Epilogue - Heinrich
Two Days Later
The human world is loud.
Not in the way battlefields are loud, where chaos announces itself in violence and blood.
This noise is different—constant, restless, alive.
Cars hum along crowded streets, voices drift through the warm afternoon air, and somewhere nearby, a café door opens and closes every few seconds as people come and go.
It feels strange standing here, not because I dislike it, but because it’s a world Annika once belonged to completely, and one I’m only beginning to understand.
I'd spent nearly seven years working tirelessly to turn the company into what it is today, but the valley always remained my home. Now, that home has turned into something else, a quiet space in my heart reserved for one person.
And wherever she goes, that’s where my home is.
My heart swells with that knowing, and excitement bristles against the edges of my being.
Today is the day I execute my grand plan, and with the demon threat simmered down and Annika agreeing to live a double life by my side, things feel like they’re finally falling into place.
Beside me, Annika’s fingers tighten around mine, snapping me back to the moment, and I follow her gaze across the café.
A woman stands near the window with her back partially turned toward us, one hand wrapped around a coffee cup while the other scrolls absentmindedly through her phone. She looks so much like Annika that the resemblance alone makes it obvious who she is.
Lila Singh, Annika’s sister.
The moment Annika spots her, the breath leaves her lips in a quiet rush. “Lila,” she says softly.
The woman looks up. Confusion flickers across her face at first, as if she isn’t quite sure she’s heard correctly. Then, instant recognition slams into her like a physical force. Her chair scrapes loudly across the floor as she jumps to her feet.
“Annika?!”
Every eye in the café turns toward them as she rushes forward, but Annika barely notices. She’s already moving. The two sisters collide halfway across the room, arms wrapping around each other with a force that looks almost painful.
I remain where I am, observing, waiting, giving them a moment alone while my heart floods with joy. Seeing Annika happy makes me happy.
Annika buries her face into her sister’s shoulder, and even from here, I can see the way her body trembles with emotion. Lila clings to her just as fiercely, words tumbling out in a flood of disbelief and relief. For the first time since I met her, Annika looks…completely unguarded.
She’s happy.
Not the quiet, careful happiness she carries in the valley.
This is different. This is the joy of someone who has found a missing piece of herself. And in that moment, something settles deep inside my chest.
Bringing her here was the right decision. No matter what dangers still exist in the world beyond our valley, she deserves this part of her life.
Eventually, Lila pulls back, holding Annika at arm’s length as if she’s checking that she’s truly real. “Where have you been?” she demands.
Annika laughs softly, wiping at the corners of her eyes. “It’s a long story.”
Lila’s gaze shifts past her then, toward me. Curiosity immediately sharpens her expression. “And who is this?”
Annika glances back at me, warmth filling her eyes. She reaches for my hand and gently pulls me closer. “Lila, this is Heinrich,” she says. “My boss.”
A subtle pause follows.
“And the man I’ve been seeing,” she adds softly, and I incline my head politely as Lila studies me from head to toe with open scrutiny.
“Well,” Lila says finally after sizing me up, extending her hand toward me. “Any man who managed to keep Annika away from answering my messages for weeks must be pretty impressive.”
I take her hand carefully. “Believe me,” I reply calmly, “It was never my intention to keep her away for so long.”
Annika squeezes my hand as we take our spots at the table, her smile radiant as she remains by my side. The conversation that follows stretches longer than I expect.
Lila talks quickly, the words spilling out of her as she tries to fill in the gaps of the past few weeks. Annika answers carefully, keeping our story simple—work commitments, travel, a few carefully edited truths.
Through it all, I mostly remain quiet. Observing.
Learning. Watching the way Annika’s entire demeanor changes when she’s with her sister.
The tension she carries in the valley disappears completely.
She laughs more. Smiles without restraint.
Touches Lila’s arm every few seconds as if reassuring herself that she’s really here.
Eventually, Lila checks the time and groans. “I have to get back to work,” she says reluctantly. She hugs Annika again, just as tightly as before. “You’re not disappearing again, right?” she asks.
Annika shakes her head with a soft smile. “No. I promise.”
Lila glances between us one more time before pointing playfully at me. “You take care of her, boss.”
“I intend to,” I answer sincerely, nodding my head.
With one last wave, she disappears back into the crowd outside. For a moment, Annika simply stands there watching the door with a forlorn look in her eyes. Then, she finally exhales slowly.
When she turns toward me again, her eyes are bright. “You did that for me,” she says quietly. “Thank you.”
“You needed to see her.”
“Yes,” she whispers.
The sincerity in her voice makes something tighten in my chest. I take a slow breath before reaching into my coat pocket. Annika notices the movement immediately.
“What are you—”
Her words cut off the moment I step closer and lower myself onto one knee. The entire café seems to fall silent around us, but all I see is Annika and how her eyes widen in shock.
“Heinrich—”
“In the valley, I don’t need a ceremony to recognize you as my luna,” I begin, my voice softening. “But here…in the human world…things work a little differently.” I pull the small ring from my pocket. “And if we’re going to live in both worlds the way we agreed…Then I believe we should honor both.”
Annika stares at the ring like she’s forgotten how to breathe, her hand lifting to cover her mouth. “You’re serious,” she whispers, eyes glowing with emotion.
“I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life.” I take her hand gently. “Annika Singh…I love you. I don’t need a reason to love you, and I love you of my own free will. Will you marry me?”
For a heartbeat, she says nothing. Then suddenly she laughs, a breathless, disbelieving sound as her eyes meet mine. “I love you, too, Heinrich,” she admits, nodding her head slowly. “And yes,” she says, almost immediately. “Of course I will marry you.”
Relief and triumph surge through me at the same time as I slide the ring onto her finger.
She throws her arms around my neck before I can even stand.
Around us, a few people clap softly. But I barely hear them, because Annika is smiling against my shoulder as the future has just opened in front of us.
And for the first time since the demons appeared in our world, it finally feels like peace might be possible.
Righting a few wrongs seems like the best thing to do, and Annika seems to share the sentiment as she pulls back and meets my lips for a heartfelt kiss.
As we walk out of the cafe to lots of applause, Annika holds her hand up again, admiring the ring as sunlight glints off the diamond. Her laughter fills the air between us, light and free in a way I haven’t heard before.
For a moment, the world feels quiet.
Peaceful.
But somewhere far from here, beyond the mountains and the sea, a portal still breathes between worlds. Demons still walk the earth. And destiny is still unfolding.
Annika threads her fingers through mine as we step out into the afternoon light.
Whatever waits beyond the horizon, we will meet it together.
“I love you, Heinrich,” she sighs again as she leans her cheek against my shoulder, and my chest puffs with the kind of pride I’ve never felt before.
“I love you, too, Annika,” I return, looking forward to our future together, come what may.
*****
THE END