Chapter 25 Brynn
brYNN
Iwake to the soft press of lips against my shoulder, warm breath ghosting across my skin.
For a moment, I'm disoriented—then the events of last night come flooding back.
Ciaran. The revelation about Rhea. The way he held me afterward, whispering promises against my hair until I fell asleep in his arms.
"Good morning, love," he murmurs against my collarbone, his voice rough with sleep.
I stretch beneath him, feeling deliciously sore in all the right places. "Morning." My voice comes out husky, and I feel heat creep up my neck at the satisfied sound of it.
He lifts his head to look at me, those violet eyes warm with affection.
His dark hair is mussed from sleep, falling across his forehead in a way that makes my fingers itch to brush it back.
There's something different about him this morning—lighter, somehow.
Like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders.
"The girls?" I ask, suddenly remembering that we're not alone in this apartment.
"Playing in Rhea's room," he says, pressing another kiss to the hollow of my throat. "I checked on them when I got up. Rhea's perfectly fine—chattering away like nothing happened."
Relief floods through me at his words. Even though I could hear their soft voices when I woke, hearing him confirm it settles something anxious in me.
Last night feels like a fever dream—the terror of watching Rhea struggle to breathe, the magic crackling through the air, the impossible revelation that she's Ciaran's niece.
His lips trail lower, finding the sensitive spot where my neck meets my shoulder, and I arch into the touch despite myself.
"Ciaran," I whisper, my hands finding their way into his hair. "We should—"
"Should what?" he asks, nipping gently at my skin. "The sound barrier is still up. They can't hear us."
The reminder of his magic, of how he protected our privacy last night, sends a fresh wave of heat through me. But there's something I need to know first, something that's been nagging at the edges of my mind since I woke.
"Does this mean you're staying?" The question comes out smaller than I intended, vulnerable in a way that makes me want to take it back. "Permanently, I mean?"
He stills against me, then slowly lifts his head to meet my eyes. There's something intense in his gaze, something that makes my breath catch.
"I want to," he says simply. "I never got to tell you at Ikuyenda like I planned."
"Planned?"
A rueful chuckle escapes him. "That was the whole reason Eda took the girls. So I could tell you that I want to build a life here. With you." His thumb traces along my cheekbone, gentle and reverent. "I can write my books and send them to Kyrdonis. Work and live here. If you'll have us."
The hope in his voice, carefully controlled but unmistakable, nearly undoes me. This man—this incredible, patient, loving man—has been waiting to give me everything I never dared to dream of.
"I don't want any more distance between us," I say, my hand covering his where it rests against my face. "I let the past stand in the way for too long. I was so afraid of being hurt again that I almost missed out on this. On you."
His smile is radiant, transforming his entire face. "Brynn—"
"Why don't you and Nya move in here instead of finding a place?" The words tumble out before I can second-guess them. "We can convert Rhea's room so the girls can share. It would be perfect."
For a moment, he just stares at me, and I wonder if I've overstepped. It's a big decision, combining our households, our lives. Maybe he needs time to—
"I'd love that," he says, his voice rough with emotion. Then he's kissing me, deep and thorough, pouring all his relief and joy into the connection of our mouths.
When we finally break apart, we're both breathing hard. I can hear the girls' voices getting louder in the other room, and I know our private moment is coming to an end.
"We should go tell them," I say, though part of me wants to stay wrapped up in this bed with him forever.
He nods, pressing one more soft kiss to my lips before rolling away to gather our scattered clothes.
I watch him dress, admiring the lean lines of his body, the way his muscles shift beneath ashen skin as he pulls on his shirt.
Even clothed, he moves with a fluid grace that speaks to his elven heritage.
I slip into my chemise and skirt, braiding my hair back with practiced efficiency.
In the mirror above my washbasin, I catch sight of my reflection—flushed cheeks, kiss-swollen lips, eyes bright with happiness.
I look like a woman who's been thoroughly loved, and the thought makes warmth pool low in my belly.
Ciaran comes up behind me, his hands settling on my waist as he meets my eyes in the mirror.
"Ready?" he asks.
I lean back against his chest, solid and warm behind me. "Ready."
We make our way to Rhea's room, where we can hear animated conversation.
I push the door open to find both girls sitting cross-legged on the bed, Nya's small hands gesturing as she tells some elaborate story.
Rhea's eyes are bright with laughter, her violet gaze—so like her father's, I realize now—sparkling with mirth.
