Rebel Witch (The Crimson Moth, #2)

by Kristen Ciccarelli

“How dare you touch her.” Gideon knew better than to open his mouth. But he couldn’t help himself. “At least she likes it when I touch her.”

“Love doesn’t sully you,” she said. “Love purifies you.”

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

Soon enough, Edmund would discover the parlor room empty and come looking for them. But it didn’t matter, because so long as Gideon was on her side, so long as they were a team, there was nothing she couldn’t do.

“You are far worse than a thorn in my side,” he said, his dark eyes gleaming at her. “You are a knife in my heart.”

“Why would you lie to me?” Gideon remembered Rune’s knife pressed to his throat. Remembered the tears in her eyes as she fled. Because I love her.

“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.”

Was this worth it? Was Rune worth it? The thought of her only brought resolve. Rune is worth everything.

“The problem with love is the more you try to destroy it, the stronger it becomes.” Noah sneered. But not so long ago, Gideon believed the same thing Noah did: that loving Rune made him weak. That trusting her made him a fool. Nothing could be further from the truth. “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.”

“What’s this?” Antonio touched Gideon’s neck, where Rune had drawn spellmarks to stop his bleeding. He glanced up, staring at her. “You’re a witch?” “Got a problem with that?” growled Gideon.

“You can’t put her back together. Only she can do that.” It wasn’t at all what Gideon wanted to hear. He frowned at Antonio’s shadowed face. “And if I lose her in the meantime?” Antonio’s eyes softened. “Love is patient, Gideon.”

I don’t deserve this girl. He slid his palms against her cheeks and tilted her head back. But I want to. I want to be the man who deserves Rune Winters.

“I know you’re scared,” he said, walking backward. “I know this is hard. But I need you. Who else can show them the way if not a witch and a witch hunter, fighting side by side?”

🤏🤏🤏

“She’ll kill us both.” Gideon stared at her. “Then it will be an honor to die at your side.”

“If we’re going to die, darling, let’s die happy.”

“You believe that?” she asked. “That love is the highest power?” He glanced at her like she’d asked him if water was wet. “Don’t you?”

Gideon thought of his Crimson Moth and smiled through his sorrow. Even in death, my love, you are a wonder.

“The queens and commanders of this world may think they know something of power,” she said. “But true power is divine, and her judgment is final.”

Rune glanced at the matching scar banded around his finger. They were casting scars formed from the spells she’d performed during their wedding, which Antonio officiated, keeping his promise. While speaking their vows as their friends bore witness, Rune had cast two spells: one for speaking the truth, and the other binding them to their words. So now, instead of wedding bands, they wore wedding scars.