“What’s this all about?” Warren asked as they made their way down the hall.
“Let’s get back to the house first.”
They pushed through the big wooden doors of the Praesidium and out into a winter wonderland of fat snowflakes and a full moon peeking out from behind clouds.
“Let’s take the short cut.” Esha tugged Warren’s hand and they set off running across the lawn, now blanketed with white snow. She laughed and the sound echoed through the quiet night. Fairy lights twinkled in the trees and reflected off the snow.
Panting, they climbed the spiral stairs to her tower. She pushed open the door and grinned at the sight of the Christmas tree in the corner. With Warren here, this place no longer felt like the outcast’s tower. She no longer felt like quite such an outcast, as if Warren and her sister had healed something in her.
Now, she had something to give back to him. She turned and pushed his mussed hair off his forehead. His cheeks were red from the cold, and he was so handsome that her breath caught.
“What is it?” he asked, then pulled her close and pressed a kiss to her lips.
“I spoke to Aerten.” The words tumbled free. “She’s going to see if you can be made into a Mythean Guardian.”
“What? That’s not possible. They don’t take applications. They do the choosing. And they haven’t chosen a new guardian in centuries.”
“They’re going to make an exception. It’s not a sure thing yet, it still has to be approved by the council, but there’s a good chance they’ll make you a guardian. You’ve been leading the guardians for so long that you’re an obvious choice. When you’re immortal as a guardian, I can give you back your soul!”
It was the best plan she’d ever had. Mythean Guardians were immortal. Warren had never been made into one, even though he served the Praesidium because he’d already been immortal without his soul. It’d taken constant petitioning and not a little begging, but she’d convinced Aerten and the council to consider Warren’s application.
“But I told you,” he said. “I don’t need my soul back. I have you.”
“You might not need it, but you want it. And I want you to have it. This will work, Warren, I know it will.”
He pulled her close and kissed her again. He pulled back and looked into her eyes. “I have what I want.”
“I know. Me too. But you’ll have this too. There’s a first time for everything. This is my first Christmas tree—” she gestured to the sparkling tree in the corner “—and you’re going to be the first Mythean Guardian selected by application. It will work, Warren.”
“I love you. With all my heart. If this works, that’d be great. If it doesn’t, I don’t care. I’m happy.”
Esha’s body filled up with so much joy she couldn’t contain it. She threw her arms around Warren and kissed him. She had everything she’d known she’d been missing and more than she ever could have dreamed.
-The End—
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If you liked Soulceress, the next book in the series is Rogue Soul. Book 4, Stolen Fate, will be available December 8th. More will come in 2015! If you’d like a peak at how Andrasta and Camulos are getting along, turn the page.
ROGUE SOUL: EXCERPT
CHAPTER ONE
The Caipora’s Den
Edge of the Amazon River, Brazil