Page 112 of Into the Abyss

Lix grinned at her. “Right you are, asalways.”

“You’ll get me one of these days,” Erinsaid.

Lix’s smile slid away. “Perhaps.”

“He’s so sad,” Amalia whispered to me.

Pulling her close, I kissed the top of herhead. “He will learn to cope with the loss.”

“As will I,” she murmured with a hitch inher voice. Then she pulled away from me and smiled. “I think it’stime to show you all the Abyss.”

“I don’t think that’s wise,” Rislensaid.

“It is,” Amalia stated in a tone that didn’ttolerate any argument. “Because if we need help to defend the Abyssagain, then they have to know what we’re asking them to protect. Wewill help them against the craetons trying to destroy us all, andthey will help us.”

My eyebrows lifted at Amalia’s sterncommand. She may be the youngest jinn, but she’d been the first tobreathe life into the Abyss, and she was like a mother protectingher young. Despite her age, I suspected none of the jinn would beable to push her around or give her orders again.

When it came to the Abyss, it was hers, andI could see that understanding dawning in the eyes of the jinn. Butthen, she also belonged to the Abyss. I’d seen the way the grassand the creatures in there reacted to her, none of them behaved thesame way with the other jinn.

“And the palitons may occasionally requiresomewhere to hide; we will allow them to do so in the Abyss,”Amalia continued and gave the jinn a look that dared them to arguewith her.

Pride swelled in my chest when they allremained silent.

“Come,” Amalia said, and stepping from myhold, she waved her hand before her to open a portal. She edgedaway from the portal and gestured for the others to enter. “Forsome of you, it isfardifferent than the way you leftit.”

The others started forward as Amalia steppedback and into my arms again. Closing her eyes, she rested her headon my chest. “I will protect the Abyss and you,” I promisedher.

“I know,” she said.

The last to come forward, Corson and Wrenstopped beside her. Corson rested his hand on her shoulder as hespoke. “I’m sorry for the way I behaved toward you in thebeginning.”

“I understand why you did; you didn’t knowabout the Faulted or really anything about the jinn other than thedestruction they can wreak,” Amalia said.

“True,” he said. “But I still shouldn’t havetreated you that way. Thank you for helping to bring her back tome.”

Amalia ducked her head. “No Chosen should beseparated from their partner.”

“No, they shouldn’t,” Corson agreed andreleased her shoulder. “Magnus is a lucky man.”

“He is,” Amalia agreed, and I chuckled.

“I’d like to thank you too,” Wren said andheld her hand out. Amalia stared at it for a second before claspingit in hers and giving it a small shake. “I’m Wren.”

“I know,” Amalia said with a small smile,and Wren grinned at her before releasing her hand.

Corson and Wren entered the portal as somebranches of the calamuts dipped low and their leaves stirred. Theirmovement created a breeze that tugged at Amalia’s hair and ruffledmine. Caught up in the wind, seeds from the broken prury fruitdanced on the air before sweeping into the portal.

“Oh,” Amalia breathed.

“And it seems the calamuts will help protectthe Abyss too,” I told her.

“Yes.”

Taking her hand, we crossed back through theportal to discover the others gazing in amazement at the Abyss andAbsenthees. The prury seeds floated through the air before some ofthem settled onto the stones surrounding Absenthees. Others driftedhigher and further away as they spread out to protect a land I’dinitially believed to be a horror, but the Abyss had proven to beas magical and proud as the woman standing beside me.

Wrapping my arms around her, I lifted Amaliaoff the ground and spun her around. I couldn’t believe I’d onceconsidered her weak in her immortality and reluctance to fight. Shewas one of the strongest creatures I’d ever encountered, and shewasmyChosen.

“I love you,” she whispered, and theshifting lights in the night sky danced as if they heard herwords.

“And I love you, Freckles.”

Love was something I’d believed myselfincapable of feeling; I’d been arrogant enough to think myselfabove it, but I’d only been waiting for a young Faulted to fly freeof her cage and turn my world upside down. Placing her palm againstmy cheek, Amalia kissed me tenderly, and I lost myself in thewonder of her.

THE END