chapter thirty-eight
elysia
The rooftop garden glows under lantern light, the air scented with snow and the surrounding florals. A thin veil of mist drifts off the fountain behind us, catching starlight in its spray. We’ve all dressed for our last evening in the Tower.
My dress is light blue, the glitter-covered silk whispering around my ankles with each breath of wind. Sheer sleeves fall weightlessly from my shoulders, shifting like smoke, and star-iron filigree curves across the sweetheart neckline in elegant spirals, creating the illusion of vines.
Odette’s question breaks through the calming trickle of the fountain. “How did the meeting go?”
Kaden, Sirena, and Thane weave through the garden to join us, all looking slightly formal.
Kaden’s dark shirt is open at the throat, sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
Sirena is dressed in violet silk, the corset top accentuating every curve, matching fabric pooling at her hips and down to her ankles.
Thane looks like a portrait of stoic discipline, his shirt the same colour as her dress.
Sirena drops onto the stone lip of the fountain next to Odette with absolutely no grace, sprawling like a cat in fine clothing.
“Nothing special,” she announces. “Border talk mainly. A few more lacwyvern breached the wards a few hours ago.”
Enzo nearly chokes on his drink. “More?”
Thane nods, hands shoved deep into his pockets. “Apparently so. They estimate around twenty got through.”
Odette whistles softly, swirling her wine. “That’s at least two flocks.”
Sirena hums. “Mhm, and that’s not counting the strays already in the east quarter ruins.”
“Are you able to take down that many?” My voice is laced with concern.
She waves a casual hand, smiling. “I’ll be fine. It’ll drain me a bit, but as long as I get some rest after… and some sugar,” she winks, “I’ll recover.”
I laugh, shaking my head. “Your sweet tooth is relentless.”
She gasps in mock offence, “Relentless? It is a profound medical condition; I’ll have you know.”
“Yes, she can’t be more than three paces away from sugar, otherwise she passes out. It’s very serious.” Thane chimes.
Sirena jabs him with her elbow, “I will electrocute you.”
“Don’t threaten me with a good time, Angel.” Thane teases, flicking her nose.
Brynn and Ronan finally join us, wine, rum and sweet treats in hand. Ronan places the buns and pastries on the stone bench beside us with the flair of someone presenting a royal feast, then saunters over to grasp my hand, spinning me until my dress whirls around my ankles.
He lets out a low whistle, appreciative and absolutely deliberate. “Damn, Elysia. Look at you. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you dressed like that just to torment us.”
Brynn smacks his arm, eyes rolling, “Ronan.”
“What?” He shrugs, the world's biggest shit-eating grin on his face, “We’re all thinking it.”
A blush creeps over my cheeks, “Thanks, Ronan. You don’t look too shabby yourself.”
Before the compliment fully leaves my mouth, an arm slides around my waist, and the smell of cedar wood and cinnamon envelops me. Kaden’s grip isn’t tight, but it’s possessive, a wordless mine that curls heat low in my stomach.
“Find a new hobby, Washburne.” Kaden’s tone is laced with warning.
Ronan wiggles his brows. “Or what? What will you do? Glare at me slightly harder?”
Kaden leans in just a fraction, a wicked smile tugging at his lips. “You know very well what I’ll do. Touch her again, and you’ll lose a finger.”
Ronan grins wider, eyes sparkling with mischief. “Relax, Reinheart. I only spun her. If you want, I can spin you next.”
“No.” Kaden deadpans.
“See?” Ronan spreads his arms. “And that is why I prefer Elysia.”
Enzo tunes in with the timing of a man who sincerely shouldn’t. “I also prefer Elysia.”
He immediately retreats when Kaden’s glare slices his way. “Not… not that you’re not easy to get on with. I mean, you’re great, but she’s just easier, I mean friendlier—”
“On Noctis, Enz.” Odette chuckles, “Stop talking before you trip over your own tongue into a shallow grave.”
“Yeah, I’m gonna shut up.” He clears his throat before taking a sip of rum.
Sirena kicks lightly at his boot. “You’re cute when you panic. Kind of like a startled squirrel.”
Enzo looks offended. “I am not a squirrel.”
Brynn hums thoughtfully. “Actually… you kind of are. A little jumpy, big eyes, small attention span.”
Enzo throws a hand up. “Okay, first of all, rude. Second—” He points to his contribution of sweet treats. “I brought dessert, I deserve respect.”
