Fate of a Blood Moon (The Hades Blood Moon #2)

Chapter 38

Rachel

I got very little sleep that night. I still felt Jase’s hands on my thighs, his mouth, the way his tongue slid into me. My mind drifted in and out of restless dreams, playing out a hundred different scenarios for the morning. Would we talk about it? Should I tell Lucy what happened?

I shut my eyes as the sun poured into the room, deciding to pretend it didn’t happen—at least until Jase and I were alone again. Then, maybe, we’d figure out what this meant.

The heat was already seeping through the cracked window, a reminder of how unbearably hot the day would be. I missed having two fans right in my face while I slept.

My hair was still damp from the shower I took last night to wash out the sand stuck in my hair; my natural curls were basically a ball of frizzy mess. I pulled on a pair of workout shorts and a black tank top, twisting my hair into a loose bun. Makeup didn’t seem worth the effort—not when we’d be spending the day and most of the night on a ferry.

As usual, Jase and Lucy covered themselves to shield their skin, rushing to the car to sit behind the special glass. Once we reached the port, they didn’t linger, disappearing below deck as soon as we boarded.

The nine-hour ferry ride was pretty uneventful. While Jase and Lucy stayed below until sundown, Tony and I spent most of the time on the balcony. A gentle sea breeze made the heat somewhat tolerable. It no longer bothered me as much while I looked across the endless blue ocean; its shimmering beauty calmed my thoughts.

Tony and I had a chance to speak alone for the first time in months. It had been one thing after another since we left Venice, and I hadn’t realized how much I had missed talking to him. We fell into an easy conversation. He updated me on our coworkers at Lune de Blanche, and I told him all about the other dhampirs I met and how kind and generous they were. I silently pleaded to whoever was listening above that they were safe.

“What’s going on with you and Jase?” Tony asked suddenly, catching me off guard.

Why the hell would he ask that?

Maybe Jase and I hadn’t been as careful as I’d thought. The idea of Tony and Lucy finding out about what happened between us made me feel ashamed.

When Tony kept staring, waiting for an answer, I could only say, “I don’t know.”

It was the truth. I still didn’t know what to make of everything that had happened. The club, the beach—it replayed in my mind. But I’d also be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it.

A lot.

Tony didn’t press the subject further, and we quickly changed topics.

When the captain announced we were close to docking in Igoumenitsa, Lucy and I managed to grab one last drink together. Occasionally, I’d catch Jase watching me from the other side of the room. I wondered if he was avoiding me, too, or if he simply didn’t understand why I was still so cautious with him.

We keep dancing around each other. At some point, one of us will break entirely.

“Lucy, I need you to do me a favor,” I said, putting my glass on the small table between us. “You need this weapon more than I do. Take it.” She raised her eyebrows as I carefully reached into my bag and pulled the Gunslinger revolver into my lap.

“Wait. Why are you giving me this?” she asked. “You said that only you can use the gun.”

I shrugged. “The gun will only work for the true bearer. That’s now you. All you need to do is recite, ‘I invoke the rite of the Gunslinger,’ and the spell will recognize you as its new owner. You’re powerful enough, but you’ll need a weapon like this if something happens.”

Lucy stared at me briefly before nodding. Since no one was nearby to raise an alarm, I quickly slid the weapon across to her. She placed her hand on top of it and said, “Thank you.”

With one quick glance around, she picked it up and tucked it into the waistband of her jeans. I smiled and reached for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Lucy grinned back, and we tapped our glasses together before downing the rest of our drinks.

Tony came over and nudged my shoulder as we pulled into the dock. “Ready?” he asked.

We both nodded, and I watched Jase grab my bags with his own, so I wouldn’t have to carry anything—an unusually kind gesture coming from him.

When he walked by, he stopped beside me, and in a rare moment of civility, he said, “I’d like to head to Fiskardo once we check into the hotel in Lefkada. I’ll be back before you guys wake up. Then we can head to Athens.”

I wondered about that, knowing Jase and Andrei’s childhood home was only a few hours and a ferry ride from the hotel. It made sense for him to want to stop there.

“Yeah, I figured as much,” I said, reaching for my bag, but he shifted to the side, not letting me take it. “Come on. I can carry my own bag, Jase.”

He smiled faintly before replying, “I know … but not today.”

