Author's note: This is the last chapter. We are so close to finding out what actually happens in Richelle's world in Silver Shadows. I know I'm excited! What about you?

I'm also going to write an epilogue in the next day or two to add to this. Thank you so much for sticking with me through this journey. Thank you very, very much for the kind words you all left in reviews. And thanks also for following and favoriting this story.

Happy reading!

Chapter Thirteen

Sydney woke up slowly. She felt a presence on the other side of the bed and heard the scratching of a pen on paper. She rolled over and looked to the source of the sound. Her eyes focused slowly and a smile broke out on her face. "Adrian." She sighed.

He chuckled and leaned over her. "Sydney." He pressed a series of kisses over her face, saving her lips for last.

She smiled against his mouth and then moved away. She stretched. "Do I need to lie back down?"

Adrian shook his head. "I'm done." He sat the sketch pad between them.

She picked it up and looked it over. "I am still blown away by your talent."

He brushed his finger down her arm. "I'm still blown away by your beauty."

"Stop." She laughed.

"Maybe someday." He kissed her cheek. "We're in the middle of nowhere. Even in the brightest parts of the day, it should still be pretty dark. We should spend all day outside."

"Practicing magic?" Sydney asked with a bit of nervous excitement.

He laughed. "I think we can work something out."

Jill burst into the room. "We have to go. Get what you need. We're leaving in an hour."

"What's going on?" Sydney rolled out of the bed and started packing.

"No clue. Eddie just said to pack." Jill said simply. She left once more, closing the door behind her.

"We can't keep doing this." Adrian said as he pulled on some clothes. "It's not right for any of us. Especially you."

"Then what do you expect us to do?" Sydney asked, exasperated.

"I don't fucking know." He sat down heavily on the bed.

"I don't either." She crawled across the bed and wrapped her arms around him. "I'd like to stay with you, whatever we do. I've missed you without realizing just how much. And I love you. I will keep running if it means I get to be with you. Or we'll change our names and our identities and get lost in a crowd somewhere." She kissed his cheek. "Now, let's get our things packed up. We probably have several days ahead of us."

"Are we seriously here?" Jill squealed, breaking Sydney out of a restless nap. She sat up and looked around as the gates of Court loomed in the distance.

"We're really here." Eddie said. "I was told to keep it to myself. Are you impressed with me?"

"So impressed." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek as he stopped outside the gate. "You get a reward later." She whispered.

Adrian snorted laughter. "What yourself, Jill."

Sydney looked to him and smiled. Then she asked, "Does this mean Jill is safe to return home?"

"Yes. They've arrested all the people openly conspiring against her. But her guard will be increased until we are certain everything is fine." He reached back and she took his hand as he drove through the gate. "I'm still with you, Jill."

"And what does it mean for me?" Sydney asked.

"You're still not safe." Eddie said. "They want you, Syd. We're going to hide you here for a while, is what they told me. We'll see what happens next."

Sydney nodded and rested her head on Adrian's shoulder once more.

He squeezed her hand and brought it to his lips. "You're staying with me. I'll fight them for it forever, but you're not leaving my sight."

"They couldn't tear me away from you, Adrian." She said softly. "Not in a million years."

"Adrian!" Jill warned. "Please calm yourself a little. I don't want to go to those places with you right now."

"Is it kind of like an orgy for you?" Adrian asked.

"Ew, gross! No! And Eddie and I haven't done that yet."

"Don't remind me." Eddie mumbled from the front seat.

Adrian chuckled. "I'll try to keep it to myself. You work on your blocking, kid."

"Same to you." She smiled at him.

It took a while to get them all settled into their living quarters. Jill requested to stay with her family and it was allowed, but there were many restrictions put on her. Adrian and Sydney took an apartment in the adjacent building. They were told to stay indoors unless there was at least one guardian to escort them places, especially Sydney.

Adrian dropped their bags. "Home sweet home." He sighed.

"It feels like prison again." Sydney said softly.

He gathered her into his arms. "You have more freedom here."

She rested her forehead on his shoulder. "Not if I have to have a guardian just to step outside."

"Jill is in the same boat." He pointed out.

"But her guardian is also her boyfriend."

"Look at me." Adrian placed a finger under Sydney's chin and lifted her face. "I'm your boyfriend. And I may not be a guardian, but I am pretty kick-ass, if I do say so myself. Not to mention that since we're together, and you and I have agreed to quite a few things over the last couple weeks, there are plenty of things we can do to pass the time inside."

She smiled. "You know what I would like to do?" She trailed her fingers over his chest.

"What?" His hands moved to her back and pulled her closer.

"I would love to sleep in a bed. Not resting against you in a car. I need a nice, hot shower and a full night of sleep."

"Can we make out somewhere in there?" He asked, laying on the charm.

"If you can find me a great cup of strong coffee, I'll consider it after I sleep horizontally."

"I have a million things I could suggest."

"Play your card right and maybe something will happen after I get some sleep." She grabbed his face and pressed a kiss to his lips. "I adore you." She kissed him again and then picked up her bag and headed to the bathroom.

"Can I join you in there?" He called after her.

She laughed. "No. See me in bed in twenty minutes, Mr. Persistence."

Adrian scrolled through his phone as he lay on the bed. He wasn't paying any attention to the article he had picked at random. He heard the shower cut off and then looked anxiously toward the door as the shadows shifted.

Sydney appeared in the doorway. "I changed my mind."

"Changed your mind?"

She dropped her towel and smiled. "I changed my mind." She walked toward him and pulled the blanket away. She laughed when she saw he was wearing nothing underneath. "I see you had high hopes."

He shrugged, a smirk on his face. "Maybe I did." He took her hand and kissed the palm. "I just really love you, Sage. And I've missed you. I've missed this you. I want to get back what we had before."

"I don't know if we can get exactly there yet, but I want to get back what we can." She sat down on the bed and pulled him up to sit. She pressed a kiss to his lips.

"God, Sage." He sighed as he pulled her down on top of him as he reclined. "I'll do anything I can for you."

She smiled. "Just stop talking and kiss me."

He did as she requested, rolling her underneath him in the bed. They kissed slowly. Their hands roamed long-missed territory. They whispered their love to each other as they began to move as one. Sydney pulled his face down to lock their mouths together as they came closer to the end.

Adrian broke the kiss and looked down at her for several long moments before he rolled away. "That was over far too quickly."

Sydney watched him for a while. She said softly, "Do you think they'll do something to take me away?"

His eyes snapped to her with intense determination. "I will die before I ever let them take you away from me again, Sydney."

She looked away and then rolled into him. "Please, let's just run away."

He wrapped his arms around her. "I'll make it so."

"You promise?"

"Tell me where you want to go and what you want to do and I'll get you there."

"Which escape plan was it?" She asked drowsily as she began to drift off. "The one that said we would go to Greece."

"I don't even remember." He said with a chuckle. "Is that where you want to go?"

"Mmm."

"Is that a yes?" He asked with another laugh.

"Yes. Take me too Greece. Or Rome. Somewhere in Europe that isn't Russian."

"And you'll be an architect?"

"We'll talk about that later." She yawned. "Sleep."

"I love you." He whispered and kissed her forehead.

She snuggled closer and whispered. "I love you, too."