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Back The Endless Skies Save as PDF
Chapters (57)
  1. Copyright Notice
  2. Dedication
  3. Map
  4. PROLOGUE
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. EPILOGUE
  54. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  55. Also by Shannon Price
  56. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  57. Newsletter Sign-up

“I know,” she says. “That’s why it doesn’t matter.” She gives me a weak smile. “I could use a hug, though.”

I put my arms around her in an instant. I bury my face in her neck, and she does the same in mine. Am I making things up, or did her lips brush my skin? I move to let go. She doesn’t.

“I know this still isn’t about us,” she says into my ear, her voice tiny. “But I want to say I’m sorry. When the humans captured me, I thought for sure that was the end.” Rowan pauses a moment. “But I wanted you there. I wanted you there with me, for better or worse.” She loosens her arms from the hug, but keeps them around me. Her fingertips come to a rest at my neck. “I love you.”

I don’t have to think. “I love you, too.”

She pulls me in, and I swear by the skies the magic inside my heart flares up to meet the magic in hers.

I kiss her hard, trying to put into one kiss a lifetime of loving her and being her friend, trying to put into one kiss how sorry I am that we got separated at all. How glad I am that she is alive, and here.

All at once, my mind clears completely. It’s just me and Ro, Ro and me.

I wrap my arms around her waist and up her back, pressing her tightly against me. I can’t get enough of her body against mine. I’d never felt it like this, pushing up against me with an energy that was equal parts surprise and disbelief, eagerness and inevitability. We part to catch our breath, but one look at the wild glint in Rowan’s eyes draws me right back in. I throw myself into the longing, the ache of having loved her for so long.

And it’s not just me. The longer I hold her, the more Rowan leans up to meet my lips, her hands running through my hair.

When she pulls back, she’s breathing hard. “Wow.”

“Wow,” I echo. I put my forehead to hers. “Ro, what changed?”

She sighs. “I think … I think that I knew, but a part of me wasn’t ready. And I only listened to that part.” Rowan pulls back. “I have to apologize to Ox.”

Oh. I swallow. “How you feel isn’t really your fault.”

“This was,” she replies, pushing against me again. The sensation sends me reeling. “Will you still want me if they don’t let me become a warrior?”

“Of course,” I say. “No matter what happens, I want to be at your side. For as long as you’ll have me.”

“Okay,” she says. I take her hand, and we walk back to the camp. Together.

39

SHIRENE

Sleep is a blessing.