“Life is more than simply waiting around on what we want,” Cypher said as he pressed his forehead to hers. “It is every single moment we experience. It is past, present, and future. The joy of life is walking, step-by-step, on the path your Creator has set before you. For a time, we walked hand-in-hand on that path. Now you will continue with our people, Jacque, Peri, Slate, and all those whose time is still in this life.”
Lilly reached up and ran her fingers across his face, memorizing every line. She pressed her lips to his and tasted her own tears. She wanted to be strong. And one day she would be. But tonight there was too much pain. She was losing him all over again. “I love you,” she whispered against his lips.
“Always,” Cypher whispered back, and this time she felt his tears. He pressed his lips to hers again, his hands holding her face as if she was precious glass that might break at any moment. When he pulled back, his lips turned up in a small smile. “I lived a very long life, and every second with you was the brightest part of it. I waited a long time for you, Lilly Pierce, and I would wait all over again, even if all I received was a single day with you.”
She nodded. “Me, too.” And she would. Even knowing the pain she was feeling now, she wouldn’t change a thing.
“It’s time,” he said, and she could hear the pain in his voice. “Promise me you will live, you will love, and you will accept the will of the Great Luna. Promise me.”
Lilly’s jaw clenched, but after several heartbeats, she relaxed her face and nodded. “I promise.”
“Until I see you again. I love you now and always.” Cypher kissed her forehead one last time and then, with her hands on his face, he slowly faded, like a shadow as the sun set. Finally, he was gone, and she was left standing with her hands in the air, holding only a memory.
She turned her hands over and looked at how empty they were before slowly dropping them. Lilly knew she would never see Cypher again, at least not in this life. She’d been angry the first time she’d laid eyes on his soul because she’d so badly wanted him to be alive, to be returned to her. Then she’d just been glad to have what she could of him, even if that was only the manifestation of his soul. Lilly had known it wouldn’t last. She knew it would hurt when he left again.
As if in slow motion, her body sank down. She landed on the couch and pulled her legs up, curling her arms around them just to have something to hold on to. Her body shook as sobs wracked her. Lilly was sure she was splitting apart at the seams. At any moment, she was simply going to fall apart. The pain started on the surface but continued to sink deeper and deeper until her very bones ached with her loss. It was easy to say time would heal the wounds. It was easy to say that one day she’d breathe and no longer feel like she wanted this breath to be her last. But to actually believe those things would happen felt as likely as the sun ceasing to rise.
Lilly felt arms come around her again but knew instantly that they weren’t her mate’s. These were smaller, though they held her just as tightly. “Crying alone sucks.” Peri pulled Lilly close to her.
“What are you doing here?” Lilly asked through her tears, her voice quivering as she tried to compose herself.
“My friend needs me. Where else would I be? There are different kinds of soul mates, Lilly. I might not have lost Lucian, but I know the pain you’re feeling. I lost two pieces of my soul. No one who is feeling what we feel should be alone.”
“What about Lucian?”
“He’s keeping an eye on his nephew. It seems men like to feel useful when they’re dealing with loss. I say screw it. I’m hurting, I’m pissed, and I want to be as useful as a drop of water in hell. So, you and I will be two drops of water in hell.”
“Sounds pleasant.” Lilly leaned closer to Peri.
“Can you add three more drops of water to your bucket?”
Lilly lifted her face and saw Jacque, Jen, and Sally standing there staring down at her.
“Elle,” Peri growled. “Seriously?”
The fae standing next to the girls shrugged. “Jen threatened me. Her threats are never idle.” Then the woman disappeared.
Jacque climbed onto the couch on the other side of Lilly and wrapped her arms around Lilly. “I love you, Mom,” she whispered and pressed her face against Lilly’s shoulder.
“I love you too, Jacquelyn.”
Jen and Sally both sat on the floor, huddled against the couch. Jen rested a hand on Lilly’s ankle and gave it a gentle squeeze. “We all love you, Mrs. P.”
Sally placed her hand on Lilly’s calf, and Lilly felt the warmth of the gypsy’s magic wash over her. It was peaceful and full of the hope Lilly couldn’t seem to muster on her own. “If you want to be alone, we’ll respect that.”
“No, we won’t,” Jen said.
Sally just kept talking as if her blonde friend hadn’t said a word. “But we’d like to be here for you, as you’ve always been there for us.”
Lilly thought about it for a moment. Peri’s arms were wrapped tightly around her, Jacque was on her other side pressed close, and the two girls, who were practically daughters to her, were holding onto her. “I don’t want to be alone,” she said with a small smile.
“Good thing, ’cause we weren’t leaving,” Jen muttered as she leaned her head against the couch, her hand still holding Lilly’s ankle.
Lilly let