Once we picked up the new rental car and continued the hour-and-a-half drive to the hotel, Tony looked up in the rearview mirror at Jase. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to detour to Fiskardo. Let’s just rest for a few hours and then keep going. We’ve stopped way too many times already.”

“I’m going,” Jase said. His tone seemed agitated as he ran a hand through his messy, dark hair. My heart fluttered despite the tight knot forming in my stomach.

Tony was right, though—we needed to keep moving. But I also knew Tony arguing with Jase was pointless. If Jase wanted something, he’d get it.

My intuition ability sprang to life without prompting, reaching for Jase’s intent.

Sadness … and homesickness. Pain and guilt.

I experienced it all as if the feelings were my own.

Months ago, I wouldn’t have felt a thing for the man I once called my enemy. But something changed over the past few days. We had changed. I didn’t know if it was because I had opened myself up to him intimately or something deeper lurking beneath the surface, just out of reach. All I knew was that his face had haunted my dreams ever since the church. It was his face I saw when fear crept in. His face I thought of when heat curled in my stomach.

Now, standing this close, the pull between us was so intense I could barely separate my own emotions from his. And the strangest part was that I wasn’t afraid of him anymore. I knew that with absolute certainty now. Instead, I was drawn to him—to whatever he was, to whatever this was.

“It’s been over two hundred years since I’ve been so close,” he reminded us. “I’m not asking for permission, human . You guys wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for me. Sleep, and I’ll be back before sunrise.”

Lucy sighed, and turned to me to gauge my reaction. “Do they even run the ferries this late to Kefalonia Island? You won’t get there until almost eight,” she noted.

“I already looked into it,” he said. “There are two ferries that leave at night specifically for vampires. Once the treaty reached Europe, they made it work for those who couldn’t travel by day. It’s not that convenient to stay constantly below deck. It makes people nervous.”

“Gotcha,” Lucy replied. “Well—”

“Rachel’s coming with me, too,” Jase said with a smirk, cutting her off, and my head jerked over to him. “She can make sure I don’t get lost.”

My stomach did another flip. Going to Jase’s hometown wasn’t some stroll on the beach with my friends in the house beside us; I’d be traveling alone with him.

“Rachel?” Lucy called, and I looked at her. “It’s up to you.”

“Seriously?”

Tony’s nostrils flared slightly before he added, “Yeah. What do you want to do?”

Well, I wasn’t expecting them to be so comfortable with me going alone with him. Especially after last night.

But something told me that Jase, alone in the place where his brother brutally murdered his parents, probably wasn’t the best idea without someone there strong enough to reel him back in.

“Alright, fine,” I said. “I’ll make sure we’re back before morning.”

I couldn’t believe I was entertaining this for Jase, of all people. But my instinct pressed harder against his aura, almost demanding that I do this. If something was drawing us together, being alone with him again might help me get some answers.

I lost track of how many cups of coffee the ferry staff served me, but I swore I could hear colors. I finished my drink and leaned back in my seat. Despite my gripes about being dragged along, I knew in my gut that this visit was important for Jase. What happened to his family left a gaping wound in his heart that never stopped bleeding.

No matter what he’s done, he deserves closure.

If Andrei had been sitting here on the same quest, I would have understood and supported that, too. I never had the luxury of a mom and dad raising me and treating me like family. Being raised by a coven of witches and guardians wasn’t the same, so I couldn’t even imagine what an actual loving home and family felt like.

Jase sat across the aisle from me, his head leaning against the glass and looking out into the sea. Though it was so dark out into the water now, aside from the small lights coming off the boat, he seemed focused on something out there. After we parted from Tony and Lucy, he’d been quiet, almost nervous. I kept fighting the urge to offer him a bit of comfort. Only a handful of vampires and a few human companions were aboard the ferry tonight, settling quietly in their booths. It made the atmosphere suddenly feel heavy.

This awkward silence has been fucking killing me. Why am I having such a hard time talking to Jase? I’ve been able to give him a piece of my mind plenty of times before. Maybe because he ate me out for dinner on the beach last night, and we still haven’t talked about it, even after that long-ass ferry ride from Italy.

Not to mention what happened at the club. Since that night, something had changed in how I hated Jase—or thought I hated him. Now I wasn’t sure what the hell I felt. On the dance floor, I was drunk off my ass; I wasn’t thinking clearly. But at the beach house last night, I was stone-cold sober. We made our choice, fully aware of what we were doing and the consequences that could follow. Jase had also helped get us out of Venice and had been guiding us to this damn cave. But I couldn’t figure out this “change of heart.” He bombed the Black Diamond, stole the key and the Book of Shadows from Andrei, and protected me from that handsy asshole from the club.

