I stare at him in horror as everything clicks into place. My poor sweet Luci. How could I have doubted him? Even for one heartbeat? He has never chosen a thing for himself in his entire life. I know this too damn well. His parents are cruel, abusive, and apparently, Revivalists. It all makes horrifying sense.

I fall down to my knees in front of him and pull him into a hug. He resists at first and then clings onto me. He feels so damn good in my arms. It is where he belongs.

“You’re supposed to arrest me. Not hug me,” he says.

A half-laugh, half-sob comes out of me. “I’m not arresting you.”

“Why?”

Oh gods, he sounds so bewildered. I never, ever want to hear that tone in his voice ever again. I’m going to love him, protect him and cherish him so fucking hard that it forces confidence and self worth into him. He’ll be an arrogant, narcissistic tosser by the time I’m done with him.

But in the meantime, I need to reassure him. “I’m not handing you over to the Council for questioning. Nobody will ever know about this.”

He shudders in my arms. “But I’m a Revivalist.”

“Not anymore you’re not,” I growl. “You are never coming near the shrine again, and that will be the end of it.”

“But…but,” he begins.

“If you are truly working alone, then it is as simple as that, isn’t it?”

He falls silent.

A grin tugs at my lips. He has walked right into my trap. He will never betray his parents. Ever. Despite them not deserving his loyalty. But I understand. Blood is still blood. And Luci is a good person, and good people are loyal. Even to those who have not earned it.

But I can still feel Luci’s fear. It is pouring from him in waves. Does he not believe me? Wait. No, that’s not it. He is scared of his parents coming after him. I need to put his mind at rest. He needs to understand that it is over. It’s done. He is free.

“I’ll use all this delicious power I’ve been gaining from you to strengthen the wards and sigils guarding my property. No other Revivalist will be able to get anywhere near.”

Luci starts to tremble, so I hold him even closer. I’ll protect him with my dying breath. Nobody, and I mean nobody, is going to get close enough to him to harm him. The stupid Revivalist cult can fume all they like about Luci not doing whatever it is they want him to do.

He is mine now. They can’t have him. And there is not a thing they can do about it.

“So problem solved,” I say sternly.

His arms tighten around me, and he sniffs quietly. But I can feel all his terror draining away. He believes me. He trusts me. Luci is putting his faith in me.

It makes me want to puff out my chest and bellow my pride like a caveman. Earning this sweet, damaged boy’s trust feels like the greatest accomplishment on earth.

But instead, I simply say, “I don’t know about you, but my knees are getting cold and soggy.”

His surprised little giggle sets my heart fluttering.

“Come on,” I say as I haul us both to our feet. “Let’s go inside and get warmed up with a nice cup of tea.”

Luci nods and takes my arm.

And just like that, I’m filled with hope. Luci and I are headed for a wonderful marriage.

Revivalists can go fuck themselves. I’ve got this.

Chapter twenty-four

Luci

This tea is lovely. Sweet and milky. Very soothing. I can’t help noticing that Drew has brought us to his own sitting room, and the intimacy of that is warming me far more than this hot drink is.

Drew. The name still feels new in my mind. Frightfully intimate. But I love it. It is who he is to me now. Not just my husband. Not only Felford. Drew.

The name poured out of me in the library after I spilled. It felt so right. And has felt so ever since.

He pours himself another cup of tea and looks at me with deep concern in his dark eyes.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine, thank you.”

I’m not about to have a fit of hysteria and hide up the chimney. He needn’t worry about that. At least, I don’t think I am. Perhaps this relative calm I’m feeling is simply shock and any minute now everything will sink in and I’ll freak out.

Drew’s gaze flicks down to the cup I’m holding in my lap. He sees it is still nearly full, and settles back against the sofa without offering me a refill.

I bring my cup to my lips and my hand is shaking far more than I’d like. Though, I guess it is not surprising. My husband did just discover that I’m a Revivalist. By all rights, I should be in a Council cell somewhere. Being interrogated.

A shudder wracks my body. I’m under no illusion that my parents would have rescued me. Or even pleaded my case. Assassination to stop me from talking would have been the best I could have hoped for. They definitely would’ve renounced me.

I owe Drew my life.

I look up at him and find him watching me. Our gazes lock. My heart flutters. He is so very handsome. And kind. And wonderful. But I do not understand why he is saving me. Surely he has not been enjoying my body that much?

“Are you sure you don’t want to hand me over to the Council?” I ask.

His eyes darken. “Quite sure. You are mine and nobody is taking you away from me.”

My heart goes crazy and my throat feels so strange. I can’t remember how to swallow.

Drew leans forward. He takes the teacup and saucer from my trembling hands and places it on the coffee table. Then all of a sudden he is moving me and the next thing I know, I’m sitting sideways on his lap and his arms are around me.

My breath comes out of me in a big rush, and I rest my head on his shoulder. This is wonderful. I feel safe. Warm. Protected. I don’t deserve this. I don’t deserve Drew. But I’m so very grateful that I have him.

“You are safe now,” he says.

His words rumble from his chest. I feel the vibrations of them along my ribs. The truth of them sinks into my soul and relief floods through my veins. It’s over. Done with. I’ve been caught and taken off the chessboard. I’m no longer a piece in the game. No longer a part of anything. I’m safe. All I am now is Drew’s vessel, and it is the only thing I want to be.

His arms tighten around me and I never, ever want him to let me go. I could happily sit here for all eternity.

Somewhere a clock is ticking. Distant sounds of the staff going about their work drift through the bones of the house. All is peaceful. Calm.

But then a sudden thought is tearing through my mind like a tornado. I wriggle free from Drew’s arms, leap to my feet and run to my rooms. I hear the sound of his footsteps following me and it is the most wonderful sound in the world.