mouth fell open at his unexpected words. I didn’t know what to say.
“The queen came for this land and its magic, and the land and her magic worked against her.”
I blinked as I considered it. I hadn’t thought of it that way, but yes. Exactly that.
I gestured at his beautiful gray wings, still in awe of his power. He’d shielded us both with his body and those wings, as if they were indeed made of stone. “You protected me.” I sighed. “Your wings. They’re magnificent. You’re far more powerful than you let on.”
He smiled down at me and pushed my hair behind my ears. “Gargoyle protection is strong,” he agreed. “Especially when it comes to protecting the ones we love.”
I blinked up at him. “Love?”
“Yes, love,” he repeated, his gray eyes warming.
I gazed up at him again and cocked my head. “What were you saying about love?” I teased with a smile.