Even though I had that prick. I already broke his nose, for fuck’s sake.

I don’t get any of this.

The crackling voice over the intercom jolted me upright. “Kalispéra, ladies and gentlemen. This is your captain speaking. We’ve enjoyed having you here with us today. We’ll be docking at your destination of Fiskardo, Greece. Please watch your step when you exit. We’ll have brochures at the far left table for anyone visiting here for the first time with restaurant and sightseeing recommendations come morning for those who can go in the sun. For your safety, please stay seated while we dock, and keep your belongings close until we come to a complete stop. The last ferry will leave at six a.m.”

Rising slowly, Jase stretched, his toned stomach visible beneath his black shirt. My throat went a little dry, and my core ached. I averted my eyes and busied myself, putting my book back into my small backpack.

“Was it good?” Jase’s voice broke through my thoughts, and I turned to look at him.

“Excuse me?”

“The book you’re reading. Was it good?”

We had stopped at a local bookshop before heading to the docks. I was worried we’d have nothing to talk about, so I needed something to occupy the time.

I smiled, feeling a little awkward, but held up the book, displaying its elegant gold-and-blue cover. “Yeah, it is, actually,” I answered with a smile. “The main character’s a total badass—a queen with uncontrollable magic. Once you get to the twist, you find out about this dark force threatening to destroy the planet, and the sexy love interest is a kind of the perfect balance to all the chaos she’s dealing with. I’m only a fourth of the way through, but I like it.”

Jase smiled, and my heart flipped at how warm it was, even for an asshole like him.

“You like to read, too?” I asked, tucking the book back in the bag and zipping it closed.

Jase shrugged. “I did as a child. We didn’t have much back then, but Mamá always ensured I got at least a book for my birthday. Andrei used to tease me about it. After I turned, I stopped reading for fun for a long time. I only started again recently when I had to kill time during the four years in New Orleans.” A playful smile tugged at his lips. Though I wanted to scowl at the reference to his stalking extracurricular activities, I didn’t.

Before I could respond, a chime rang through the boat, and everyone around us rose and made their way to the gangplanks. I stood quickly and moved toward the aisle where Jase was.

“Tell you what,” I started. “When this bullshit’s over, I’ll lend you this. Plus, it touches on Greek mythology that you might enjoy.”

Jase blinked his annoyingly lovely eyes at my offer. What am I doing?

Once off the ferry, we headed into the town. A loud mix of tourists and locals filled the streets as restaurants geared up for dinner, and the aroma of salt, fish, and spices wafted in the air. My stomach growled at the scent of food, and Jase snickered at the noise.

“While I don’t particularly miss human hunger, I miss the food here. After all these years of picturing it, I can still smell and taste it.” He flashed me another playful smile before adding, “Come on. My family’s farm is only a mile away, and if we move quickly , we’ll get there in minutes.”

Jase moved to a shadowy part of a house and waited for me to catch up. When no one was paying attention, we used our vampiric speed and raced toward his old village.

Most of the city had gone inside to have dinner with their families. Jase’s jaw tightened as he drew a slow breath, steadying himself while we stepped onto the path leading into the woods toward the house.

“Are you okay?” I asked, moving closer to his side. His scent filled my nose and made my cheeks warm. The mark on my stomach itched again, causing me to rub the spot.

I’m so close to burning this damn thing off.

“Yeah. It’s been … a long fucking time. The village looks almost the same as when I was a kid. It even smells the same.” He shook his head. “I mean, sure, it’s changed over the past two hundred years, but somehow … it’s still here.” A small silence lingered before he looked at me. “This way. My parents’ house is down the road as it curves around the bend. Of course, it used to be a donkey trail. I don’t know if the house is still standing, though.”

As we walked, the silence stretched between us again. The stars glittered in the navy blue-black sky, and the sounds of the sea were soothing as hell. If I weren’t with my former enemy, I’d find this adventure pretty damn romantic. This silence was irritating the fuck out of me, though.

