Epilogue
T he return to Derand took longer than I expected. Positioning troops and issuing orders to every unit took time. But before long, our scouts reported that the forces Lanzin and Creedan had gathered from Aeria—the ones that had been waiting along Misophae's border—had finally dispersed.
The day after we took control of the army, I offered any humans who wished to return to the human lands a safe escort.
I sent a group of demons to accompany and protect them on the journey.
Mira chose to go with them. She apologized before she left, and while I didn't know if I would ever trust her again—or whether it even mattered anymore—I couldn't blame her for the choices she'd made.
She had been trapped in an impossible situation, one harsher than anything I had ever endured.
She had simply done what she believed she needed to do to survive.
By the time everything was in place, we had a formidable force stationed throughout Misophae to guard against any future attack. Once Vaelor and I were certain the Spiritu Malignos soldiers were positioned where they were needed most, we finally turned toward Derand.
I had a promise to keep.
Vaelor carried me high above the clouds, the wind rushing past as I pulled my cloak tighter against the chill.
When we reached the familiar stretch of forest, Vaelor descended through a break in the canopy.
We landed softly among the trees and made our way to the ancient tree, mist curling around our feet.
"You have a body now," I said with a teasing grin. "You'll have to make your own promises. You can't rely on me for everything anymore."
He chuckled. Biting the tip of his finger, he drew a bead of black blood.
I eased the sword at my hip partway from its sheath and nicked my palm.
Together we offered our blood to the tree and spoke our promises.
The familiar magic washed over us before the mist parted, allowing us to continue through the forest.
I slipped my hand around Vaelor's arm. Gods, I couldn’t wait to see Gerand. “So much has happened. Do you think someone will write our story down someday? I'd love to see it in a book."
He glanced down at me. "Do you think it's worth putting to parchment?"
"Of course it is. It has all the classic elements." I counted them off on my fingers. "Girl kills demon. Demon comes back from the dead and claims her. Possesses her body and makes her feel very inappropriate things."
He raised an eyebrow. "I never made you feel anything inappropriate."
"Oh, you absolutely did." I waved away his protest. "Where was I? Right. Then the demon falls desperately in love with the girl. They break a curse. And finally, they have to win a deadly tournament to take control of an undead army."
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "A tale as old as time."
I laughed. Life with the Spiritu Malignos army had been difficult—often tense—but here, with Vaelor at my side and no soldiers to deal with, I felt lighter than I had in weeks.
The town came into view, its small, familiar buildings nestled among the trees. My heart leaped. Somehow the place was already starting to feel like home.
We made our way to my mother's cottage and knocked. The door swung open to reveal Gerand. His hair had been neatly trimmed, and his face was fuller than I remembered.
Excitement lit his eyes.
"Denara!"
"Gerand." I pulled him into a tight hug. Even in the short time he'd been in Derand, he looked healthier—happier.
"Denara!" my mother exclaimed. She and Bargoth sat at the table with their children, but her smile faltered as she looked past me to the towering figure filling the doorway.
I reached back and took Vaelor's hand, guiding him inside. "This is Vaelor. He's bonded with a body now."
Silence settled over the room.
"Then...how is he here?" Bargoth asked cautiously. If Vaelor had a body, they had every reason to believe he still belonged to the Spiritu Malignos ranks.
"It's a long story," I said. "But everything's all right. He's bound to me now, not the Spiritu Malignos nation."
Mother studied him for a long moment before giving a slow nod. "Then you can tell us the whole story over supper." She rose from her chair. "I'll set two more places. Please, both of you, sit."
Vaelor and I slid onto the bench at the table. A moment later, Mother placed steaming bowls before us.
"My famous venison stew," she said proudly. "You and Gerand always loved it."
Heat crept into my cheeks. It was the very stew I'd once used to poison Vaelor. I stole a glance at him.
He stared quietly into the bowl for a heartbeat without moving.
I cleared my throat. "Uh...Ma, this may not be the best?—"
"It looks delicious," Vaelor said simply. He picked up his spoon and tasted the stew.
Relief washed over me.
Dinner passed as Vaelor and I recounted everything that had happened since we'd left Derand. The story was almost too impossible to believe, sitting around my mother's table, and I enjoyed the gasps and surprise on the faces of those surrounding us as we regaled them with our journey.
Afterward, Bargoth gathered the children and settled beside the hearth with Gerand to read. Mother began clearing the table, and I rose to help.
Vaelor stood as well, reaching for the empty bowls.
I rested a hand on his arm. I’ve got this.
He looked down at me. Are you certain?
I nodded. I’d like to talk to her alone.
His gaze flickered toward my mother before he inclined his head and crossed to the fireplace. Leaning against the mantel, he listened quietly as Bargoth read to the children.
I gathered the remaining dishes and followed Mother outside. She bent over a large basin, the cool evening air carrying the scent of soap and damp earth.
I set the bowls into the water before straightening.
"Thank you." She smiled, but it quickly faded. Her hands twisted in her apron. "How are you doing, my love?"
I gave her a reassuring grin. "I'm better than I ever thought I'd be."
Her eyes glistened. "You look so happy. There's a light about you that wasn't there when you first came to Derand." Her voice caught. "A light I was afraid I'd taken from you."
I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around her. "Good thing I had a mother who raised two resilient children." I squeezed her tighter. "I love you, Ma."
"I love you too, dear. Always."
I didn't let go. After seeing what she'd been willing to do to save Gerand—after finally understanding how much she'd sacrificed in the hope of protecting us—the anger I'd carried for so long no longer seemed worth holding on to. More than anything, I wanted us to be a family again.
I was ready to leave the past where it belonged.
"And I forgive you."
A sob broke free, and her arms tightened around me, her shoulders trembling. I held her as one sob gave way to another.
At last, she drew back, tears streaming down her face. "You have no idea what that means to me." She let out a watery laugh and scrubbed at her cheeks. "Oh, now look what you've done. You've turned me into a blubbering mess."
I took her hand. "Come inside. The dishes can wait."
She nodded, wiping at her eyes as we returned to the cottage.
The moment Gerand spotted us, he brightened. "Denara, read! Nobody reads like you."
I ruffled his neatly trimmed hair. "You want me to read, squirt?"
He grinned. "It's your favorite. A story about monsters, dark curses, and adventure."
I glanced over at Vaelor. "That is my favorite kind of story."
Warmth flickered in his expression. "I told you," he said. "A tale as old as time."
Bargoth handed me the worn book while Mother brought over a chair. I settled into it, and my eyes stung with sudden tears.
How many nights had I dreamed of this? How many times had I worried I'd never see Gerand again, never sit by a fire, never hear him begging for one more story?
Yet here I was.
Surrounded by the people I loved, with Vaelor beside me. It was more than I'd dared hope for. Better than anything I'd ever imagined.
I smiled through the blur in my eyes, opened the book, and read the first line.
"Once upon a time..."
Thanks for reading Fated to the Demon Lord !