Overcoming impossible odds. Defying death and learning to trust. Coming to love each other again.

Reminded of all they’d beaten, she set her jaw. I’m getting my Vrekener back. She would juice him with all the power in her body if she had to.

She’d done it for Sabine; she’d do it for him. When he stood before her, Lanthe said, “Thronos, if I tell you something crazy, could you try to believe me?”

“Sorceress, in these last few weeks, I’ve seen crazy. I’ve lived it.”

No kidding. “What if I told you that we were well acquainted with each other? But you were bespelled to forget me?”

She debated telling him upfront that they were married (oh, and having a kid!), but decided against it. She didn’t want him to believe she was a lock, didn’t want him complacent. For now, she needed him to ache for her—as badly as she did for him.

“I don’t see how I could ever forget you. Lanthe, I believe that you are my mate.” He eased even closer to her. “You don’t look surprised by this news?”

She shook her head. “Before Morgana destroyed your kingdom, she erased all your memories of me.” Voice going throaty, Lanthe said, “But, Thronos, we knew each other.”

He was in disbelief. “I’ve known you?” As if testing the waters, he tentatively smoothed her hair behind her ear, his hand trailing down to her face . . . to her neck . . . to her collarbone . . .

When she didn’t stop him, in fact arched to his touch, a shocked breath escaped him.

Puh.

“That’s right, Thronos. I want to make you remember that and everything else. Because our story is epic.”

“How is this possible? It would explain so much. . . .” He swallowed thickly, as if he were starting to believe—to hope. “How would you restore my memory? Understand me, sorceress: I can’t express how fiercely I covet these memories. How I covet you.”

She laid her palm on his chest; his heart thundered. “I’ll need to use my sorcery on you.” It radiated from her palms. “Can you trust me to make this right?”

Ever brave, he squared his shoulders. “Do as you will, Lanthe. I’ve nothing to lose.”

She shook away any thoughts about her on-the-fritz power or her sorcery limitations. Yes, Morgana was stronger. Yes, the queen had packed one hell of a persuasive punch.

But love would triumph.

Right?

Lanthe pressed her alight palm over his chest as she commanded, “Remember me, Thronos. Remember.” Her sorcery burned brighter, coiling around them, through them. “Remember.”

The air grew warmer. Subtle tremors rippled beneath their feet. Floating drops of water began to rocket in haphazard directions. “Remember me.” Her voice sounded altered, vibrating with power.

Sadness seeped into his expression. “I . . . don’t.”

“We’re only getting started, Vrekener. Just open your mind as much as you can.”

He got that determined look, the one she’d seen hundreds of times before, the one she couldn’t love more. “I will.”

“Remember me. Restore your memories. Shake off what Morgana did to you.” To us.

When he still evinced no recognition, she bit her lip, deciding to reveal more of their past. “Do you feel the need to enclose us in your wings?”

“Overwhelmingly. But I don’t want to scare you.”

“You don’t.”

Again, as if he were testing the waters, he gradually wrapped his wings around her, enfolding them both completely. His pulselines were lighting like crazy. Her poor Vrekener must be a bewildered mix of nerves and anticipation. “Thronos, when we’re like this, we tell each other secrets. Do you want to know some?”

He nodded.

“We were best friends as children,” she told him. “Just as we are now.”

“Friends?”

“Yes,” she murmured. “But we’re so much more. You love me. And I love you.”

“You? Love me?”

“Wildly. Madly.” Maybe a kiss would remind him. Maybe she needed to spur his body as much as his mind. She rose on her toes, cupping his face between her glowing hands, drawing him to her. Within his wings, her iridescent sorcery lit his eyes, joining his surreal pulselines. “Can I kiss you?”

His brows drew tight. “By all the gods, yes.”

Just as he had kissed her after those time loops—so she would kiss him.

A claiming kiss.

A no-going-back kiss.

He went motionless as she brushed her lips over his, once and again. When she slanted her mouth across his, he parted his lips.

She deepened the contact, slipping in her tongue to tease his. He met her with a groan, and she grew encouraged—as if he’d conceded far more than a kiss.

He began one of his slow-build love affairs with her mouth, sensuously licking her until her eyes slid shut.

Her hands shook on his face as their tongues slowly twined. His arms wrapped around her. He palmed the back of her head with one hand, his other dipping toward her ass, as if he couldn’t help himself. His wings tightened around her back even more, squeezing her closer.

Once they were sharing breaths, she drew back to whisper against his lips, “Remember me, love.” The ground tremors intensified, until even the immense trees shuddered. She felt like a sorcery reactor, stronger than she’d ever been.

Because I’ve never wanted anything like I want him.