“This broody persona of yours is driving me nuts, Jase,” I started, spinning on my heel to face him as I walked backward. “You’ve been weird since the beach house, so why not indulge me and talk? Why was it so important we came to Fiskardo? I know you and Andrei were born here and that my mother … caused the murder of your family. But why come back? Wouldn’t that reopen a dark, hidden wound?” Jase’s eyes turned toward the night sky. I elbowed his side and offered an encouraging smile. “Come on. Talk to me.”

“Closure, I guess,” he replied and stopped. That was my guess, too, but to hear the words leave his lips was odd. I stood in front of him and scanned his face. In the darkness, I saw the grief, the pain that burned beneath his skin. This was the first time he showed an emotion that wasn’t cold and cruel. He looked so human. “I want to see my mother’s garden one last time. I want to know if it’s still there after everything. When my normal life ended.”

His anguish stabbed through me like a blade to the heart. Andrei had told me about that night—how he killed his parents, his wife, his child. But he never said what happened to Jase.

Jase had been there. He had seen the carnage. He survived it.

As a child, he had borne the scars of my mother’s violence, her evil. And for centuries, he had carried that weight alone.

For once, I didn’t know what to say.

As we approached the curve, a dilapidated farmhouse appeared near a grove of trees. Jase took a sharp breath and stopped.

“This is it,” he said in a tight voice, his eyes looking up. “The dock where my father’s boat used to be is gone, but everything else is still here. The house …” His eyes lingered on the crumbling structure. “It looks like shit. But after a monster from hell tore through this place, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”

A signpost to the left of the building caught my eye, and I went toward it. There weren’t any security cameras, and I couldn’t sense any protection magic to keep out intruders. When I reached the sign, I noticed it was written in Greek.

Of all the languages I had learned throughout my life, Greek wasn’t one of them.

“Can you translate?” I asked.

He came to my side and read the first few lines of the sign: “Welcome to the Bakirtzis Healing Garden. Growing wild since 1805. We preserved this garden to honor Aine Sofia Bakirtzis, a renowned healer in Fiskardo, and the good she did for her family and community. Please visit this place at your leisure, but do not remove any plants without permission from council members. —The Fiskardo Municipal Council.”

God, the garden lasted this long intact.

Clearly, he shared the opinion, too. “Holy shit, they kept the garden after two hundred years ,” Jase said, shoving his shaking hands into his jeans pockets. “The witches and humans who lived in the village kept it safe.”

“They must have loved her,” I replied, motioning with my head. “Let’s go look.”

We walked past the farmhouse toward the back of the property. A fairly new shed sat next to a fenced garden that stretched the length of a football field.

My jaw dropped slightly. “This is stunning. She built all this?” I asked, moving to the fence and inhaling deeply, taking in the herbal fragrances. “Marjoram, lemon balm, sage, and …?”

“Sideritis, or ‘Greek Mountain Tea,’” Jase answered, coming to my side. “There’s a gate to go inside. Come on.”

We walked down to a small iron gate that opened into the garden and entered. It was so quiet, as if a glass bubble had fallen over us. My magic tingled in my fingertips, and a strange peace filled my chest. I followed Jase deeper into the garden until we found a small bench surrounded by lavender and echinacea flowers. Jase swallowed hard before sitting down.

“Hey, are you okay?” I knew asking him that again was stupid, but I couldn’t help myself. For some reason, I wanted to hear everything he was thinking—feel everything he was feeling.

He buried his face in his hands. “Even though I was only a kid when Valentina arrived, I never forgave myself for not fighting back. I had magic, but my fear left me vulnerable. I watched my older brother become a demon and slaughter everyone I loved. And I still did fucking nothing. Instead, I saw a nightmare unfold before my eyes, and I ran like a scared little boy.”

I blinked. “You were a scared little boy.”

When he didn’t respond or even look up at me, I sat beside him, the narrow bench forcing my knee to touch his. “There was nothing you could have done. Valentina is a monster who ruined so many lives, and you suffered the consequences of her evil. But you survived. You made it out.”

“Yeah, and I turned into a monster just like her. How’s that for irony? My brother is a selfish asshole who was always after wealth and notoriety. But me … I just wanted the nightmares to stop.”

Jase stood suddenly, running his hands through his hair. The absence of his body next to mine gave me a weird sense of loss, a void of comfort. I watched him try to rein in those turbulent emotions, that endless grief that turned to ice.

The pain is like a choking fire in my heart. I can feel every ounce of the suffering he’s dealt with for so long. He— my thoughts paused when the realization hit me like a lightning bolt.

