Epilogue
M eara paced her office as she tried to think of what to do. She’d gambled and lost.
And they’d be coming for her.
Not just Dash, but all of the survivors of her first attempt to take Licordia.
Damn.
But first, she had to find the ataswere demon who held her treaty with Dash. So long as that demon lived, Dash couldn’t enter her lands with an army or without an invitation from her.
If she knew that bastard, and she did, Dash would have already sent out his assassins to kill the demon and end their treaty.
Granted, it was almost impossible to kill one.
But it wasn’t completely impossible.
With the skills and abilities of those remnants he called allies, she had no doubt that one of them could kill an ataswere .
Her only hope was to locate it and hold it here, out of Dash’s reach.
Her spies were looking. So far nothing.
A knock sounded on her door.
“Enter.”
As expected, it was Adsel. But he didn’t appear pleased.
“What’s wrong?”
“There are no more reports from our spies. We think they might have been found and killed.”
“Then send more,” she snapped.
“Yes, my queen.” He hesitated in the doorway.
“Is there anything else?”
“The general was asking about Ferox. Are we planning to try and rescue him?”
Meara scoffed at the thought. “He failed me. Let him rot with the unicorns.”
“Very good, my queen.” He started for the door.
“Wait, Adsel.”
He immediately paused. “Yes?”
“Send a hired assassin after Ferox. The last thing I want is for them to get information from him.”
Adsel’s eyes widened at the ferocity of her command, but he had the wisdom to keep his opinion to himself. “Yes, my queen.”
Meara didn’t care what he thought of her. His job was to serve.
As for her son...
She felt a degree of sadness, but it was overridden by her disappointment. Ferox had known better than to fail.
He had six brothers who were all chomping to take his place. Now it was time for them to show her if they were worthy of her throne.
Tanis lay in bed with Dash while the dawning light threw shadows on their walls. They’d received word yesterday that her sisters had been executed.
It still hurt. But mostly because of the betrayal.
She’d never understand how they could have turned on the parent and brother who’d loved them so much. None of it made sense.
“What are you thinking, my queen?”
She forced down her morbid thoughts to smile at him. “I was wondering about our children. If they’ll be dragons or unicorns or both.”
“No telling. Ryper and I are half oni and we don’t have horns.”
“You have one,” she reminded him.
He laughed, then pulled her hand down to a certain part of his anatomy. “Two whenever you’re near me.”
She rolled her eyes at his jest while she cupped him and watched the pleasure she gave him play across those handsome features.
A sudden tapping on the window interrupted them.
Dash growled as he realized it was either Ronan or Chrys. “That just put me in a foul mood.”
She laughed at his awful pun.
Getting up from the bed, he manifested a robe and went to the window to find Ronan there. “What?”
“Sorry for interrupting.”
“No, you’re not.”
He didn’t know how Ronan managed it in his hawk form, but he actually grinned. “No, I’m not. Mostly because I’m freezing my bird sac off while you’re lounging around in comfort.”
“I am your king, you know?”
“I know. But I’m too valuable for you to kill... for now.”
Dash let out an irritated sigh. “Is there a point to your visit?”
“There is. I found Xaydin.”
That filled him with more joy than it should have. “Is he after the ataswere ?”
“He is, indeed. I’ve never seen him giddy before. It actually scared me.”
“Yeah. He’s not a fan.”
“Any idea why?”
Dash shrugged. “Killing them is his calling.”
Ronan shivered. “Anyway, he said he’d send the head to you once he found and executed the right ataswere .”
“Good. Thank you, Ronan.”
“My pleasure.” He started away, then paused. “By the way, I came across an old man while I was tracking down Xaydin.”
“And?”
“Told me to tell you ‘thank you’ for making him human.”
Stunned, Dash stared at him. “What?”
“His name was Thomas Drake. Said he’d made a deal with you back when he was a gryphon, and you tried to talk him out of it. He wanted you to know that he had no regrets.”
Huh. That was the last thing Dash had ever expected to hear. For reasons unknown, it did make him feel good to know that Drake wasn’t out there, holding a grudge.
“Let me know if you need anything.” This time, Ronan took off.
Still amazed, Dash turned to find Tanis standing a few feet away.
“Was Thomas Drake the man you made a human?”
“He was.”
That made her smile. Until she looked out the window. “So, you’re going to war with Meara?”
“We’re all going to war with Meara. But that’s not what I want to think about right now.” He reached out for Tanis.
She caught his wrist in her hand. “Before you make that decision, there’s something you should know.”
His heart skipped a beat at the warning note in her voice. “What?”
She led his hand to her stomach. “I’m pregnant.”
Joy tore through him. “Are you sure?”
She nodded. “Your mother confirmed it.”
He couldn’t believe it.
Pregnant.
“Then I have an even greater reason to secure the kingdoms.”
“Just remember, Dash, I don’t want to raise our child alone. The baby will need a father.”
“And I’ll be the best father who ever lived.”
Tanis smiled at those words. He meant them. And if he was half as wonderful at being a father as he was a husband, their child would be beyond lucky.
He pulled her into his arms and hugged her close. “I will restore peace, Dragon.”
She had no doubt of him or their future.
Peace.
Happiness.
Family.
She was going to make sure of it.