A Touch of Death

Chapter 39

Aoife twirled her grandmother's iron necklace in her hand, watching the pendant spin over and over. She'd been thinking hard about the pendant ever since the curse broke, thinking about why her grandmother might wear something that effectively negated her immortality.

For a long time, she hadn't understood, even after she slowly realized her feelings for Tarran. Now, though, she thought she had a grasp on it.

"Reminiscing?" Tarran asked, looking over her shoulder at the pendant.

"My father didn't talk about her much, but he said she died of grief two days after my grandfather passed. I don't think she did, though. If the iron pendant negated her immortality, then maybe she shared just enough of her life force with my grandfather to keep them both alive. She... she got to grow old."

"It won't do that for you, even if you wanted it to," Tarran said softly. "Nor for me."

"I know." She didn't have the iron sensitivity that would enable her to have that choice. Aoife took one last look at the constellation design before slipping it back around her neck. "It's alright, though. I'm starting to come to terms with it."

"I..." Tarran began, clearing his throat awkwardly. "I thought, perhaps, if your newfound immortality is a concern for you, you might... like some company."

Aoife blinked, trying to process his words. Was he really saying what she thought he was saying? Was he really prepared for this kind of commitment, for this kind of longevity?

Did he really want to be with her for that long?

"I will stay with you as long as you want me," he said softly, pressing his forehead against hers. "I can't offer you a peaceful death, as you wanted when we met, but I can offer you a hand to hold so you will never be alone."

"I don't want a peaceful death anymore," she said, already tearing up. "I want a peaceful life."

Now that she understood the joy of being alive, she didn't want to let it go. Her magic no longer felt like a burden, but a blessing. It was a blessing that had saved her life, saved the life of the person she loved most in the world, and offered the potential to save many more lives in the future. It was a gift, a precious gift, and she was so grateful for it.

A Touch of Life.

"What do you want to do, Aoife? Tell me, and we'll make it happen. Anything at all," Tarran said softly, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"I... I want to stay with you. Here," she said softly. "I want to have a home again."

"I would like that." Tarran smiled brightly as he gazed down at her.

Aoife stood on tiptoe to press a quick kiss to his lips, but the moment she pulled away, Tarran hooked his arm around her waist to hold her close, bringing their mouths back together. A soft heat seemed to run through her entire body, and she couldn't tell if it was the magic or the proximity or both. She didn't care.

Tarran was alive, and now she would have the chance to be with him.

"What happens now?" Aoife asked softly, pulling away only enough to speak. "The curse is gone, so can we just... Is this just life now?"

"Oh, I expect we're in for a number of adventures in the future," he said with a sigh. "At this very moment, though, I'm concerned about making sure you're well as soon as possible."

"Right... I've got to get back to the castle," she said with a sigh. "I promised Corin a dance some time ago."

Tarran scowled, and Aoife just laughed.

She wasn't too worried about Corin. He was a nice man, but he wasn't who she wanted... though she did still wonder what he wanted from her. Things had moved so quickly after that night that she hadn't bothered to seek him out or ask for more information, and they'd had to leave the city suddenly.

Yes, there were still plenty of questions she had for the prince, but those could all be answered another day. There were too many other things to worry about at the moment.

"It won't be long before I'm back to normal." She smiled up at him. "I'll be terrorizing you sooner than you think."

"Believe me when I say that I cannot wait," Tarran said, laughing as he bent to kiss her forehead.