Page 78 of Frozen Star
Her skin is pale, her eyes closed. The only sign of life is the lingering power crackling in the air around her.
Any hint of the love shining in Ambrogio’s eyes when he was speaking to Gwen earlier is gone. He studies her now with the cold scrutiny of a scientist observing the results of an experiment, analyzing and evaluating, no hint of emotion left in the marble planes of his face.
A chill creeps into my chest, whispering fears that claw at my soul.
Because what if one day Zoey looks at me that way? If she knew the dark thoughts lurking beneath my carefully constructed exterior, would her warmth toward me fade into cold horror? Would she withdraw, leaving me to spiral into isolation? Is this ceremony already planting seeds of regret within her, reminding her what I truly am beneath the seductive façade I’ve cultivated for her?
The intrusive thoughts refuse to release. Because while Zoey was gifted to me by the gods, the gods can take as swiftly as they give. They showed me as much when they delivered my brother at my feet and gave me no choice but to fly away from the possibility that someday, we’d stand together instead of remaining kingdoms apart.
Who’s to say they won’t do the same with Zoey and our child?
Thankfully, feet shuffling around the room stop my thoughts from spiraling deeper into the abyss they tend to get lost in, drawing my attention back to the scene unfolding before us.
Gwen should be moving by now. Typically, vampire venom works relatively quickly. But her chest doesn’t rise, and her fingers don’t twitch.
Zara exchanges a quick, wary glance with Morgan, their earlier triumph fading into doubt. Willow’s breathing slows, betraying her anxiety.
Ambrogio’s expression, on the other hand, remains unchanged. Impenetrable, patient, and confident.
My entire body tenses, my wings straining behind me.
Then, abruptly, Gwen’s body jerks once, a violent, unnatural spasm breaking the unbearable stillness. Another follows immediately after. Her limbs contort, the dark veins beneath her pale skin coming alive, twisting and writhing before settling back into her body.
Calmly, Ambrogio slides an arm beneath Gwen’s shoulders, guiding her upright with detached precision.
“Rise,” he commands, and just like that, her eyes snap open, revealing irises that burn with the same red-gold fire as Ambrogio’s.
She blinks slowly, awareness returning to her expression as she turns toward him.
The moment their eyes meet, something shifts in Ambrogio’s demeanor. Like a mask sliding back into place, warmth floods his features, and his detachment is replaced by devoted love—or at least, a simulation of one.
“My love,” he murmurs. “How magnificent you are.”
I narrow my eyes, watching the performance unfold. The transition was too perfect and calculated—a skilled actor stepping back into character. I’ve seen this kind of manipulation many times in the Night Court, the disguise of affection used to control and direct.
Ambrogio’s devotion is nothing more than a carefully crafted illusion.
Gwen, on the other hand, gazes at Ambrogio like he’s her entire world. It’s a madness born of centuries of singular focus. I recognize it clearly, because I’ve seen glimpses of it in myself when I look at Zoey.
Zoey’s hand remains tight in mine, and I pull her closer, the curve of her belly a reminder of the miracle we’ve created.
But suddenly, it’s more than that. Because now, standing here with her witnessing the first Revenant being created, I know for certain that I’ll be able to give her everything I’vepromised. The power I’ll gain when Ambrogio turns me will allow me to keep her safer than ever. And as I gaze down at her, something fractures inside me, a crack in the armor I’ve worn for centuries.
“I love you,” I say before I can stop myself.
The moment the words escape my lips, my body tenses, bracing for the possibility that she won’t say them back. And as her eyes widen and silence stretches between us, my blood rushes faster, ice-cold panic filling every vein.
Did the ceremony we just witnessed make her see the monster lurking beneath the surface? Is the love she thought she had for me gone? Does she no longer want everything I’m offering her—does she no longer wantme?Will she try to run and take our child with her?
Just when I don’t think I can take the pain of waiting for a second longer, she shifts. It’s the faintest movement, but it’s enough to send my pulse racing faster.
“I love you too, Aerix,” she finally says. “And I will never stop loving you.”
She rises onto her toes, pressing her lips to mine in a kiss that burns her words into my soul.
My entire body shudders with relief, every bone buzzing with a certainty I’ve never felt before. Because Zoey’s mine. She’s really, trulymine.And as my arms tighten around her, my impulses surge, desperate to hide her from the covetous eyes around us and lock her somewhere unreachable. Somewhere safe. Somewhere she could never escape, even if she tried.
But I can’t tell her that. Not yet. Not until she’s ready.
“Soon, we’ll rise as Revenants, and we’ll have a family of our own,” I say instead, steadying my breathing and forcing my dark desires as far down as I can manage. “And I promise you that nothing—not fate, not kings, not even the gods themselves—will ever stop me from protecting you.”
