I closed my eyes, forcing the tears to fall so I could see the sad beauty before me clearly, quickly reopening them so as not to miss another second of it.

This because I needed it.

I needed to know, before she was lost, my glorious friend had that kind of love.

“Tonight, I will ink you into my skin and carry you with me,” he vowed. “Through my life. To my grave. And as I lie in my shroud and the earth reclaims me, you will be with me, until I am no more. One with the earth, becoming that, with you.”

I took one hand from grasping the arms Cass had around me and reached to my sister.

Part of me thought her fingers would not find mine, and I knew I would be fine with that, for that was Serena.

But all of me felt profound gratitude when I was proved wrong and my sister’s fingers curled around mine, warm and sure.

Thus, connected with two of the most important people in my life, we all watched another of those, Mac, lean in and touch his lips to Jasmine’s.

He left her face unshrouded as he took Hera’s hand and guided her around to Rosehana.

Without asking, Hera exposed Rose’s face, and without speaking, she gazed at it.

And after long, solemn moments, she whispered, “Tonight, I will ink you into my skin, my little bug, my sweet warrior, and carry you with me,” she vowed. “Through my life. To my death. And until I am released into the veil, you will stay with me. And when I am no more, I will become that, with you.”

I did not know Hera had made the decision to do this, and perhaps she had not.

Perhaps she heard the beauty of Mac’s vow and decided to make it her own.

It did not matter which way it was, I was pleased she intended to do this.

For her.

And for Rose.

I squeezed Cass’s arm and Serena’s hands hard.

They both squeezed back.

Even Serena.

Hera and Mac moved around Rose’s pyre toward Cass and me, joining the inner circle as Cass shifted to my side and took my hand and also Hera’s.

I allowed Hera to begin the rite, and she did not delay in doing that.

And when my beloved friends joined the veil, the damage done to our realm was repaired.

They would like that.

They would wish that.

And I would give them that.

For now.

I sat on a mat beside the campfire, my eyes riveted to what was happening before me.

Cassius, bare chested, his trousers partially undone and open, exposing the newly shaved area above his cock on which was a fresh mark that denoted me, my ownership of him, and thus…us.