I stood and approached him, grabbing his wrist to stop his pacing. “You did all this so you wouldn’t feel helpless,” I said. Jase’s eyes widened. “You wanted this ring, so you could never be vulnerable like you were that night. To never be weak and defenseless ever again.”

Jase staggered back as if I had punched him, but instead of giving him space, I stepped closer to him, and my heart lodged in my throat.

Suddenly, as he stared at me, I did something I hadn’t planned. I closed the gap between us and pulled him into an embrace. He was taller than me, but my arms held him tightly around his waist, my cheek pressing into his chest. I hadn’t planned on hugging him; it was impulsive and even surprised me. God, this made me more anxious than our beach and club activities. As I questioned if I should release him, his body relaxed against mine, and my thoughts settled.

Breathe.

The fragrance of his cologne set my skin ablaze, and my head spun. His firm body pressed against me made me feel safe and protected, like I was no longer trying to console him but the other way around.

Jase took in a slow breath and ran a hand over my hair. When that happened, the mark on my stomach flared, and I felt my insides melt.

“I’m sorry for what my mother did to yours. No child should ever deal with that kind of trauma. You spent hundreds of years in hell because of her. And me. I’m so fucking sorry.”

Jase stiffened under my touch, and I was sure he would shove me away for being in his space in that state until his arms wrapped around the tops of my shoulders, squeezing me back.

It felt right. But so goddamn confusing. I hated Jase for forcing me to leave New Orleans, yet he allured me as our bodies found solace in each other.

“I was supposed to hate you,” he started, his cool breath brushing against my hair, “the child of the woman who destroyed everything I loved. You were just a way to get to Valentina, take that ring, and then kill you to punish her for what she took from me. I needed to put my damn guilt into the grave. But no matter what I do, I can’t fucking stay away from you. I don’t want to hurt you anymore. But even after all of this, I wish I knew what you were thinking.”

I felt Jase’s hands on my shoulders, and he gently pushed me away. His blazing green eyes locked with mine when I looked up. Lifting my right hand, I brushed my thumb over his cold cheek, and his gaze fell on my mouth.

“Rachel …” he whispered. “I … fucking hell.” Jase leaned down and pressed his lips against mine. The times he had kissed me before were rough and desperate. This kiss, though, felt … awakening.

It was like the world suddenly burst into light and color as I closed my eyes, wrapped my arms around his neck, and pulled him close. All my reservations about his very existence melted away. This unbearable attraction to him consumed my every thought, and I was no longer strong enough to fight it.

His kiss was beautiful, like finding peace after a storm, and tasted just like his blood did in Boston. It felt like warm sunshine, wind brushing through olive trees, and a sense of home—I needed more.

I opened my mouth to deepen the kiss. Jase groaned, swiping his tongue over mine. The coolness of his flesh was the perfect sensation against my heated skin. His hands slid down the curves of my back until he cupped my ass and pulled me against his hard cock. A fire burned in my core, and I pressed my hips against him, needing more of his touch, his passion.

God, why am I so turned on by this man?

Jase freed his lips from mine and moved down my neck, his tongue trailing a path. Then—a scrape of fang. My body stilled, and he pulled away. Worry was pretty damn clear in Jase’s eyes as he looked at me. “You and Andrei drank from each other, and honestly, it pisses me the fuck off when I think about it. I wasn’t thinking in that club, and while you gave me permission … eventually, I felt guilty because you were drunk. So, if you say no, I’ll stop.”

I blinked. I wasn’t expecting that. It was true that Andrei and I drank from each other, and there were times I wished he hadn’t, like when he bit me in the hotel alley and behind the bar. But even after we started sleeping together, if I had told Andrei to stop … I don’t think he would have.

“For a selfish asshole, that’s probably the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me,” I joked. Blowing a breath, I broke my gaze from Jase and looked at the echinacea flowers swaying in the sea-scented breeze. The desire to feel his fangs in my skin was growing stronger and stronger. I pressed my forehead against his chest.

Fuck it.

“Do it,” I said. “Take what you want. It’s okay.”

Jase cupped my cheeks and lifted my face to look at him. His emerald eyes locked on mine, searching for any hesitancy. When he didn’t see it, he licked his lips. Then, like a serpent, Jase struck, burying his fangs into the crook of my neck.

