Sweet Ruin Page 37

  Jo now had tons of people in her life, interacting.

  And there would only be more. Rune wanted her and Thad to meet his allies.

  When Rune had heard her talking about Apparitia, he'd feared his liege had destroyed her world. But Rune had chosen to, well, have faith in his faith. "I was right to," he'd told her. "Orion strikes hard at his enemies, but he had nothing to do with Apparitia."

  Rune's fellow Morior, Blace, had once lived on the periphery of the Elserealms where her home world had been located. The vampire might be able to help uncover more information about her parents.

  She would ask Blace once she visited Tenebrous. Not anytime soon, though. She didn't want to leave her brother behind for the days it'd take to get there and back. When she'd invited Thad to go with them, he hadn't wanted to leave MizB and Gram. Not yet . . .

  Rune stroked her hair and exhaled with satisfaction. "Meadowberry."

  She grinned against his chest. She'd dreamed his memories of those fields, of the bliss he'd felt lying among them, with sugar from the berries on his lips and breezes rustling the leaves.

  When she'd recounted her dream, he'd cradled her face. "Every day with you is like that now. I'll know that bliss forever. And I'm determined you will too."

  The future was so bright. . . .

  She'd thought there was no greater connection than destiny decreeing them joined. But there was--the choice they'd made to love each other.

  Rune shifted her in bed so he could rise above her. "I want you to learn one last word today."

  "Another one?" she grumbled, acting put-out.

  "Uh-huh." Rune pierced his finger for blood, and her eyes went heavy-lidded.

  He drew four letters over her chest. Over her heart.

  In a breathless voice, she asked, "What does it say?"

  His eyes darkened as he rasped, "Mine."