Shade exhaled slowly.
And then—
He dropped the knife.
Marius blinked. "What—"
Shade punched him. Hard.
Marius collapsed, unconscious.
Shade stood there, breathing hard, his mind reeling.
Then he turned to Jade.
And for the first time—
His eyes were his again.
Jade's breath hitched. "You're back."
Shade exhaled. "I was never gone."
Jade smiled. "Liar."
Then she kissed him.
And the war was over.