Epilogue
Three Years Later
A sharp sound jolted Emmeric out of sleep. Everything around him was still dark; it must’ve been the middle of the night. As his vision adjusted, he glanced to his side. Iyana was sound asleep, snoring lightly. He smiled at the sight of his wife sleeping so peacefully.
He heard the sound again.
Yawning, he rubbed his eyes and climbed out of bed.
Even though they told him he didn’t have to, Zane still sent them money every moon to use with the merchants coming through.
So they had bought a feather mattress instead of sleeping on a straw-filled cot.
Iyana had blushed when she told him she had become accustomed to the luxury during their adventure.
He stumbled over to the little cot and looked down at the source of the noise.
“Hello, little love,” he whispered, picking his daughter up out of her crib. The wooden sprig of lavender Emmeric had carved for Iyana was tucked into the corner of the small bed.
Isabel Daphne—named for both of their mothers—gazed up at her father with her large, blue eyes.
His own eyes. But she had the golden complexion of her mother, with dark hair.
Emmeric offered her his finger, and she wrapped her little fist around it, immediately pulling it into her mouth to gnaw on. She’d be getting her first tooth soon.
Emmeric’s heart swelled with more love than he thought one body was capable of handling. This little girl had stolen his heart the second she entered the world, squalling and complaining just like her mother.
Iyana had been beautiful. He’d loved watching her stomach swell with their child.
Emmeric loved to dote on them both. He’d have to wake Iyana soon so Isa could eat, but he’d let her sleep for as long as possible.
She was so busy with being the village healer and also as a new mother; he tried to help anywhere he could.
In the quiet of the night, Emmeric reflected on the path that brought him here. He’d been through hardships and heartbreaks, but there was nothing he would change. It had all culminated in this moment, and he wouldn’t exchange Iyana or his daughter for anything.
A surge of excitement coursed through him.
Zane and Talon would be arriving before the sun set.
They hadn’t seen their friends since they had told them Iyana was pregnant.
With the distance, they couldn’t see each other often, but they tried to make the trip every few months.
Either they would go to Athusia so Emmeric could visit with Tal’s parents, or the emperor and his husband would hide away in a remote village for a week to escape the pressures of their positions.
Kaz had come to see them a few times, once with Yrza.
She was vague about what she and Yrza were doing—something to do with trying to find Elena, but they never gave more details, so Emmeric and Iyana had stopped prying.
They wished they could see her more often, but they had no way of contacting her.
The shifter never stayed in one place for long, always flitting in and out.
Still, despite not being able to see the family he had found along the way as often as he’d like, Emmeric would change nothing about his life. Isabel whined around his finger. “Alright, little one, let’s go wake your mother.”
Climbing back into bed, Iyana woke with the movement and gave him a sleepy smile. She took the babe from his arms, cooing at her. Emmeric laid back in bed, watching them and wondering if it was possible for his heart to combust from happiness.
I love you, Mouse.
Iyana grinned without looking away from their daughter.
I love you too, Sully.
THE END