When I gazed deep into her soul, I saw the longing and desperation. I saw just how much she held back when we were together. She wanted to fall in love with me. How could I deny her anything she wanted? I didn’t hesitate. I closed the gap between us, and I kissed her fully on the lips. Her body went rigid at first, and I wondered if she’d reject my advancement. Then her fingers tangled in my hair as she kissed me back. Just as magical as the first time.
“Fight with me,” I begged. “Even if we have to say goodbye eventually. What time we have together will be worth it.”
Lucretia chewed on her lower lip. “I…” She then took a moment to stare into my soul. Whatever she saw made her smile. “Yes, it will be worth it.”
Our fingers laced together. If only I’d fully understood just how brief our time would be.
Chapter Twenty-One
Lots of Dots, None Connecting
At first, we kept our romance subtle. Stolen kisses here and there. A few small touches. Getting caught was both scary and exciting. I half expected to be kicked out of the house as soon as Damion and Belinda caught wind of what we were doing. Until Belinda saw us holding hands and flirting in the kitchen.
We both froze. Belinda narrowed her eyes as she analyzed the situation, then her shoulders fell. That twitch of jealousy showed up again, and she went about her business as usual. No reprimanding from her or Damion. After that, Lucretia and I were less careful.
A couple more weeks passed, and the three young ones of the group: Lucretia, Walter, and me, were all tasked with researching the next steps for opening up the portal. Apparently, just making it wasn’t enough. Not if we wanted it to last for eternity.
Walter was by far the most studious of us all. He enjoyed reading, which surprised me a lot. In modern terms, he came across as a jock, yet had the heart of a nerd. The more time I spent with him, the more I started to enjoy his company. His acceptance of Lucretia and me being together helped with that. Every so often, he still gave her a longing look, and I chose to ignore them.
“Have you found anything new?” I asked. We all sat in the study that afternoon, Walter read while Lucretia sat on my lap. “I feel as though you’ve read nearly ten books already yet discovered nothing.”
In truth, Walter uncovered a lot. The more he read, the more he learned the truth behind Damion and Belinda’s intentions. I, of course, was completely oblivious to it all. Lucretia made for a wonderful distraction from reality.
“There is a prophecy I’ve stumbled upon that predicts Hades winning against his siblings in the great power struggle,” Walter said. He glanced at me and then added quickly, “Or whatever you wish to call him in this realm. The name isn’t important.”
They all still thought I was the incarnation of their supreme lord, and I felt more than a little uncomfortable about that. How could I be their lord, the head boss of the production when I knew hardly anything about what went on?
Walter cleared his throat. “It seems this is the world we succeed in. Great accomplishments, and the rewards will be given once he feels whole. That wholeness comes when he finds true companionship. The details are a lot more specific, of course, but that seems to be the general idea.” He gave me a weak smile. “I know that’s all you’d like to hear for the moment.”
“Thanks, I appreciate that,” I grumbled. Not to say I wasn’t grateful; I was. Because he knew how I felt about everyone treating me differently because they thought I walked on water. Belinda gave me the heart filled eyes because I think in her world, she and whatever version of me was there, were a thing. Took forever to figure out why there was so much jealousy. Just about everyone in the house treated me slightly strangely. Except for Walter, so yes, I did truly appreciate him not diving into all of the grand words written on the page. The gist was more than enough for me, even if knowing might have prepared me for what lay ahead.
Lucretia leaned back against me and planted a kiss on my cheek. “That sounds awfully romantic. Being whole once your one true companion is by your side.”
The way she said it should have been a clue. Unfortunately, I was too lost in her eyes to see anything else going on around me.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The Final Touches
“This is the final step. After this, the permanent portal will be in place, and we can be a sanctuary to all,” Damion said, his eyes alight with excitement.
Lucretia let out a happy sigh. “Perhaps I can convince some of my friends and family from home to join us here. If they know there is a safe place where they can be themselves, they might be persuaded to leave the monsters they serve.”
“We will talk about that once we are positive the portal is stable.” Belinda grabbed Lucretia’s hand from across the kitchen table and gave it a squeeze. “We must only take one step at a time.”
“Yes.” Damion gazed at me next. “You and Walter will do as before. The extra pieces are a bit more complex, however. The obsidian you created from your last spell was just the beginning. Walter will go early, so he can begin. I know you don’t enjoy standing around with nothing to do, William.”
I didn’t; though it felt more like he was trying to keep me away than a courtesy. Did I dare argue, though? “If that’s what you wish. I’m