I gasped at the pressure, but … there was no pain. Instead, unrelenting pleasure erupted beneath my skin as he drank. My pussy clenched and throbbed at the sensation, and wetness soaked my panties. Jase moaned, his weight pushing us down to the ground. My back pressed against the grass as his hips ground against my aching core.

Fuck.

It was as if every inch of my body had suddenly come to life, lost in the sensation of that first bite. I could barely breathe, let alone remember my body’s usual functions for a moment.

I needed more.

Much, much more.

As Jase took another pull of blood, my hands slipped down his chest to his waistband. Jase stilled but didn’t remove his fangs from my skin. He nodded slightly, allowing me to touch him. I popped the buttons of his jeans free and pulled the zipper down. His cock, thick and long, sprang free.

Good God.

When I reached and grasped the hardened flesh, Jase shuddered above me, still feeding. My touch was gentle yet firm as I stroked him. He moaned again, and my pussy throbbed in response.

My strokes increased, and my head swam until my vision clouded. I’m getting too light-headed. Using my left hand, I caressed Jase’s dark hair. Taking my signal, Jase pulled his fangs free from my neck. Much to my surprise, he licked the puncture wounds clean before pressing his lips against them.

“Rachel,” he breathed against my skin as my hand moved faster. “I’m close.”

“Good,” I said, releasing his cock. With my legs, I pressed against his hips and used my strength to flip him onto his back. Now beneath me, I gave Jase a wicked smile before sliding down, my left hand gripping his hip. There, I took his cock in my mouth. After last night, I wanted to make him feel just as good as he made me. His hips jerked upward, driving it deeper down my throat. The taste of him was addictive. I wanted more of him; I wanted all of him. My tongue swirled over the head, tasting the slight salt of him as he grew closer to his release.

“Jesus … Rachel … Touch yourself.…” His words faded as a groan replaced it, and he fisted my hair in a tight grip as his other hand clasped over my right arm so hard I felt the bruising. The delicious pain sent me spiraling right as I moved my hand from his hip to between my legs, rubbing my clit under the fabric. I could feel my release coming.

He hummed approvingly as my head bobbed up and down. His taste was drowning me, and I was glad to sink beneath the surface of his darkness, lost in the forbidden pleasure. He continued to rock his hips upward, his eyes rolling back into his skull as I drove him to his sweet release.

This is what he needed, too.

Jase let out a loud grunt, his back arching as his release spilled into my mouth, down my throat. I moaned as I took him in, draining every last drop. As he fell back onto the ground, I climbed over him, straddling his waist and taking his hand, replacing my fingers with his, sliding inside my pants. I ground myself over his wet cock while he touched me. I wanted him inside me, to fuck me so hard I’d scream, but a part of me was holding back. I wasn’t ready to cross that line yet.

As he moved his hips with mine and his thumb pressed on my clit, bliss flooded my veins, and my body shuddered as the orgasm claimed me. Jase’s free hand held me steady as my head tipped back and my cries echoed across the garden. Suddenly, there was a crackling sound, and I turned my head to look over my shoulder.

Jase still held me straddled over his hips but raised himself to look at the sound with me.

“Oh my God,” I cried, struggling to reclaim my composure. Blue fire engulfed the nearest echinacea blooms. Jase sat up as I climbed off him, and we scrambled to our feet. He quickly tucked himself back into his jeans and zipped them up. “What the hell just happened?” I was still out of breath as we raced over to the flames. “You and Andrei aren’t wearing the ring. How the fuck did you do that?” Reaching out, I ripped the plant that burned from the stem and dropped it to the ground, quickly stomping the heel of my shoe over it to smother the flames. I looked back at Jase, and his face turned pale.

“I don’t have a fucking clue, angel. But we need to go before someone comes and sees this.” His hands shook as he wiped my blood from his lips. I nodded and went to grab my bag. As we hurried out of the garden, Jase’s hand took mine, his fingers weaving through. My skin flushed at the initial gesture, but confusion overrode everything else.

Whatever just happened, we’ll figure it out after we leave this place.

Jase closed the gate to the garden, pressing his fingers to his lips and placing them on the iron. The gesture broke my heart, and I squeezed Jase’s hand in solidarity. He came for closure, for forgiveness from himself or his family’s memory. By the ease in his body language, I thought that he did.

“Aionía sou i mními,” he whispered.

“What did you say?” I asked gently. Jase looked down at me, his handsome face written with anxiety, bliss, and relief. But there was also solemn in his eyes.

“May your memory be eternal.”