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Primrose yawned and closed her eyes. “I’m sorry, I’m just tired. But what happened after that?”
“I was assigned to work with Ilona. She was a fiery angel, a real work of art. I’d find souls meant for Paradisus, and she’d return them. On occasion, she’d get tasked with something more vital in Paradisus, and I wouldn’t see her for a long while. I missed her greatly. We went on like this for a few hundred years, but at some point, she refused to go back.”
“Why?” Primrose asked in a low, sleepy tone.
“She hated Paradisus, and she loved me… She wanted to stay in Sanctuarium and live out our days. I was so stupid. I did what she wanted. Humans have a phrase—that ‘love makes you dumb.’ And… that was me. I broke every rule for her. It was just us for a while, two spirits intertwined. That was until The Committee called us both up to Paradisus,” Protego stated. “The punishment was...”
Primrose teetered on the edge of consciousness, trying to listen.
“It was awful, and I lost her…” he continued.
She could feel her eyes growing heavy and feel the edge of sleep as she drifted closer.
“And that’s how I ended up here.”
The world faded as she drifted off.
She awoke in the dead of night to a cold breeze filling the room, her skin prickling as the chilly air settled in. Shaking, she huddled up close to Protego, wrapping herself in the soft blanket that sat folded at the end of the bed. His body squirmed in reaction as his eyes opened.
“Are you cold, starling?” he asked, his voice pure silk.
“A little. The nights are getting colder.”
“Here, let me warm you,” he said and pulled her close.
Primrose could feel his heart beating through his chest, the warm tan skin pressed against her. She wanted to bask in his warmth, his spice-filled scent.
“It’s ironic that the being who wields fire magic is the one complaining about the cold,” he teased.
“Ssh,” she hushed him. “Go back to sleep.”
He pressed a soft kiss against her forehead, and she faded back into the comforting darkness.
Chapter Twenty
AloudsoundjoltedPrimrose and Protego from their morning cuddle. She could hear a high-pitched voice coming from downstairs but could not make out who it was. Primrose leapt out of bed, threw on a white simple slip dress, and made her way down the stairs. Following behind her was Protego, who donned only a pair of black trousers, leaving his chest completely exposed. As they made their way towards the front door, Primrose joyfully yelped as she made eye contact with her mother’s misty-teal eyes. Tears welted as they embraced one another. Her mother’s aroma filled her nose, sweat mixed with daisies as they squeezed. Adora took a step back and eyed Primrose up and down, assessing her daughter.
“You look good, goose,” Adora said, finally.
Primrose hugged her father, relishing the feeling of his comforting touch wrapped around her. A single tear fell down her face as she let go of the embrace.
“Who is this… man?” Her father asked.
Bazz looked at Protego with a pensive expression, eyes hovering over his ears and bright red eyes.
“I’m a—”
“Sorcerer, he’s a sorcerer. And really, he’s my hero, father! If it weren’t for Protego, I would have tragically died at the hands of a monster.”
Bazz’s hazel eyes widened. “Well, we couldn’t have that, now could we, sweet daughter?”
Primrose smiled, batting her bright green eyes at her father.
Adora’s blonde brows furrowed, making eye contact with Primrose.
Primrose read her expression as if her mother asked what she was up to, and Primrose winked. Adora went along with the scheme.I’ll tell you one day.
Bazz looked at the two women and smiled. “It’s been a long journey. Why don’t we freshen up?”
