arms around him, holding tight.
He held her with one arm while he balanced the Artifact in a ball of flame in his free hand.
“You had me worried for a moment or two,” he said finally.
“I had me worried, too,” she admitted, kissing his throat, his jaw, then going up on her toes to plant a hurried kiss on his mouth. She could trust him with her whole truth. He had seen her face her demons and win. She grinned up at him, feeling the sweet rush of peace race through her. “But I did it. I’m okay.”
“More than okay,” he told her, pride shining in his eyes. “Where’d you send Kellyn?”
She looked over her shoulder at the empty inner yard of the castle. “I’m not sure,” she said. “My powers aren’t cohesive enough to tell yet.”
Torin frowned and grabbed her hand. “She’s a teleporter. So wherever she is, it won’t take her long to get back. We’d better finish this.”
Inside Haven, Torin felt his breath leave him as he stared at his witch. She was transformed into something more beautiful than he could ever have imagined. Here, in the sacred halls of Haven, the Artifact was neutralized and the witch who had reclaimed it had become, at long last, what she was meant to be.
Shea wore the traditional robe, baring her left breast proudly as she moved with the regal dignity of a queen. She was the living, breathing epitome of pure, untainted magic. Her hair, skin, clothing were white and glowed with a brightness equaled only by the sun. On her bare breast her branding tattoo dazzled with a flaring, inner light.
She was literally the essence of magic, the power of creation and life. She was female in all her power and glory. Her green eyes shone with a strength of purpose he’d never seen there before and his pride in her knew no bounds.
Under the watchful eyes of Mairi, Damyn and Torin, Shea walked slowly across the great hall, lit by the wall torches. Shadows and light flickered wildly around the room, dancing over Shea as she carried the black silver in her cupped hands.
There was no danger now.
She had passed her test.
She had reached Haven.
Without hesitation, she lifted her hands to the first of three fire cages, set the shard of the Artifact into the flames and stepped back. Bowing her head, crossing her hands over her heart, she began to chant.
The past is gone
Yet still lives
My test is won
This Artifact I give
I am home where I was meant to be
My debt is paid through eternity.
The earth shook, sparks erupted from the flames and the bright light that had encompassed Shea slid from her to the cage surrounding the black silver. The flames, enriched by pure magic, burned even more fiercely and the dangerous shard was locked away.
The empty fire cages beside hers flashed with dancing flames and Shea knew that there were more cages behind these first three. All were flashing with fire, all awaiting the Artifacts that would be returned to Haven.
As the light left her, Shea was once again herself and yet so much more. She felt changed, but in a way that made her proud. She’d accomplished what she had set out to do. She’d righted a wrong, found the love of her life and won immortality to boot.
The test had been hard, but the rewards were tremendous.
And she couldn’t have done any of it without Torin. Without the other half of her soul. Without the mate who made her life worth living.
She smiled at Mairi and Damyn, inclined her head in a gesture of respect to the once and future High Priestess of her reborn coven, then walked slowly, deliberately, to Torin.
He’d had faith in her even when her own faith had crumbled. He’d remained steadfast and loyal even when she had had no right to ask it of him. He had loved her through the eons and had waited for her to become what he had known she could be.
Outside, the full moon shone down on the castle where all of this had begun so many centuries ago. And in Haven, there was a sense of fulfillment as the first debt was paid.
Shea felt as if she and Torin were the only two people in the world. She wrapped her arms around her mate’s waist and held on to him. The warmth of him felt so right. The heat of her bare breast pressed to his naked chest burned through her