Chapter 83 Mira
Mira
Two months after that
Imade my way downstairs after taking an afternoon nap. The stairs creaked beneath my ever-growing belly and I had to rest a hand against my back to counteract the weight. In the living room, Jasper, Hu, and Calista all played Druids & Horseshoes.
The fire crackled in the hearth, though the sun still washed over the entirely green landscape outside, save for the bursts of colorful blooms. I often still paused to admire the restored view.
There was not a speck of dust left in this place, courtesy of Jasper, surprisingly.
Ever since we moved back to our home, he’d been nesting.
A gargoyle in shorts with a feather duster and broom became a daily sight.
I couldn’t say I didn’t appreciate not having to worry about it, especially when it allowed me to fully enjoy time among our friends and family.
“Sorry Mira, did we wake you?” Hu asked when I emerged in all my waddling glory.
I waved him off, rubbing my rounded belly. “No, no. Nothing can wake me these days.” The fabric of my oversized white dress was luxuriously soft, my maternity wardrobe now overflowing as a gift from King Nicholas and Queen Nora.
“COME ON! You moved something!” Jasper flung accusations at Calista.
“I didn’t, I swear! Hu has been paying attention this whole time. Was anything moved, Hu?” She sought a lifeline, having lost all credibility in Jasper’s eyes months ago after one unfortunate moment.
“Don’t bring me into this,” Hu said, sitting up to kiss Jasper’s cheek before leaning back against the sofa. Once he did, he shook his head no in confirmation to Calista.
“See! He said no,” Calista said.
Jasper shot a look at Hu who only shrugged. “I didn’t say anything.”
I padded through the room, placing my hand on Calista’s shoulder. “Bet you never regretted anything more than moving that one piece.”
“It was one time! As a joke!” Calista threw her arms high in defeat, then swung her legs over the arm of her favorite sitting chair. “I’m never going to hear the end of it.” She pinched the bridge of her nose and hung her head off the side.
I smiled, shuffling to the dining room table where Dante, Dae, and Ro sat.
“Hey, green eyes.” Dante’s soft smile creased at the sides as he rose, pulling out a chair for me. “How’d you sleep?” He looked ever so handsome in Highcrest's updated fashion, his dark brown long-sleeve shirt fit snugly over his defined muscles.
I slowly lowered myself, cradling my bulging stomach, and huffing out a breath at the relief in my feet. “Good. What are you guys chatting about?”
“Oh, just that Ro insists on being a nomad still even though she has her choice of anywhere in four kingdoms to reside,” Dante teased as he returned to his seat, but kept his hand atop my thigh.
“We just returned some supplies that I borrowed from a house near Witches Pass,” Ro said, her raised elbow resting on Dae’s shoulder.
Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail that she braided, and it swayed when she stared at the man she loved, then back at us.
They both wore matching nose hoops, Dae hosting an additional two on the same side.
“She’s still dragging you around the continent?” I joked with Dae, grateful I had nowhere else to be these days. I’d had my fill of travel lately, and now I wanted to settle in and prepare for our bundle of joy.
“She is.” Dae looked at Ro, his beard freshly trimmed and dark hair pulled back in a bun atop his head. “But I would follow her anywhere.” He crossed his rippling arms over his ever-growing pecs. He’d been filling out his physique ever since The Order had fallen.
Occasionally, I still had nightmares about the time Marvoe and his sadistic gang had captured me.
When Dante first told me about Dae, I’d been nervous to be around the man.
But after learning why Dae had infiltrated the atrocious organization, and that he never participated in missions to retrieve magic wielders, and especially after meeting lively Jai, I understood.
I knew how protecting those you love could lead you to sacrifice.
I moved my hand from my belly to hold Dante’s, still resting on my thigh.
Ro gave a flirty shoulder shrug and bounced her eyebrows up and down at Dae.
