Unable to put his emotions into words, he kissed his wife with all the passion she stirred in his soul.
When they broke apart, she gazed at him. It’s time.
To make love all night? I’m in. He tugged her toward the bed.
She resisted. No. Time to say goodbye to your brothers.
He stopped as all the colors in the room drained away, leaving behind only shades of gray. Is this—
The shadow world. Yelena twined her fingers in his. Look.
Valek’s three brothers stood in the room. So young and so...perfect. No wounds marked them. They grinned at him, but he couldn’t smile in return. He glanced at Yelena in horror. Instead of finding peace in the sky, they’d been trapped in the shadow world for the last twenty-nine years.
No. She tapped his chest. They’ve been with you for the last twenty-nine years.
But wouldn’t you have seen them?
They were locked inside you. Don’t worry, they have no memories of that time. According to them, they remember being murdered. Then they woke standing next to their graves in the shadow world. They were confused to see you much older and kneeling in front of Vincent’s gravestone.
You’ve seen them since your magic returned? You’ve been talking to them? A sense of betrayal pulsed in his heart. Why hadn’t she told him?
Of course not. I saw them for the first time this afternoon, by their graves. They’ve been waiting for you to come back. Your parents said goodbye when they moved here, and now it’s your turn.
He thought he had made peace with them back in Ixia, when he’d lost his immunity to magic. Valek looked at Yelena. Can I talk to them?
Only through me. She squeezed his hand. Go ahead.
He turned to his brothers. I’m sorry.
For what, Little Brother? Vincent asked. Marrying the prettiest girl in the world? Of course, if I’d been alive, she wouldn’t have even looked at you.
I’m sorry for being alive, when you... The horrible image of them lying dead in the snow flashed before him.
Stop that, Victor said. Look at me.
Valek focused on him. As the oldest of the four of them, Victor tended to take charge and calm everyone down.
We were beyond relieved that you weren’t killed, as well.
Phantom pain spiked in Valek’s shoulders where his mother had held him back. But I should have—
What? Gotten killed, too? Vincent asked. Come on, Little Brother, we thought you were past all this.
So did I. But seeing them again brought all those feelings back.
Well, I’m sure your lovely wife and beautiful daughter are happy you’re still sucking air, Viliam said. He was younger than Victor by two minutes, but they were complete opposites in personality. He also had a good point.
Valek sensed Yelena’s agreement.
Victor gestured to the three of them. Remember us this way. No blood or gore.
Good thing, since I faint at the sight of blood, Viliam said.
His twin frowned at Viliam. The gesture reminded Valek of Ari and Janco. How could he not see how much their personalities resembled his older brothers’? Again, Yelena’s agreement pulsed inside him.
You can’t change the past. We can’t change it either, Victor said. We’re content and are ready to embrace peace in the sky. Are you ready to say goodbye?
I... He’d have liked more time, but he had let them go back in Ixia. This goodbye shouldn’t be any harder than the last. Yes.
Three matching grins.
Live for us, Vincent said.
I will.
They faded. Color returned to the world, brighter than before.
Yelena leaned against him. Now, where were we? Oh, yes, you mentioned something about making love all night?
He swept her off her feet and carried her to bed, savoring every moment with her. While spending all night engaged in intimate relations would have been a very romantic interlude, the realities of their life—little Liana—made that quite impossible. They fell into an exhausted sleep after the first round.
Liana’s hungry cries woke them a few hours later. Valek slid from the bed and carried the baby back to Yelena to nurse. He hoped Liana hadn’t woken anyone else. Valek lowered his mental barriers and checked. His father and brother remained sound asleep, but his mother sat in the kitchen, sipping a cup of tea despite the late hour.
What’s wrong? Yelena asked.
My mother is downstairs. I...need to talk to her.
Yes, you do.
Lovely. Her Soulfinding abilities didn’t seem to be rusty after the long hiatus, he thought dryly.
I heard that, she said.
You were supposed to.
Uh-huh. Go on. We’ll be fine.
He padded down the stairs soundlessly, but Valek made a little noise before reaching the kitchen. He didn’t want to scare his mother. She turned her head as he entered. Fear flashed as she stiffened, but then she relaxed her grip on the cup she held.
Valek ignored her reaction. “Did the baby wake you?” he asked, knowing full well Olya was here before Liana had cried.
“Not at all. I..uldn’t sleep.”
Valek didn’t need to read his mother’s thoughts to know it was his presence in her house that was keeping her awake.
“Does Liana need something?” she asked.
“No, but I do.”
She stared at him for a moment. “What do you need?”
He knelt next to her and took her free hand in both of his. “I need to thank you.”
“You’re always welcome to come visit us anytime.”
“Not for your hospitality, although that’s appreciated. I’m thanking you for saving my life that awful day. I never did.” He drew in a breath. “Thank you.”