Disclaimer: I do not own The Caster Chronicles. Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl do.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Lila saw Macon's black hearse in front of Marian's house as Arelia drove up the road and parked. Arelia raised an eyebrow and Lila shrugged her shoulders, but as she was about to leave Arelia touched her hand.

"What is it?"

Arelia's eyes crinkled.

"The Council will require you to have an instructor. Normally, another Keeper would be put in charge of your education, but considering everything you need someone you can trust."

Lila lifted an eyebrow.

"I don't think Macon counts, does he?"

Arelia shook her head.

"No, but I do. That is, if you want me to?"

There wasn't another soul in the world she rather have an ally with in this world, not that she had many people to choose from.

"Thank you, for everything."

Arelia put a strand of Lila's hair behind her ear.

"It's not I who you should be thanking but yourself."

Lila left Arelia's car and the words swirled around in her mind. As Lila was about to open the door, she heard Marian and Macon's voices. It wasn't that hard to make out what they were saying, the door was thin when it came to sound acoustics.

"She what?"

Macon boomed.

"Oh, for goodness sakes. It's not like I'll tell anyone."

"That's not the point. She shouldn't have—"

"Told me? Sure and live a lie as well?"

"She wouldn't be the only one."

"Hey," Lila said as she walked in on their little argument. Macon and Marian were opposite of one another. Marian sat down with a glass of sweet tea in hand and Macon pacing with his hands behind his back.

"Jane, you shouldn't have told her."

Lila sighed.

"I'm not going to lie to my best friend Macon. I don't like to lie to begin with. I already have to lie to my family now."

Macon's eyes closed and he inhaled a deep breath. "So you went through it then. You're the Keeper of the Western Keep."

Lila nodded.

Macon shook his head, but Lila walked to him and put her hands around his shoulders and tilted her head to look up at him. Macon stared into her eyes and his lips were near her ear.

"You're still foolish."

"I told you I was determined."

She initiated the kiss and felt Macon's cool lips on her own.

"Ah hm. Sorry to interrupt your little moment, but I believe there should be celebration in order." Marian smiled at Lila, who had a small smile on her face. Macon shook his head.

"Only you would find something dangerous an event to celebrate, mortals."

"There is always something to celebrate Macon, even if you do not see it." Marian said as she dipped her reading spectacles and came up to hug Lila. She went to the refrigerator and got out a cheap bottle of Rose wine.

"It's not champagne, but it will have to do," Marian said as she walked over to one of the cabinets and grabbed three wine glasses.

Macon watched her, and put his hand on Lila's shoulder who peered over at him. He kissed her on the cheek.

"She's a good friend to not think you're crazy to be doing what you are doing."

"She's a good friend because she understands. She knows that shared joys make a friend not shared sufferings."

Lila quirked her mouth into a smile.

"Nietzsche?" Macon said his eyebrow arched.

"One has to be well rounded."

Macon smiled, his lips turning upward and allowing himself to feel something light and golden in his life. Lila saw Marian give them each a glass.

"To Lila Jane, who is the new Keeper," Marian said and raised her glass.

"To Jane, who is the most true and honest person I know," Macon said and raised his glass to Marian's. Lila joined in with them.

"To Macon, for lifting me up in my darkest moments."

Their glasses clinked together. Lila felt the tears start to fall as she looked at Marian and Macon. When Marian was getting something ready on the stove for dinner, Macon leaned down towards Lila's ear and put their glasses on the table. His breath tickled, but his voice was deep and melodic.

"And to my love who is the shining light in my life."

He kissed her on the cheek and brought his arms around her middle. She felt his heart thump against her back as she leaned back into him, and the feel of his lips over her neck and at her pulse point as he kissed her. She melted into his arms and followed Macon. Marian hummed to herself and put on a vinyl record of Johnny Mercer's "In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening."

Lila and Macon slung back into her room and as the record played on, Macon showered her with kisses and Lila wasn't complaining as in that moment even if Macon believed she was foolish he loved her with all his heart. As had she, and no one would tear them apart.

Not his curse. Not his brother. Not herself. Macon was a loving man, and she felt him as he kissed her nose, eyelashes, cheek, and buried himself in her neck and she leaned into him feeling the slickness of his hair, the smooth of his skin, and kissed him when she was able to. Macon's hands stroked her back, and her hands were doing their own ministrations. Both of them held each other. All that mattered was they were happy, young, and in-love for the moment.

A/N

Gracie: I hope this chapter was good in the romance department. Was it too sudden?

Rory: I agree with you. I don't think she ever stopped loving him at all.

Next time I say to myself I'll update soon should be a death wish. I am graduating from college, and I also am working on a certification course to teach English abroad. So, I'm sorry I did not update quite as fast. Rest assured this story will be completed. I've been working on my main manuscript and I have more than twenty-chapters to revise and edit. It will just take some time, so please don't give up hope. I know I have been working on this for nearly a year, but I do plan to finish it.

Thanks to all of you who leave reviews. Don't forget to tell me what you think be it the good, the bad, and the ugly. I can take it. Thanks for your time and support.

Much Obliged,

Dark Horse Writer

P.S I apologize for the short chapter, but the next update will be longer. I just cut a lot more in this chapter than others.