Page 133 of The Unseen Hour

I smirked, grabbing his cock instead. He gasped. I guided him toward me, and when he thrust into me I screamed again, throwing my head back against the blankets.

Orion lifted me, and I wrapped my legs around him. He held me against the wall, thrusting into me, one hand anchored above our heads to steady himself.

When he tensed with his release, I came apart all over again.

“Starlight,” he panted against my chest as I shook. After a few moments, he carefully helped me climb down him so I stood on the floor.

He’d gone without stars for a century, and I would make sure he saw them again.

CHAPTER 53

The next morning I barely managed to contain my tears as Orion got ready to leave. He had the baton hidden at his thigh, sewn into a bit of fabric.

“And don’t forget, you’ll have to bring⁠—”

“The music. Don’t worry, I’ll have it with me,” I assured him.

“And we meet at the church ruins.”

“Yes. As soon as you can get away from Charon. Sing the souls toward you, and when I arrive in Emrys I’ll run to Death’s church.”

And once the music was destroyed, I’d return to Orion. He would be waiting. He had to be.

When he reached the door, he turned back and rushed to me, hauling my body against him. He kissed me like he wanted to devour me, and I threw myself into the embrace.

He left for the Meadow, and I tried to distract myself.

Waiting to follow him was pure torture. I busied myself with a final round of showing the tree hoppers the jewelry, then rewarding them with food when they came to my side. When enough time had passed that Orion was well ahead of me, I set out.

I fixed a pair of glimmering pink earrings into my ears and a matching bracelet around my wrist.

The tree hoppers flitted through the trees, keeping pace.

The walk to the Meadow felt shorter than ever before. I was so ready to go home, but this was it. No matter what happened, everything would change for us. Even if Orion returned to the Ether, and I had to come back for him, our situation would be drastically different. I would make my way back to Charon’s stronghold if that was what was required.

Either entering an empty realm or facing a defeated god well aware of what we had done.

When I reached the edge of the forest, I could see the Shades moving. They were becoming more alert as they went. More agitated. There were a few yells, and I could hear crying. All the emotion they’d tamped down for the year was welling to the surface. All the longing, compelling them to sing.

Please let them remember.

At first, I didn’t see them, and I worried that as Shades they hadn’t been able to stay alert enough; that they’d forgotten me.

Then, two men floated toward me. Their shoulders were pulled back, and they moved with purpose. I could imagine them striding if they’d been able to touch the ground again. Even with their features faded and washed out, I was still struck by the resemblance. Regi’s hair might have been black, and his eyes wholly blue, but the sharp lines of his jaw and the stubble on his face was all Orion. Watching Remi was like looking at a younger Orion.

My stomach twisted as I joined them. Regi stayed slightly in front of me and Remi at my side, ready to shield me from prying eyes if Charon decided to have a last look at his unwilling troops.

I reached out, taking Remi’s hand. He gasped, looking down at where we touched. His limbs felt light, like they might float away, but he still looked strong.

“Thank you,” I managed, tears building. “I wish you could stay with us.”

It was a miracle I couldn’t manage for Orion, but I could give his brothers peace.

We followed the crowd past the Meadow. I was relieved that the tree hoppers stayed near me, flying low enough that they could also be easily lost in the crowd.

We made it to the sparse area where I’d first entered the Ether. Light, pure and blinding, forced me to close my eyes as we kept walking.

When the light faded, I blinked my eyes open as my vision adjusted.