Epilogue
Mareth— One year later
Thanks to the Evanescing glamour of Stellon’s wife Kem, traveling between Seaspire and Stormcrest was a much faster and more pleasant journey than it would have been by horse and carriage.
Good thing, since I intended to visit my new nephew frequently.
“I do hope we’ve given them enough time to settle in before paying a visit,” Kem said.
She was clearly worried, glancing anxiously at the castle’s front doors as we awaited admittance.
Stells gave his bond-mate a reassuring pat and a brief kiss.
“We’ve been invited, remember?” he said. “There was no way my brother could wait more than a few days to show off the results of his ‘curse-defying virility.’”
Hopefully the speed with which King Pharis of Marinus and his bride had produced a royal heir was evidence that the Earthwives’ curse wasn’t real. Although, the fact that Raewyn was half-human might have had something to do with it.
The doors opened, and the butler smiled at us widely.
“Welcome, welcome in all,” Glave said.
To me, he bowed. “Your Majesty.”
“Thank you,” I said. “Now where is that little target of future spoiling by his auntie?”
While Kem stayed behind to exchange pleasantries with her former co-worker, I charged into the castle’s Great Hall.
Raewyn sat on one of the long settees, surrounded by gift boxes. She paused in the middle of opening one and looked up as I dashed into the room.
“Oh you’re here,” she cried and stood, opening her arms.
“Sit down, sit down. I’ll come to you,” I said. “It’s been only three days since you pulled off a heroic feat neither of my brutish big brothers could’ve managed. You need to rest.”
She laughed and sat again, hugging me as I reached her. I took a seat next to her on the settee.
“How are you? You look wonderful.”
“I’m good. I’m so good,” she said. “Elanor was the best during the delivery and afterward, and don’t worry, Pharis has made sure I’m resting.”
“Good. Where is he? And where is that sweet baby?” I looked around, not seeing either of them, though there was an empty bassinet not far from Raewyn’s position.
“His papa took him for a walk outdoors. The little prince was a bit fussy,” she said.
She rolled her eyes and smiled happily. “Pharis can’t stand to hear Rune cry for even a second. I swear we’re going to raise the most indulged child ever.”
“The most loved child,” I said, reaching forward and covering Raewyn’s hand with mine.
“I’ve never seen a man more excited than Pharis was when he informed us you were expecting,” I told her. “He’s going to make sure your son gets all the love and understanding and approval our own father withheld from us. He’s going to be a wonderful father.”
Her smile widened. “He already is.”
One of the glass doors leading from the terrace opened, and Pharis stepped inside. He smiled broadly when he spotted me.
“Look son,” he said to the bundle in his arms. “Your favorite auntie has arrived.”
Raewyn spoke up. “I believe Tindra and Turi will have something to say about that when they arrive from Sandy Point.”
I was already on my way over to Pharis and the baby, but I turned back to look at her.
“I’m bigger than they are—and I can glamour up an entire petting zoo whenever he wants one.”
Raewyn laughed. “You have a point. I think you’ll win that contest.”
Reaching my brother, I stared down in awe at the newborn babe in his arms.
“Oh Pharis,” I breathed, though breath was hard to come by. “He is absolutely perfect.”
My brother beamed. “He is, isn’t he?”
Glancing over at his wife, he spoke in a sappy tone I’d never heard from him before.
“Like his mother.”
Bringing his attention back to me, he asked, “Would you like to hold him?”
My heart contracted in the sweetest ache.
“Could I?”
“Of course. Go sit down. I’ll bring him to you.”
I hurried to the settee and held my arms out, eager for this first chance to get to know my nephew.
Pharis placed the baby gently into the cradle of my arms.
“You’ve got this,” he assured me. “You won’t break him.”
The baby stirred a bit, twisting his neck and making a funny little purse-lipped pout.
“He looks like you when you’re losing to me and Stells at cards,” I teased my brother, and he laughed.
Reacting to the noise, the baby stuck one tiny arm out of the blanket before settling again. His hand was an absolute marvel, the miniature fingers tipped with impossibly small fingernails.
I stroked them one by one then looked up at Pharis, who was watching our interaction intently.
“He really does look like you, you know.”
He grinned. “I know. Poor chap.”
Raewyn giggled. “Oh yes, poor unfortunate child. He’ll have to start running from all the girls by the time he’s four.”
“Three,” Pharis corrected. “But I’m going to advise him to hold out for just the right one… his perfect match.”
He and Raewyn made eye contact so tender and intimate, I felt my cheeks color.
I looked back down at the baby, studying the details of his dark eyelashes and wispy brows and the thick crop of black hair, so reminiscent of Pharis’.
“Looks like you’re going to need one of those for yourself,” Raewyn said, smiling.
“I agree. Unfortunately, I can’t do it on my own.”
“Well, you have no lack of suitors, I can tell you that,” Pharis said. “They nag me constantly, asking for permission to court my beautiful sister.”
I rolled my eyes. “As you know, I already have a beau, but our love is a forbidden one. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to be with him.”
Pharis’ brow furrowed, and his tone darkened.
“Of course you can. You can have anyone you want,” he said. “I’m King now, and I’d never stop you from being with whomever you love, regardless of rank—or whether he’s Elven obviously.”
I knew both my brothers assumed the mystery man in my life was human. They were wrong.
“I know it’s not forbidden for me. It’s his people who won’t allow it,” I clarified.
“Why?” Both my brothers asked the question simultaneously.
Stellon and Kem had come into the receiving room to join us without my noticing.
“Is he a Satyr?” Stellon asked, a horrified look on his face.
I laughed. “No. Worse.”
“What could possibly be worse than a Satyr?” Pharis asked.
“You’ll find out… one day,” I said. “That is, if and when things work out for us, and I get the chance to bring him home to meet the family.”
“Until then, I’ll content myself being the most willing babysitter any couple ever had. If that’s not enough…”
I looked up at Stellon and Kem, “I’ll start bugging you two to get busy and give me another nephew or niece.”
Stellon scoffed. “If we were to get any busier—”
Kem cut him off with a fingertip pressed to his lips, and the two of them vanished.
All of us laughed. She’d evanesced them out of there before her new husband could embarrass her any further.
“I think all of us should stay clear of the sleeping chambers for a while,” Pharis said, tipping his head toward the stairs.
“Stellon’s either getting an earful up there or working on your request for more babies in your life, Mareth.”
Everyone laughed again, and the room brightened as the clouds on the other side of the wall of windows parted, letting the sun shine in on our family gathering.
At least for this moment in time, the shadows had lifted from House Randalin.
Thank you so much for reading A Crown Splendid and Shattered.