Epilogue
EPILOGUE
A year passed, just like that. It took some time to sort things out on both sides of The Rift. With the might of the U.S. military on their side, Riel’s parents were able to crush House Leimor. The aid we sent was enough to improve their opinion of humans, and they issued a grudging apology to me on behalf of Solois. He was still a sore point, of course, but I expected he would be for a long time to come. He was their beloved son, after all.
Riel was doing better. There was still a touch of shadow in his eyes, and sometimes he would stare into space when he thought I wasn’t looking, but otherwise, he was back to his usual self. The two of us fell into a tentative routine. Once a month, I’d go back to the White House and heal as many people as I could. The rest of the month, I stayed with him at House Wysalar. Occasionally, we took overnight trips out to the foothills and slept under the stars.
It was like I was living a dream—one I never wanted to wake up from.
While I wasn’t exactly a part of the family, I was still invited to participate in Melairos, a fall holiday with a concept similar to All Souls Day. It was a multi-day event during which everyone prayed to Valuen to ferry the souls of the dead into the Goddess’s embrace. Everyone was looking forward to it as a way to make peace with the unfortunate events of the past year.
On the first day, we wore plain clothes and fasted as an offering to get the Goddess’s attention. The second day, we made hundreds of little wood carvings to represent the bodies of the dead and burned them when night fell. The third and final day was dedicated to celebration, with games and a massive feast. The courtyard was filled to the brim with revelers who traveled from Miderrum to join the leading family in commemoration.
I was watching children run about and dig holes and trying to figure out what game they were playing when Riel came out of nowhere and dropped a flower crown on my head. Reaching up to feel it, I smiled up at him. He settled in the grass at my side.
“Enjoying yourself?” he asked.
“Absolutely,” I replied, pulling my knees up to my chest and adjusting my skirt to fall over my feet. “It’s still hard to believe I’m here, but I’m so grateful for it. I feel like I have a lot of experiences I need to catch up on, you know?”
Riel made a sound of understanding. “Have you eaten yet?”
“Only enough to feed an army. I won’t be needing food again for a week.”
He chuckled, and his arm came to rest around my shoulders. We sat together for a while, enjoying the sights and sounds and fresh air. The crowds started to thin as people headed home.
“Shall we go inside?” Riel asked when the sky began to take on a bronze tint.
I nodded, stretching out my arms. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Riel get to his feet and admired the lines of his body. Specifically, the curve of his ass.
“I’m being objectified,” Riel announced to the air.
Horrified, I scrambled to shush him. Luckily, there weren’t many people still around, and those who were didn’t seem to be paying attention. With a roguish grin, he scooped me into his arms, then peppered my face and neck with an onslaught of kisses. I failed to keep a straight face even as I protested, pushing him away without any real strength behind it.
When he finally released me, I was pink and breathless from laughter. He snatched up my hand and brought it up to his lips for one final kiss before tugging me along in the direction of home. I went without a fuss, smiling so hard that my cheeks hurt.
“I’d like to discuss something with you,” Riel said then, becoming serious.
I sobered in an instant. The ambiguity of his statement unsettled me, and it took some effort to soothe my nerves before speaking. “Of course. What is it?”
“As I understand it, humans have several different types of romantic relationships and don’t always stay with the same partner. Is that accurate?”
I nodded, unsure where he was going with this.
“It’s the same for us. We might court several people over the course of many years if things don’t work out. Then, when we find a partner that we believe is right for us, we tie our lives together in a coupling ceremony, just like you have marriage.”
My lungs emptied in a rush. “With you so far,” I managed.
“I’m not sure what your people consider to be the appropriate length of time for the courting period, and I understand that a lot has changed in your life recently. Do let me know if this is too forward of me. I wanted you to know that it has been such an honor for me to spend this last year with you and watch you flourish. I don’t mean to suggest this too soon, but I hope you would consider joining with me in the future.”
“Are you asking me to marry you, Riel?”
Surprisingly, my voice was steady.
“Something like that,” Riel confirmed. “Not right now, but?—”
I had to pull his head down, but I silenced him with a passionate kiss. He made no complaint, wrapping his arms around me and letting me take the lead. It went on for several seconds. When I started to feel lightheaded from lack of air, I let him go and stepped back to put some space between us. As I stared up into the face of the man I loved, I offered up a little prayer of thanks that everything worked out.
And with a sweet smile, I said, “I’ll think about it.”
Don’t miss The Golden Children Book 2!