Epilogue
Fáelán’s Library, Immortal Caverns
Rafael glanced around the room while everyone surrounded Gwyn and the sleeping babes. They were so adorable, but he could not bring himself to touch them. Too many emotions had surfaced, and all he could think about was his little sister’s death. How unfair it had been that she had died without living. She had died without knowing love, only heartache and pain.
Morgan sat down on the armrest beside him and leaned against him. “While I know you don’t want the others to know this, your eyes are filled with sadness. What are you thinking about?”
He was grateful for her softly spoken words. Besides Morgan, only Lucan knew what had happened to his family so long ago. While he didn’t mind sharing the details with his brothers, he didn’t want to see the pity in their eyes. Even though they all had suffered trauma and loss during their conversions, each one kept the pain close to their hearts.
“I was thinking about my sister, Bela. Her real name was Isabela, but my mother said it was too much of a mouthful, so she shortened it. “They are adorable, your niece and nephew. I wish them a long, happy, and love-filled life. Something Bela never got.”
“Oh.” Morgan kissed his cheek and ran her fingers through his silky black hair, something she seemed to love, no matter what they were doing or the time of day. “Your sister knew love. You, your brothers, and your mother all loved her unconditionally.”
“We all have loss, Rafael, but it does fade with time.” A familiar female voice said.
He glanced up and saw Freyja, Cernunnos, and Ceridwin standing in front of him.
Ceridwin smiled. “Freyja is right. We will always mourn those we’ve lost, but that loss does ease with time. Nothing is guaranteed, especially how long someone lives. We must live the best life we can while we can.”
Morgan tilted her head, a slightly confused look on her face as she studied Ceridwen. “You seem different somehow.”
Cernunnos grinned. “She wasn’t feeling well the last time you saw her, but Idunn gave her an amazing drink, and now she’s fit as a fiddle, as the saying goes.”
“I never understood the meaning behind that saying,” Makari said, dropping onto the chair beside Rafael’s.
“The original meaning came from England, the sixteen hundreds, I believe,” Fáelán answered as he sat on a newly added chair. “It used to mean well-suited to something or built for a specific purpose, which a fiddle was. Now, though, it just means fit and strong. I like the original meaning better,” he muttered.
Rhona stepped into the room. “Of course you do.” She hurried across the room and picked up little Stephán, cooing to him and playing with his tiny toes, which never seemed to stay covered. “You are such a handsome tyke, just like your daddy,” she crooned, walking in circles near Gwyn’s chair.
“Rhona, how’s Lucan doing? He was so sick after ingesting the Berserker’s blood. I’ve never seen that happen to a vampire before,” Morgan asked.
She bounced Stephán a few times before giving him to Gwyn to nurse. Reaching for Delany, she threw the burp rag under the child’s head, propped her against her shoulder, and gave her a sound pat on her back. Delany promptly let out a healthy burp, then another before her little head began undulating as she tried to look around her.
“Very good,” Rhona chuckled. “Nice and loud. Your uncles will appreciate that, won’t they?” She turned to Morgan, gently rocking from side to side. “Lucan is doing much better. I had to call in a favor from a few friends. Evidently, the Dark Fae used blood from a captive Frost Giant. When they are angered, the giant is triggered with explosive rage. It was diluted, but vampires can’t digest the blood. He’ll be as good as new in a week or so. I’m giving him regular infusions to help build up his immunity.”
Morgan exhaled. “That’s good. I—we were worried about him. Kahlúa hasn’t wanted to eat since you took Lucan to your house.”
“Well, bring the wolf for a visit. I have a large backyard, so he will be more than welcome if he wants to stay a bit. Of course, Colette might not like feeding such a large canine, but she’ll get used to it.”
Torin leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees. “Can you explain the cryptic prophecies? None of us really understand what they meant.”
Rhona smiled at the three gods, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks when she met Cernunnos’s gaze. “Why don’t you ask the gods? At least one of them is quite proficient with prophecies.”
“From the way she’s blushing, I expect you, Cernunnos, are the one who visited her?” Fáelán chuckled. “She wasn’t happy that you saw her in her nightclothes.”
“Got me motivated to lose a little weight, so I’m not complaining now, am I? Rhona said in a snippy tone. Fáelán only chuckled louder. Rafael would never understand their relationship, but it did remind him of a brother baiting his sister. The wolf needed that. He spent way too much time hiding out in this library.
The handsome god bowed with a grin. “I remember visiting a beautiful lady that evening.”
Ceridwen rolled her eyes and shook her head, evidently used to the god’s sense of humor.
Cernunnos raised his leg and rested his foot on the coffee table, crossing his arms over one knee. “The original prophecy was written by Macha, Morrigan’s sister, to help ease the curse and give Morrigan hope. You were correct about the translation. ‘Hide one from the other’ was about Morgan and Gwyn—to keep them apart, especially close to the times of year when the Veil thins. ‘A child decides fate’ happened when little Lia, Kellan’s baby daughter, gave up her life to protect Gwyn’s babies and her brother. That selfless act set everything in motion. Nuada’s sword represents the king himself and nothing can change his decision. The last line was meant to prove the Stone of Destiny was your young acolyte, Colette.”
“And the verse you gave me?” Rhona asked.
“The important parts were the stanza, ‘one gift is found, the paths maligned,’ meaning Morgan’s rebirth changed the future—and not in a good way for the Dark Fae. The last stanza, ‘to discover what’s right, two gifts you need find’ was meant as a warning that Gwyn would be having twins—two gifts. Without their blood mingling with Gwyn’s and yours, Morgan, you would not have had enough power to return Fer-Diorich to the Unseelie Court.”