“Aw. Plus, we travel pretty quickly. Tigers are faster than horses, you know.” She rolled her loose, dark purple sleeves up and reached toward the center of the table and picked up some orange slices from the platter that Hu had no doubt prepared.
Since the land had been healed, there was ample space for gardens and fertile crops abound.
Ro’s neckline tapered into a V, and it drew my eye to her shoulder. “Where’s my little buddy?”
She worked the chunk of orange into her cheek to answer. “He and the little gang are making a trip back to the mountain. Some of them get home sick and like to visit every now and then. I’ll make sure he stops in next time.”
“So, where to next, then?” I asked, rubbing the spot where the baby stirred.
“I’d like to see my sister. She wants me to visit more often.
Plus, I think Tio could probably use a visit, too.
Last time we wrote, he and Melody had been having a three-day conversation about the color of pink she wanted the flowers to be.
With no clear decision on the horizon, he said they might be occupied for a time.
I think they both could use some fun nights out, and Dae here is a party animal.
” She pointed her thumb at him, eyes locked on us.
“Plus, he’s about to turn thirty years old, and I owe him some cake. ”
They exchanged a knowing glance between them. He smiled deeply, bringing his hand to the back of her neck and massaged, a sweet gesture that had her scrunching her nose at him.
Alaina’s voice carried from the kitchen. “Not like that. Again.”
“Quit undoing it before I finish! I could have fixed it,” Marco replied.
Ro asked with an inquisitive look, “What’s that about?” Gesturing toward the hall to the kitchen.
“Alaina has been teaching Marco how to cook. Or, more accurately, yelling when he does something wrong, then using her time turning magic to undo it so he can start again,” Dante answered.
“We have enough food supplies, but I have to say, I appreciate her frugality. Marco hasn’t spent very much time in kitchens.
Or being told he’s not the best at something. ” My love grinned.
“He hasn’t returned to his kingdom yet?” Dae asked.
Dante put his arm over the back of my chair.
“He says they can run things pretty smoothly without him. Actually, he’s been instrumental in helping us reestablish things here in Argora Vale.
We’ve decided to follow his kingdom’s model for leadership, thinking it would be the most beneficial now that magical and non-magical folk are blending within our borders. ”
“So, does that make you officially a king, then?” Ro asked, chewing her orange.
“I told him he should be,” Calista called from the other side of the room.
Dante gave a soft laugh. “No, no. I’ll help build this place up again, but I don’t want that kind of mantle.” My love glanced at my stomach, softly running his hand over it. “I have other priorities.” His beautiful, golden brown gaze flicked to me.
I melted under his touch, staring into his loving eyes. Somehow, I found myself growing more in love with him every day. He was still protective, don’t get me wrong, but with the stress of the curse not looming over our heads, I could see him finding enjoyment in our life instead of worry.
“How’s Jai doing?” Dae asked. His brother had come to Argora Vale after Ravinder had been made king, and remained here.
“He’s been awesome. He volunteers to travel to other cities on both sides of the border, assessing how they’re fairing and reporting back. Says he learned a lot from his brother,” Dante replied.
Ro placed a gentle hand on Dae’s arm. “He seems happy here. We visited him before coming over today. I think this is good for him.”
“It is. He needs to settle down, to experience a life with safety and freedom. Thank you for letting him get involved,” Dae said.
Dante lifted his hand off the table in a small wave. “Don’t mention it.”
Marco emerged from the hallway wearing a stained apron, carrying a tray of seasoned vegetables.
“Can someone else try this and tell me that it is edible? Some people don’t seem to think it’s good enough.
” Marco set the tray down, and a few brave souls took a bite.
Not me. I’d learned my lesson with Jasper.
Ro scrunched her face. “Why are these carrots sour?”
Marco stood frozen solid for a moment before storming off into the kitchen. “Fine!” he huffed. “Let’s start again.”
Alaina poked her head out from the hallway. “Sorry. Princes aren’t used to being given honest feedback, so he’s been…resistant.”
“That smile on your face tells me you’re enjoying it,” I teased.
