Rebel Witch (The Crimson Moth, #2)

by Kristen Ciccarelli

She wasn’t sure what was more upsetting: that Alex had loved her, or that Gideon didn’t.

“We both know what you want to do to me, Gideon. Well, here’s your chance.” His gaze slid to her mouth. “You have no idea, the things I want to do to you.”

Instead, he’d found this Rune. His Rune. A total mess. The basest part of him wanted to tilt her head back and kiss her until she told him why she was crying.

“I may not know Rune Winters,” he whispered, his mouth an inch from hers. “But I know the Crimson Moth. And she is no caged thing.” Rune flinched. “Stop it.” “I pity the man who clips her wings.”

She was the Crimson Moth. A rebel witch.

“You want the truth?” Her own hurt bubbled up, like steam from a volcano ready to erupt. “This is the truth: I would have married you in a heartbeat, had you asked me. I would have married you knowing you would hand me over to my killers—or kill me yourself—the moment you found out what I was. That’s how pathetic I am, Gideon! That’s how desperately I wanted to be yours!”

If this was weakness, he wanted to be weak. If this was sin, let him be damned to hell.

“Aren’t you tired of this bitterness?” he asked her. “Aren’t you sick of the hate? Those are easy, Harrow. What’s difficult is refusing to harden your heart despite having every reason to. Despite knowing the odds are against you.”

“Live in the darkness too long, and eventually you won’t recognize the light,” he told her. “You’ll become like the monsters you hate.”

Rune— I hope you find the freedom you’re looking for. Yours, Gideon

Rune’s anger ignited. She lifted her chin. “I suppose I should thank you. If not for your curse, I wouldn’t have irrefutable proof that he loves me.”

“You will heed me, my queen, because Rune is your sister.”

Gideon was that abominable thing the Republic could not abide: a witch sympathizer. No, it was worse: he was a witch lover.

“Who did this to you?”

“It might look like weakness on the surface. But in truth, it’s tougher than steel. Love can’t be controlled. Love can’t obey unjust laws. Love will always oppose tyrants.”

“Because I was stupid enough to fall in love with a witch hunter. Stupid enough to hope he might love me back. And if he did, I wasn’t going to let anything come between us again.”

I am the Crimson Moth.

“But if love is the highest power, our paths will converge again—if not in this world, then the next.”

Pressing her hand to Gideon’s heart, Rune whispered: “Come find me in the next world.”

Even in death, my love, you are a wonder.

Seraphine … is Wisdom? The Ancient?