Chapter Forty-Nine

"Those murders were real? Who killed them?"

"Those people were the servants who came to Ravenspire to work. You killed them."

She paused, letting that sink in.

"You can only paint from memory," Gabriel said. "You killed many people."

She shook her head. "Then I really am Genevieve."

"You are not," he said. "You were not conscious when you killed them."

"We've both killed."

"So we have. What about it?"

"Don't you think we should burn in hell for our sins?"

"The sinner is me. You? You're a saint, Lucie."

"You say there is a church in Ravenspire?"

"There is."

"Let's go there," she said. "Absolve us of our sins."

He stood up, hand extended outwards at her. She placed her hand in his and they left their mansion, walking to the church. When she reached, he brought her up to the altar and turned to face her.

"Dance with me?" Gabriel asked.

She nodded and put her hand on his shoulder. They swayed to the breeze in the church, the strands of her hair drifting about. She smiled as they moved to silent music and he spun her around with one hand.

"You're perfect, Lucianne Blacken."

"As are you, my husband." She hugged him and they swayed. "I wish this moment would last forever."

"We still have time. Until your next reset."

"I don't want to lose you again, Gabriel," she said, her tears staining his coat.

"I don't want to lose you either. I'll be here for you always, and you'll be whole again. I vow that to you."

"I'm so scared."

He parted from her to cup her cheeks as tears flowed from her eyes. "Hey, hey," he said. "Don't be afraid. I'll never leave you, nor forsake you."

She blinked her tears away. "I love you."

He smiled, then his hands left her. Getting down on one knee, he pulled a ring from his pocket.

"Gabriel?"

He held the ring up to her. "Marry me, my wife."

She laughed. "We're already married!"

"Marry me once more, apple of my eye."

She put her finger out. He pushed the ring around it. She looked at it. It was beautiful.

"I don't have your ring," she said to him.

He stood up and reached into his pocket again to hand a ring to her. She took it and helped him wear it.

"So we are married again," she said.

"Must be the only couple on this earth to marry as many times."

Her laughter rang out. "Sure we are."

"I vow the rest of my days to you, my beloved wife."

"As I vow the rest of mine to you, dear husband."

They kissed and continued to dance. Night soon fell, but they were still dancing in the church, their souls in flight.

"Till the next time we marry again," Gabriel whispered to her.