He ran his hand through his hair. That's my weapon carved in the dirt in the vacant spot. It's for me. They're taking me back.
Alice smiled and tucked her hand in his. Of course they are. You're one of them, Ian.
He swallowed again. Walk me there.
"Of course." She took his hand and together they walked around the outside of the circle. As part of the tradition, no one said a word. They all just watched him, so many sets of eyes following him on his ascension to the summit of the circle.
When Ian reached the spot, he stopped beside the drawing of his mace in the ground, and then realized there were more markings in the dirt. Surrounding the etching of his mace were seven other weapons. The one closest to his was an axe. His father's axe. Stunned, Ian jerked his gaze to his team.
No one said a word, but Kane nodded once. A single nod to tell Ian that not only were they inducting him into the Order, but they were bringing back all his ancestors who had been banned.
"Jesus." Sweat beaded on Ian's brow, and he was too emotional to speak.
"When you killed yourself to save Alice," Gideon said, "you showed us that death by your own hand can be the most heroic, courageous, and admirable choice there is. Just as the rules regarding the automatic death for Order shevas is changing, so must that rule. Evolution is the key to survival, my friend, and you have moved us forward."
Jesus. If death by one's own hand was officially deemed an honorable death, then his ancestors' deaths would no longer be tainted. Once they were inducted back into the Order, the souls of his father and the others would finally be freed to go to the Afterlife.
Ian tipped his head back, staring at the sky, trying to regain his composure. His father's soul would be restored. Shit. He'd never thought it could happen, but it had. Centuries of guilt over his father's fate finally released him, liberating him from the choices he'd made so long ago. I love you, Dad.
He fought against the tightness in his throat, staring into the bright blue sky. It was vibrant and filled with puffy white clouds, just like the day he and Alice had been in the boat. One cloud floated across his view. He grinned and pointed at it. "Alice, it's a poodle."
She looked up and then laughed. "My mom must approve of you," she said. She raised her hand in a salute to the sky. "Love you, too, Mom."
Ian laughed softly as he tightened his grip on her hand. He was looking at poodles in the sky when he was on the cusp of restoring his family's honor? Yeah, he was. He grinned at Alice, who was smiling back at him, love and pride shining in her eyes. Yeah, he was, and that was exactly how it should be. I'm glad you're here to share this moment with me.
Me, too. So glad. She squeezed his hand, and he knew that he had finally found his place.
"Let's get a move on," Thano said. "Ry's got a date to find a missing angel of death, and he won't stay here long."
Ian looked over at Ryland. He was wearing a black sweatshirt, with the hood pulled low over his forehead. But even that didn't hide the seething darkness in the warrior. Ry was almost out of time, and everyone there knew it. Good luck, Ry.
The warrior didn't move, but Ian felt him touch his mind. Take care of her, Fitz. She's a good one.
I know. Ian looked over at Alice, who had slipped away from him to stand by the other shevas. As she approached them, a woman Ian didn't recognize reached out and embraced her warmly. Kane's sheva, Sarah? The angel of hope? He smiled when Sarah tucked her arm through Alice's, welcoming her into the incredible group of women who had aligned themselves with the Order. First Grace, then Lily, then Ana, then Sarah... and now Alice. His woman. He grinned. It was right.
"Hey!" Thano waved his weapon. "You want back in or what?"
Ian returned his attention to the team surrounding him, and felt the most immense sense of peace. "Yeah, I do." Then he went down on one knee, and the ceremony began.