Page 119 of Fall Before Her Throne

With a groan, I sat up. My ribcage was probably barely holding itself together. I needed a fucking ice bath. “Yep. I’m getting up.”

My hand pressed to my side, and I gritted my teeth while I stood. Maybe this wasn’t over. Maybe I still had time.

“Is the timer done yet?” My mouth tasted faintly of copper.

Ryuji laughed. “Yeah, Obi beat you fair and square.”

I braced myself for their rejection. I wasn’t ready. I couldn’t bring myself to look at her. I had something I actually wanted to fight for. To lose it so quickly…

The Shadows stared at me, but nobody said anything. Not even Cas, who smirked beside Ryu.

Obi extended his hand. I stared at it for a second before I met his handshake.

“Welcome to the Shadows.”

My eyes went wide. “What?”

“You completed the gauntlet,” he answered.

“I lost. Multiple matches.”

“It was never about winning or losing,” he said. “It was about persevering.”

“You didn’t give up,” Ciel said. “That is a win.”

Obi let go of my hand and crossed his arms over his chest with a nod. “The gauntlet is a test of physical and mental strength. It answers the question: are you committed to this family? If you give up, the answer is no. If you push through each battle, the answer is yes. Completing the challenge earns you your place.”

Ryuji slung his arm over my shoulders, and I winced at the pressure. “Come on, you didn’t think we expected you to beat us, did you? You’re clearly the weakest link.”

“But you just wanted the chance to beat me up, didn’t you?” I pushed back against him, just a little bit.

“That is a perk of the gauntlet, yes.” He looked at Leona and Cas with a grin. “Felt good to hit him, didn’t it?”

The love of my life smiled. “Yeah, even though he tried to take it easy on me.”

“Next time, I promise I won’t,” I said. I looked around at the rest of them. My…family? “So that’s it, then?”

Ciel laughed. “Do you want another test of your loyalty? Obi used to make us hold our breath for two minutes under ice water and then play Russian Roulette before we fought each other. Would you rather do that?”

I shook my head. “Nope. No thanks, I’m good.”

“Then it’s settled,” Wynn said. “You’re in.”

I let out a relieved breath before my throat choked up. Just for a second.

“I…” I started, then stopped. Swallowing, trying to force down the suspicious lump in my throat, I let myself look at her. She had her hands braced on her waist, and her hip cocked to the side. Wynn had his arm around her, and she was smiling as she looked at me, and her cheeks radiated with an emotion I hadn’t felt in fucking years.

Pride.

She was proud of me.

This moment branded itself into my brain.

“I want you all to know that this is serious for me,” I finally said. “I love Leona, but I understand what this group means to each other. I want to be a Shadow. Not just for her, not just to defeat the Camorra, but for all of this. I’ve never had that kind of family before, and I know that’s my fault, but I want that. She has my loyalty until the day I die, but so do you.”

Everyone was quiet for a moment, letting my words sink in.

“Outstanding speech,” Ryu said. “How does everyone feel about breakfast? I’m ravenous.”