Epilogue Bylur
Dearan hadn’t stopped grinning since I’d entered the meeting hand-in-hand with Auria. I didn’t care that we had a proper fae marriage bond now—I didn’t want to let her go ever again.
Dearan leaned forward, glancing at our clasped hands, and summarized the current state of Kerebos. “So Queen Daneira is dead and you’ve left her previously unknown daughter in charge?”
I nodded. “I think Kerebos is not going to be a threat any longer, but I would still like to move forward with a vote on the council. Before we do so, I’ve asked Auria to make a proposal about Ephaltes’s lands.”
She squeezed my hand and leaned over the table. “I’d like to divide them between the four houses smaller than House Fundan. I believe that will give each house a slightly more fair edge as they deal with the seven bigger houses.”
Everyone around the table nodded. Those who’d met her before the ball had already liked her, or were at least impressed by her, but after she’d publicly stopped Ephaltes, they adored her.
“I’d also suggest that each house gets two representatives on the ruling council, and that the council elects a new chairman every year who gets two votes on decisions. That way there will never be a tie.”
Dedalus thumped the table. “Agreed. Let’s vote and choose representatives who can hammer out the rest of the details. I want to go home.”
I palmed the table with my free hand. “If you and your house will support a ruling council for Kalshana, as Auria just described, raise your hand.”
Every fae around the table—twenty-two rulers from all eleven houses plus Auria and myself—all raised their hands.
The unanimous decision I’d been fighting for during the last year finally happened in an instant.
Auria squeezed my hand again, and her encouraging excitement washed through the marriage bond.
I let go of her hand and wrapped my arm around her in a side hug.
“Thank you,” I told the gathered rulers. “Let’s choose representatives and send them here to begin work in one month.” I stood up, and everyone followed suit.
Dearan shifted closer to me. “Well, it’s finally done. What are you going to do next?”
I turned to Auria. “We have another errand.”
“Oh?” Dearan’s grin turned sly, but I didn’t want to take the time to explain anything more to him.
“Yes,” I said, “we’ll see you at breakfast tomorrow.”
I walked Auria through shadows to our room, where I’d prepared a large case full of money.
She tugged me to a stop as soon as we emerged from the shadows. “You didn’t tell me about another errand.”
I handed her the note Parcival had given me and draped an arm around her. “It seems Parcival has already learned a few things about your portal.”
I read the note again as she did.
My lord,
The portal is still active where you described, embedded into a silver birch just west of the grotto. It was made with Autumn magic, I suspect by the missing Autumn princess.
–P.
She tipped her beautiful green eyes up to me, and I felt her curiosity through the bond. “I’d like to show you the grotto under a full moon and then travel through the portal so you can find some closure with your old life.”
A quick shiver ran through her body, and I pulled her close. “I can feel your fear through the bond. I don’t want you to be afraid of the place you came from.”
She blew a quick breath out. “That makes sense. I just…” She sighed again. “No fear, right?”
I brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. “It has come to my attention that when you say, ‘No fear,’ you actually possess a great deal of fear.”
“Does that bother you?”
I tucked some more hair behind her shoulder. “Why would it bother me?”
“I don’t want you to think I’m lying.”
I kissed her forehead. “No, it’s not lying. Fear tends to make people flee or freeze, but you don’t run or panic. You never let fear rule you. You stare it down and fight back. I adore your strength, and I intend to fight with you for the rest of our lives.”
She huffed and shook her head. “It’s a little strange to know that you feel every emotion I do. We’ll never have any secrets ever again.”
I traced her cheek with my thumb. “Is your fear meant to be a secret?”
She drew her lips up into a slow smile. “It used to be, because it made me more vulnerable. With you, though… I trust you enough to be vulnerable.”
I kissed the corner of her mouth. “Maybe we should wait on those little errands. I think I’d rather kiss those fears away.”
She leaned her cheek against mine. “They’ll be back as soon as we face Hemlit.”
“Then let’s go,” I growled. “This is one nightmare I can help you be free from.”