Ronan walks over and pats his shoulder. “You’ve brought one muffin and a questionable cookie.”
“It isn’t questionable!”
Brynn picks it up, the cookie crumbling at her fingertips. “It’s crumbled into dust, Enz.”
Sirena chuckles and reaches for a cinnamon bun, taking a generous bite, “Gods, this is so good. Ronan, marry me only so you can bring baked goods home every night.”
“I accept.”
Thane chokes on his drink. “No, you don’t.”
“Why not?” Ronan bats his lashes. “I’d make a fabulous husband. I’d cook—”
“You burn water,” Brynn cuts in.
“Okay, I’d buy food every night then. And I give great hugs, Elysia can vouch for that.”
I chuckle, nodding, “Vouched for.”
Laughter breaks across the group, warm and careless. But Thane… Thane isn’t laughing.
He’s staring at Sirena, his eyes soft as a gentle smile tugs his lips. There’s something in his expression that makes the laughter slowly fade into a pocket of silence around him.
Sirena notices last, licking icing from her thumb before she frowns slightly.
“What?” she asks, tone teasing and confused. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Thane sets his drink down. His hands trembling, barely visible.
Kaden straightens slightly beside me, hand tightening around my waist as a subtle smile twitches his lips.
Thane clears his throat, but his voice still comes quiet. “Because…” He pauses, breath catching. “Because if anyone’s marrying you, Sirena, it’s me.”
Sirena blinks. “Thane…”
He steps closer, the lantern glow catching the faint sheen in his eyes. “We always talk about tomorrow like it’s promised,” his voice cracks. “And if the last twelve years have taught me anything, it’s that I don’t want a single tomorrow where I’m not yours.”
Sirena’s breath stumbles, her hand lowering from her mouth.
Thane reaches into his pocket.
Brynn grips Ronan’s arm and mutters under her breath, “Holy shit.”
Thane’s fingers shake as he pulls out a ring, a delicate band of star-iron, cradling a violet, elongated cushion gem that catches the light like trapped lightning.
Sirena gasps, hand flying to her mouth for a different reason now.
Thane swallows. “I’ve been saving for this since we were fifteen.” He laughs softly, “Gods, I thought I had more time to make this perfect. But, I realised I don’t want a perfect proposal… I just want you.”
He sinks to one knee.
Sirena’s breath stops entirely.
“You’ve been my constant since I can remember.
My home. My strength. My favourite part of every damn day.
” His voice lowers, raw and earnest. “I have been in love with you longer than you know, and just when I think I couldn’t possibly love you more, my heart proves me wrong.
I don’t want to spend a single second of this lifetime or the next without you by my side.
” He takes a shaky breath. “Sirena Merielle Ashvyn, will you marry me?”
Sirena’s eyes fill with tears, a sob trembling out of her, half-choked, half-joy.
“Thane—Thane, yes. Yes. Of course it’s yes.”
He releases a breath that sounds like a prayer and a sob all at once.
When he slips the ring onto her finger, Sirena flings her arms around him, nearly knocking them both over as everyone erupts into cheers.
Ronan hollering loudest, Odette and Brynn wiping their eyes, Enzo whooping like a proud uncle, and Kaden… Kaden has the biggest, purest smile I’ve ever seen him wear.
Thane lifts Sirena off the ground and spins her, her laughter ringing bright and unrestrained into the night. She kisses him breathless before pulling back to grin at us all, cheeks flushed, eyes shining.
“I’m getting married. We’re getting married!”
More whoops and cheers echo across the rooftop, joyful and unguarded.
Enzo pauses mid-cheer, eyebrows pinched. “Wait, we’re… we’re old enough to do that?”
Odette smacks his arm. “Yes, Enz. Gods.”
I chuckle, “I don’t know about you, Enzo. But all of us here are over twenty-three.”
He rubs the back of his neck, “Gods, you’re right. We’re getting old.”
Laughter ripples through us until it thins, softening into tired smiles and quiet murmurs, the night gently closing around the edges of our joy.
One by one, they all drift away. Enzo and Odette’s teasing faded first, Brynn’s laughter echoed down the stairs, followed shortly by Ronan, and Sirena and Thane, hand in hand, were swallowed by lantern-lit shadows.
Each departure left the air a little cooler. A little stiller. A little heavier.
Silence settled… not empty, but vast.
And now I’m left standing alone with the night… and the soft, watching glow of the full moon.