Between Soul and Vessel (Between Life and Death, #4)

by Jaclyn Kot

I knew she might hate me for what I was willing to do in her name, but that’s why she had always been the hero, and I the villain.

She guided his ringed fingers to her rounded belly, filled with the gift of life. Roses bloomed around them, intricately linked by winding vines.

“I do not know what it is like to lose a child, but I do know a little about loss. I know that when we love someone, we cut a piece of our heart out and give it to them. So, when they die, in some ways, we do too. But the thing is, we carry a piece of them with us, and so, in their honor, we must do the impossible without them—we must live.”

“I’ve carried your wedding ring with me every day, every year, every decade, every century. I held on to it until I could finally give it to you. Until today.”

“Because this is how it should be when a husband commits himself to his wife. Bending the knee is how you show honor, respect, humility. This is how I want to enter our marriage, by surrendering all that I am, all I possess, and everything I will be to you.”

“I surrender to you, Little Goddess. From this day forth, I vow to be your protector—your sword and your shield. I vow to be steadfast—my loyalty unwavering and true. I vow that my body will be a sanctuary to yours—my arms a safe fortress, my chest your place to rest. I vow to always hold space for your dreams, to honor you, our bond. I vow to be a good husband. I vow to be yours.”

“Sometimes, you need to feel the pain of something to feel like you’ve earned a right to have it.”

“She is your bonded, as you are his. Two halves of a circle, but together, you are complete. Without one, there cannot be another. Yin and yang. Black and white. Creator and Ender. Life and Death.”