"Mum!" Rhea bounces when she sees me, then notices Ciaran behind me. "Ciaran! Nya was just telling me about the time she tried to teach a suru to read poetry."
"It was a very intelligent suru," Nya says solemnly, which only makes Rhea giggle harder.
My heart clenches at the sight of them together. They're so easy with each other, so natural. Like they were always meant to be sisters.
"Girls," I say, settling on the edge of the bed. "We have something to tell you."
Both sets of eyes turn to me expectantly. Ciaran sits beside me, his hand finding mine and intertwining our fingers.
"Ciaran and Nya are going to move in with us," I say, watching their faces carefully. "If that's something you'd both like."
For a moment, there's complete silence. Then Rhea lets out a whoop of joy that makes me chuckle.
"Really?" she asks, bouncing on the bed. "They're going to live here? With us?"
"Really," Ciaran confirms, his voice warm with amusement.
Nya's reaction is quieter but no less enthusiastic. Her entire face lights up, violet eyes sparkling as she looks between Rhea and her father.
"Does that mean Rhea is really my sister now?" she asks, her voice small but hopeful.
"She is absolutely your sister, in all the ways that matter." Ciaran grins at his daughter in a way that makes my heart stutter.
The two girls throw themselves at each other in a tangle of limbs and excited squeals. I watch them embrace, these two pieces of my heart, and feel tears prick at the corners of my eyes.
This is what I never knew I needed. Not just Ciaran, though he's become essential to my happiness in ways I'm still discovering. But this—this family we've built together. The four of us, connected by love rather than just blood.
Rhea's room suddenly feels too small for the magnitude of what's happening. We'll need to rearrange things, maybe build a second bed. The practical part of my mind is already cataloging what needs to be done, but the emotional part is simply overwhelmed by the rightness of it all.
"We'll need to make some changes," I say, trying to sound practical even as my voice wavers with emotion. "Figure out sleeping arrangements, storage—"
"We'll make it work," Ciaran says, squeezing my hand. "We have time to figure it all out."
The girls have moved on to planning their shared room, chattering about where to put books and which side of the room each will claim. Their excitement is infectious, filling the small space with joy and possibility.
I feel Ciaran's arm slip around my waist, pulling me closer to his side. When I look up at him, there's such tenderness in his expression that it takes my breath away.
"Thank you," he says quietly, meant just for me. "For giving us this. For giving me everything I never thought I could have."
Before I can respond, small arms wrap around both of us as Rhea launches herself into our embrace. A moment later, Nya joins her, and suddenly we're all tangled together in a pile of limbs and laughter.
I close my eyes and breathe in this moment—the scent of Ciaran's skin, the weight of the girls in our arms, the sound of their giggles echoing off the walls.
This is what home feels like. Not the apartment above my shop, not even Eryndral itself, but this collection of people who've chosen to love each other.
When we finally untangle ourselves, Rhea stays pressed against my side while Nya settles against her father. But there's something different in Rhea's expression now, a curiosity that makes me hold my breath.
"Ciaran," she says, her voice taking on that serious tone she uses when she's working through something important. "Do you love Mum?"
My heart stops. Beside me, I feel Ciaran go very still.
Then he smiles—not the careful, measured expression he wears when he's being diplomatic, but something open and unguarded and real.
"I do," he says simply. "I love all three of you."
He says it so plainly to her, and I hold my breath to see her reaction. He's said it before, to me, but hearing him say it now—to Rhea, with Nya listening, claiming all of us as his—makes it feel permanent in a way that nothing else has.
I nearly melt right there on the spot, my body going soft with relief and joy and love so overwhelming I don't know how to contain it.
This man, this incredible man who walked into my shop and turned my entire world upside down, loves us.
All of us. Not despite our complications and messy history, but because of who we are together.
Rhea beams at his words, clearly pleased with this development. "Good," she says with the satisfaction of someone who's just had their suspicions confirmed. "Because we love you too. Don't we, Mum?"
I manage to nod, not trusting my voice to work properly. Ciaran's arm tightens around me, and I can feel him pressing a soft kiss to the top of my head.
For the first time in my adult life, my world feels complete. Not just the pragmatic contentment I've built for myself and Rhea, but something deeper. Something that encompasses hope and dreams and the kind of love I thought only existed in stories.
We're going to be a family. Really, truly, officially. And for once in my life, I'm not afraid of what comes next.