“Maybe.” She winked before disappearing back into the kitchen.
“So, what’s the deal with them?” Dae asked.
“We don’t know, and we choose to stay out of it.” Dante leaned forward and plucked a few grapes from the platter, offering me some.
Jasper groaned loudly in frustration and stormed out of the connected parlor. Calista sat up and saw the audience she’d gained. “What? I can’t let him win all the time.”
“Or ever,” Hu chided.
“He’ll never get better if I don’t push him.” Calista stood and strode over to the table, picking at the fresh fruit platter.
“Calista is heading back to Highcrest, too,” I mentioned to Ro and Dae.
“Yeah, I keep tabs on those who remain in Solei.” She shrugged and bit into a crunchy grape.
“And a certain lady baker enjoys your visits too,” Dante teased.
I perked up at the mention. “Oh, are you seeing Jesinine? Will you bring back some of her cookies?”
With a cheek full of fruit, Calista replied, “Pretty sure you and that baby single-handedly keep her in business. But yes, I’ll pack a goodie bag when I come back.” Calista leaned down and kissed the top of my head.
“Thank you,” I sang, my mouth already watering over the perfect lemon treats.
Calista saluted us without looking while heading to go comfort Jasper, no doubt—their usual routine.
“Is she heading back by herself? Would she want an escort?” Ro asked.
Dante shook his head. “No, when you broke the curse, any creatures that were changed from it were changed back. We no longer have an ogre problem.”
“Just good old fashion shifting man beasts, huh?” Ro jabbed, tossing pointed glances at Dante and Dae.
Dante laughed, and they began a conversation regarding trade between the kingdoms. With all the bodies in the house, which I loved having, and the fire crackling in the hearth, I needed to step outside for a bit of air. I excused myself and made my way to the gardens.
This was my favorite place to be. The flowers and plants that’d been here before the curse sprang to life over the summer months. Now that it started to cool with autumn on the horizon, I made sure to come out here every day to soak up the view before the winter snow blanketed them for a season.
The door creaked and Dante emerged a few minutes later, joining me on the bench. “You feeling okay?”
I inhaled the fresh garden air, enjoying the floral scents. “Never better.”
“You know, I was thinking about names.”
“You were?” I asked, snuggling into his side as his arm came around me. “Come up with anything?”
He smiled, assessing the garden before us. “If it’s a girl, I was thinking…Rose.”
My face lit with joy. “I love that. Why Rose?”
“Because in the winter, they still grow out here. Beauty despite the cold, unforgiving environment. Strong in the face of adversity. Just like her mother.”
I rested my head against his chest, sinking into him as he stroked my arm. “And if it’s a boy?”
“Hm,” he hummed. “Maybe Prince.”
“Prince?” I’d never heard him mention that for a name.
“Well, he is the son of a king after all.” He pressed a kiss to my head as I lightly smacked his leg and laughed.
“I’ll never live that down, will I?”
A deep, life-infusing laugh rattled in that chest that held my favorite heart.
We sat in comfortable silence for a few moments before I said, “This is a life I never could have dreamed of. There’d been so much suffering and hopelessness before, I never saw a way out.
Now, I’ve experienced more joy than I think a person is entitled to.
Sometimes it feels like I’ve been two different people. ”
Dante sighed, stroking my arm with his thumb. “There are never any guarantees in this life, green eyes. I think everyone experiences their own kinds of curses, magic gifted or not. But as long as you’re willing to love, there’s always a way to break them.”
Beloved reader, you made it to the end of the journey.
I hope these characters left marks on your heart that you'll carry with you through whatever life throws your way. May you embrace your softness like Mira, your fierceness like Nora, and your unapologetic spunk like Ro.
What were all those references to a single sparrow about?!
If you're not ready to end the series quite yet, good news. The Anastasia inspired prequel, A Sparrow and a Spell, is coming. Find out how the original curse came to be in this heart-breaking novella.