“What did the mixture of our blood do?” Gwyn asked, never raising her face from watching her son as he suckled.
“Birthing blood can be lethal, but the trinity of the womb, mother and children, acted like iron and killed the Fae’s mortal form. It stripped his powers, burning him from the inside out.
Gwyn winced and Morgan settled her hand over her stomach. “I’m sorry I asked,” Gwyn whispered.
“How did the other realms fare in the battle?” Fáelán asked. “I never heard a final tally and hope they didn’t lose many helping us out.”
“Lucan reported that one of the Fallen soldiers was seriously injured but has since recovered. No one else was lost. Had Fer-Diorich taken the time to train his Ironclaws and Berserkers, they might have made formidable opponents,” Freyja answered.
“And Dago?” Rafael held his breath, knowing the wrong answer would break Lucan’s spirit.
“Zhivko and Dago have been reunited,” Ceridwen said. “The demon king’s enforcer has terminated Zhivko’s assignment in the Unseelie Court. The first thing he did was find his brother. Both are doing well, I might add.”
She walked across the room to stand in front of Gwyn and the babes. A quick flash appeared, and Lucas lay sleeping in her arms. “Your love for one another, your brother’s child, and your adorable babes have restored my belief in humankind. For a long time, I did not see the goodness on Earth and stayed away.” She traced Lucas’s healthy cheek with the back of her finger. “I was wrong to do that.”
She smiled at Gwyn and Torin and held out a small token, which Gwyn took, her eyes filling with tears. “It’s just like our mothers.” Her gaze snapped to Morgan’s. “It’s a triquetra.”
“I made your mother’s at Morrigan’s request. This is, indeed, identical to hers. I wish to bestow a belated present on you and your family, especially the children. I give you my protection and will watch over the five of you for eternity. If you need me in an emergency, call my name while holding the charm, and I will appear.”
Torin’s steady gaze met the goddess’s. “We are honored, my lady. Truly honored.”
Makari glanced up from the spot in the middle of the coffee table where he had been staring during the entire conversation, a slight frown on his face. “Does anyone know where the three new wolves are?”
Kilian walked into the library and stood behind his brother’s chair. “I thought it might be good for them to train with the others on Asgard. They can hone their skills and work with the draugar, and the Night Witch in charge can watch them. Nothing much gets past Raisa, and combined with the other Night Witches… Well, let’s just say they are a formidable team.”
Makari nodded, seemingly satisfied with Kilian’s answer.
Ceridwen returned to her original place next to Cernunnos but turned to face Morgan. She held out her hand again and laid a matching necklace in Morgan’s palm. “I also choose to bless you, Morgan. You and your future family will always have my protection. You have the makings of a powerful Fae, and if a day should come, I would be honored to have you fight beside me.”
Morgan stared at the necklace a moment before curling her fingers around it. She met the goddess’s gray gaze. “I am truly honored, Ceridwen. Thank you.”
The goddess turned to Rafael, her light gray eyes a couple of shades darker than his own but similar. “You are of my blood, Rafael Cavallero. Before your mother’s death, she relinquished you to me for your protection. She knew what kind of man your father was and that he would someday kill them. You were special, even as a babe, and she wanted to ensure her last gift to you was a happy life. She could be quite stubborn, your mother. She demanded I give you my blood to seal our pact, which I gladly did.”
She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. His mind felt numb, and he couldn’t believe what he had just heard. But, with her so close, he inhaled her scent and smelled the familiar scent of lilacs and pine.
His eyes widened. “It was you, all those years. After every struggle, when I couldn’t find enough food… Even after finding Lucan and his family, I would catch the scent of lilacs and pine and somehow knew everything would be all right.”
Ceridwen smiled. “Yes, I watched over you as much as I could. When I could not, I sent Cernunnos. As I said before, he was quite impressed with your fighting technique and intellect. I don’t know who was more distraught when you disappeared, me or him.”
Cernunnos rolled his eyes. “Men don’t get distraught. We get worried. Women are distraught and carry on about silly things.”
Freyja’s lips thinned. “Okay, wild thing, if you value a certain part of your anatomy, I suggest you keep your mouth shut from here on out.”
The god realized he had overstepped and immediately shut his mouth, ignoring the chuckling in the room.
Rafael stood and wrapped his arms around Ceridwen. “Thank you, my lady. You saved more than just me that day, and I will never be able to repay you for all you did for me.” Before the surprised goddess recovered, he reached over and took Morgan’s hand, pulling her into a stand.
His hands framed the curve of her cheek, the warmth from her skin seeping into his. “Morgan DuBois, I love you with all my heart. I know I haven’t told you, but I tried showing you. As a wise woman recently said, love cures all, even when one has lost faith.”
He cradled her head in his hands and kissed her, needing to show her the depth of the love he held for her in his heart. “I will crave you until the end of all time and will use every moment to prove that I am worthy of your love. I promise as your true mate to love and honor you, mi tresor.”
Desire, raw and electric, sizzled through him as she kissed him back, sweeping him away from the madness and death that had plagued him for centuries.
“It’s about time.” Morgan smiled, her beautiful face glowing. “Rafael. As your true mate, I, too, will stand beside you for eternity—loving you. Together, we will build our home. A home filled with love and respect.”
He grinned. “Why do I feel there’s a hidden message there?”
She shrugged. “I have no idea.”
“Kiss me, mi pequeno.”
She smiled and pressed her lips to his. “Always, my pirate. Always.”
* * *
I hope you enjoyed Rafael’s Misfortune !