Milo to use us for his own greedy purpose.
His arm around me was almost as warm as the admiration and love he poured into me. I believe we have few choices at this point, sweetling.
"What are we going to do?" Sarah repeated.
I kissed Theo's chin, trying to instill order in my confused mind. "Let's take this from the beginning. If I complete the seventh trial, I will be made a virtue, correct?"
"Yes." A tiny little smile turned up the corners of his mouth. You're incredibly cute when you get logical.
Then hold onto your cute meter, because I'm about to continue. "But if I'm a virtue, and still mortal, then Milo has grounds to dismiss the current Court and demand a new one be reformed, with himself at the head of the restructuring committee."
"That is more or less true, yes."
"I assume there's some sort of rule that states he has to be here to see the renascence enacted, though."
Theo shrugged. "The study of Court canon has never been one of my hobbies, but I am fairly certain that a member cannot call for a renascence, and then disappear."
"Hmm."
"Is there any way the mare can make you immortal?" Sarah asked.
Theo shook his head. "Terrin said that once a renascence has been called, only current business on the dockets can be completed. Inducting a new member into the Court is considered new business."
"If I do not complete the seventh trial, then you lose all chance of being made a member of the Court, and thus, your soul will not be returned to you."
Theo was silent, but I didn't need to look into his beautiful eyes to feel the emptiness inside of him. Despite his protestations to the contrary, leaving him in that situation for the rest of eternity was simply not an option.
"As I see it, the equation Milo has created is unsolvable by the terms he has set. There is simply no way we can work a solution given the limitations of Court law."
Sarah clutched my arm. "Does that mean it's hopeless? He's going to win?"
I looked at Theo, my beautiful Theo, the man whom I'd given my heart to, a man who had suffered the deepest sort of pain possible for a human without complaint. There was one solution in my mind, a way to fix all the problems, but it required so much from me. For a few seconds I wavered, not sure if I could make the sacrifice needed.
Sweetling, why have you shut me out of your thoughts?
I knew what I had to do. A lump grew in my throat, painful and constricting as I contemplated what the course of my actions would mean, what the result would be.
Portia, I don't care for this silence on your part. You're up to something, aren't you?
What it required from me wasn't going to be easy. It was, without a doubt, the hardest thing I'd ever done in my life...but Theo was worth it.
Portia! I demand that you talk to me! We are in this together, woman. I dislike the sense of martyrdom I feel beginning inside you.
I love you, Theo, I said simply, filling him with all the love and happiness and joy he had given me.
Stop that. Stop looking at me as if this is the last time you will see me. You must have faith that we will see this through together, sweetling.
Oh, I do have faith, Theo. I have faith in you. I have faith in our love. I will love you until the day I stop living, and I have faith that no matter what happens, you will always love me.
Portia, stop -
"I love you," I whispered against his lips, kissing him with every atom of love I possessed. "I found my faith again, and it's you."
Somewhere far away, a deep bell sounded.
"It's the seventh trial," Milo crowed, leaping forward to thrust a finger at me. "She completed it without knowing! She has proven her faith before the entire Court! Now the renascence must begin!"
"Yes," I said, my soul weeping at the pain of realization in Theo's eyes. "I have proven my faith. I accept the position of virtue."
Before Theo could voice the protests and suspicions I knew were building within him, I stepped back, closing my eyes and opening my arms wide, the better to pull in the elements needed from the environment.
"Portia, what are you doing?" Sarah asked, her voice worried. "Theo, what is she doing?"
"She is throwing herself away in the foolish belief it