Distant Fires of Heaven (The Malevolent Sacrifices #1)

Heaven

"I used a temporary enchantment, I thought I had healed Juliet, but I realize now that's impossible, even for me." Rose buried her head in her hands, leaning over in the chair next to Juliet's bed. Juliet hadn't suffered more injuries since Stephen and Rose carried her in as soon as she fell.
It had been the most painful feeling Rose had felt since her grieved her dead sister, because she truly believed this is what it'd be like to watch her parabatai die. Watching Juliet fall the way she had, clawing into Stephen's arms, begging for help, choking on her blood, it was gruesome.
Stephen had been speaking to her since she was set on her bed, running his fingers through her hair, speaking soft metaphors into her ear.
When they first laid her down, they stripped her of her gear, re- attached her metal cast around her purpling waist, cleaned the blood off of her skin, and Stephen let Rose calm Juliet's body with a gentle heal.
She'd been learning her powers as she used them, having dreams by Gadriel bothering her nights. But she woke with more knowledge, more power, but more of her own curse.
The more she used her power, the more it hurt Rosemary in the end.
Stephen laid in bed with Juliet now. Earlier, they realized Juliet was more conscious than they expected when she turned slightly towards him, moving her head to rest on his chest. Stephen had smiled, wrapped his arm around her back, and used his other hand to run through her brown hair.
"Rose, it's going to be alright. She's alright." Stephen said softly.
She shook her head. "She shouldn't have even left the house. We accomplished nothing. I had expected a battle with Lexa. I expected Juliet to win. I'm so tired of Lexa running." Rosemary pulled at her hair, groaning in frustration.
"Do you understand that's who she is?" Stephen asked. "All she does is run."
Rosemary was quiet for a moment. "What if she runs towards us?"
Stephen looked over at her. "Explain."
She moved her chair closer to the bed. "We can trick her, cause her to run right into us. It'll be perfect. She'll never see us coming."
"Trick the trickster. I like it." Stephen grinned, then looked over at sleeping Juliet.
"Do you think Julian?..." Rose asked. The thought of Riley Dearborn actually dead made hope rise in Rose's heart.
"No." Stephen sighed. "Dad wants to hold him prisoner. He wants to interrogate him, try to extract some form of information that could help us with Leviathan and this Demonic Revolution. I think it's a smart choice, but will Riley talk? No."
Rose leaned back in her chair. They were silent for a moment.
She watched as Stephen stroked Juliet's cheek, her eyelashes fluttered against his thumb. She ran her hand up his body, and grasped his hand in hers. She didn't stir, but a part of her was conscious to recognize his body, to register it was Stephen holding her.
Rose took a deep breath. She watched the way Juliet's face had composed to a softness so lovely. She didn't look like she was in pain, she looked eased. Stephen leaned down and kissed the top of her head. Juliet's face stayed composed. "I'm sorry I didn't accept you two at first. I just didn't think it was fair, because you didn't like me and Mason."
Stephen held a small smile. "Don't say sorry. I deserved you to be angry about this. I didn't understand love-"
"Steph, I know. I know it was hard for you to accept and understand, but the point is that you understand it now. Juju didn't deserve me to be so angry with her, though." Rose took another breath. "I just didn't know about her past with him, I didn't know she was so abused." The word slipped from Rose's mouth quietly. "It hurts to think about it."
Stephen closed his eyes and nodded. "She'll have yet another mark by Riley Dearborn enclosed on her skin." He opened his eyes. "She hates her scars. So so much."
"I hope you love them." Rose said softly.
"Is that even a question?" He turned his head towards her. "Everything about her is captivated in my love. Even the way she tucks her hair behind her ear when it gets in her way. The way she plays her cello. It's not just an instrument to her, it's like her way of expressing herself. It's the best way she communicates, and it's beautiful. Her scars are her physical history, and when I feel them, it feels like I'm reading her story." He squeezed Juliet's hand, his two fingers against the pulse in her wrist.
"I have something to tell you. You're the first to know." Rosemary looked down at her fingers. "You're the first for a reason, not because I want permission from you."
Stephen furrowed his brows. "Permission? For what?"
Rosemary showed him the Lightwood ring on her finger. "Mason asked me to marry him, and I said yes."
Stephen stared at the ring on her hand. Rosemary wasn't sure of the expression on his face. Was he upset? Was he happy for her?
"You're not 18 yet." He said. "You're going to wait?"
"Do I really have a choice?" Rose smiled. "But at least I can spend the rest of my time planning our wedding, then after I'm 18 we can marry." Rosemary felt some form of light entangle in her body. It felt so strange to speak of marriage. Rosemary Lightwood, she spoke to herself. She looked down at her fingers to hide her blush.
"I'm happy for you two." Stephen said. "You and Mason speak love like it's a different language. I want to be able to give a speech at your wedding though, it's all I ask." He grinned.
"Oh great, Stephen's one of a kind speeches." Rose rolled her eyes. Stephen eyed her, then they both laughed. Rose calmed herself, composed herself from laughing. "So you're okay with this?"
"Of course." He said softly. "I wouldn't want anyone else for you."
Rose smiled. "Do you think you'd ever marry?"
Stephen looked down at Juliet sleeping on his chest. "I'd like to think so. I think the idea of marriage and children, and a future of settling down is far away for me though." Stephen curled Juliet's hair around his finger. "I want to travel, to explore different countries and cultures. Then after that, I'll find a home where I can start my future."
"With Juliet." Rose stated, her eyes resting on Juliet's body as her breathing consumed the noise of the room for a brim moment.
"Yes, with my Juliet." Stephen murmured.
"That's sweet." Rose smiled, leaning back in her chair. She shut her eyes, listening to the sound of Juliet's slow breathing, of the sound of Stephen whispering to her love poetry, and Rose envisioned in her mind herself a year from now, full of love and never needing to use her powers ever again.