Page 34 of Cold Heir

I stared at her face, a face I missed so much it nearly broke me.

“None of this was on you,” she insisted. “We all know the nature of the work we do, of the life we live. You’re a fighter, so ifyoucouldn’t have gotten out of this, no one else would have stood a chance either.”

Lowering my head, I didn’t speak.

“None of us look at you any differently than we did the day you left. In fact, I think you are more of a heronowthan before. And not just with us, within the entire network.”

Confusion prompted me to peer up at her.

Liv met my gaze with a smile. “You’ve made the ultimate sacrifice, Cori. Being turned has always been all of our biggest fear. And to know that you’ve willingly allowed yourself to be put in this position, endured it because of your loyalty to the cause … it’s fueled the mission like you’d never believe.” She took my hand in hers, and despite my best effort, more tears fell. “We don’t care where you are, orwhatyou are, you’ll always be Blackbird.”

There was no way she could have known this, but those words were everything I needed to hear. All this time, I believed that my involvement with the princes would ruin my life’s work—myfamily’slife work—but now, to hear that those I stood by were choosing to stand by me was such a beautiful discovery.

Liv’s gaze followed mine when I glanced toward the dining room.

“I don’t know how, Cori, but … it’s all real. Their love, their dedication to you, it’s all real.” She turned to face me again. “I’ve seen it with my own two eyes.”

Another tear fell and I pushed it aside, clearing my throat. “Yeah, but I have to keep my priorities straight. I can’t get comfortable here. I have too much work to do.”

Her palms moved to my face, gripping it so I’d look her in her eyes.

“Don’t you realize what’s happening?”

Unsure what she meant, I stared.

“Corina Elizabeth Prescott, somehow all the weird, unlikely pieces of this puzzle are all fitting together,” she shared with another quiet laugh. “No one’s making you choose. I know you didn’t expect to fall for them, but you have. I’ve seen it in them, and I see it in you right this second. Hell, even your tears are a testament of how torn you feel.”

When she called me on it, the dam seemed to break, allowing more water to flow from my eyes.

Stupid emotions gave me away.

She was still smiling while I practically sobbed—something new for me. I think I was always so tense, kept my feelings so tightly packed away, crying was an incredibly rare event.

“They’re more on our side than you realize,” Liv informed me. “Things aren’t so black and white. We wereallwrong to think that.”

There was so much sincerity in her gaze that I trusted every word she spoke, believed them with blind faith.

“So, what are you saying? What happens next?”

The matter-of-fact shrug she gave, and confident look she stared me down with, made me smile again. “What happens next is we accept the fact that the world we live in is super weird and super complicated, and then we go sit down at the table with our vampire friends like they didn’t drink someone we knew for breakfast.”

She laughed and so did I.

“But no, seriously, all jokes aside, we just move forward, Cori. We don’t have to hide to communicate anymore, and Julian’s given us the okay to reach out whenever we want to meet up with you. In the meantime, continue to play your part. You’ve committed to partaking in this blood bond, so that’s what you have to do. Your life,andtheirs, depends on it. Not to mention the fact that, once all is said and done, you’ll be kind of awesome,” she added, referring to the idea that I’d inherit the princes’ abilities. “What matters is that you’re safe here with them, and nowwehave you back, too,” she added. “As crazy as it is to consider, while it may have taken us a while to realize it … maybe this has all been for the best.”

Those were words I never expected to hear from anyone on my team, words I never expected to agree with, but I was beginning to wonder if she was right.

“I need you to promise me something,” I blurted when it came to mind.

“Anything,” she answered without hesitation.

“When we find a way to weaponize the sickness, promise me you won’t hesitate. Even knowing it could affect them … could affectme,”I added, knowing that would be the hardest part for her to accept. “I need your word that our mission—and those who have died for it—won’t be in vain.”

Her expression turned solemn.

“I’ll promise because Itoldyou I would, but you should know that’s not quite our objective anymore.”

My brow tensed. “Meaning?”

---