EPILOGUE 2
ELIZABETH
Elizabeth knelt in her garden with the morning sun filtering through the leaves overhead. Her kettle bubbled above a fire in front of her, holding a blend of starflower essence, morning dew from spider silk, and a single scale from Raoul’s treasury, given freely after diplomatic persuasion.
“Two successful matches,” she said, adding three drops of liquid moonlight to the mixture. “The council will be delighted.”
They’ll find something to complain about, Grimble said from his perch on the garden wall. They always do. It’s how they justify their positions.
“True enough.” Elizabeth watched the steam rise in delicate spirals. “Though the magical boundaries have strengthened considerably. Even they can’t argue with that.”
The northern territories had stabilized entirely after Adele and Raoul’s bonding ceremony.
The weather patterns above the dragon kingdom now danced with an energy that made even the most skeptical council members pause.
And Cyrene’s vampire alliance continued to shore up the eastern borders with surprising effectiveness.
Which left Sasha and Victoria, though Victoria would be Elizabeth’s fourth match. And she did have other granddaughters who were still unwed…
She’d decided to work with Sasha, her most challenging granddaughter. Too sharp for her own good, too guarded to let anyone close. She’d built walls around her heart that rivaled Raoul’s mountain fortress for sheer impenetrability.
“Show me,” Elizabeth whispered to the brew.
“Who can I match with my lovely granddaughter, Sasha? King Dominic of the fae is far too flighty, as are all the fae. Yet I’ve watched him.
He may only show decadence and charm on the surface, but I believe it’s a facade.
He needs someone who can see past his act to the true male beneath.
” She nodded. “Sasha’s sweet nature would balance him perfectly.
She needs someone who can make her laugh, coax her into spontaneity, and protect her, and I believe he’s the perfect choice. ”
The steam thickened, but instead of forming clear visions, it swirled in conflicting patterns. Dark and light intertwined, shadow and radiance dancing together in a way that made Elizabeth’s pulse quicken.
That’s unusual, Grimble said.
“That’s concerning.” Elizabeth frowned, stirring clockwise three times. “The fae king should be straightforward. Light magic, ancient bloodlines, all that flowery court nonsense.”
But the vision forming in the steam showed something else entirely. A figure stood in what should have been the luminous Fae Court, but shadows clung to him like old friends. His face remained obscured, but his posture spoke of coiled power and secrets kept close.
The rumors about him might be more than gossip, Grimble said. He leaped off the wall and sashayed over to rub against her leg.
“So it would seem.” Elizabeth leaned closer, trying to make out details through the shifting steam. “They say he’s too mysterious for a fae king. Too…dangerous? Now that’s odd.”
Sasha will figure him out, Grimble said.
Elizabeth smiled. “You may be right.”
The vision shifted, showing a woman’s silhouette, sharp-edged and battle-ready, surrounded by crackling defensive magic. Sasha. As Elizabeth watched, the shadow-wrapped figure moved closer to her. Instead of Sasha’s magic lashing out as it did with most who approached, it sparked and flared.
“Oh,” Elizabeth breathed. “This may be complicated.”
More complicated than a dragon king and a studious weather witch?
“This feels different.” Elizabeth studied the way the shadows and light intertwined in the steam. “Adele and Raoul were opposites needing balance. But these two…” She gestured at the vision. “This would be so fun to watch.”
The steam suddenly erupted in a shower of sparks, silver and gold intermixing, creating patterns that resembled both starlight and the blaze of the sun.
I’ve never seen a scrying react like that, Grimble said, his voice full of concern.
“Neither have I.” Elizabeth’s hands trembled as she reached for her writing materials. “Which means this match will either save us all or destroy them both. But the magic is set.” As the steam dissipated, she rested back on her heels. “I’ll send a missive to the fae court right away.”
Elizabeth wrote the proposal with a flourish, sealing it with wax and magic. As the seal cooled, the air around her shimmered with energy.
“Well then,” she said softly, watching the seal solidify. “Let’s see what happens when my most guarded granddaughter meets a king who does nothing but live for the moment.”
This will end either brilliantly or catastrophically, Grimble said.
“My magic hasn’t been wrong yet.” Elizabeth smiled and called for a messenger sprite to deliver it to the fae court right away. “If anyone can handle a mysterious fae king, it’s my Sasha.”
I hope you enjoyed Raoul and Adele’s story!