Epilogue
MATTHIAS
I’ll say this one final time, Danté. My sister and King Matthias have no obligation to attend The Union’s memorial service.
Ten years ago they suffered more than we’ll ever know.
As it also lands on the twins’ third birthday, they’ve decided to spend the day as a family.
If you continue to press me on this matter, I shall deny you entrance to my upcoming coronation. Do us all a favour and bugger off.
— LETTER FROM CROWN PRINCE OSKAR TO DUKE LOMMOND
I shook my head as Skye and Asher swept off, chuckling as they announced they’d adopt for a fourth time. My sister’s smile still warmed my heart more than the flames of… that place. Blowing out a long breath, I brushed the hair from my eyes, scowling as it fell back.
Dodging my eldest niece as she screamed sorry, tearing up the corridor, a wolf bounding after her, I took a moment to settle the thunder of my heart before I knocked on our door.
The door Sorrow had hidden behind for the last week.
The smile slid from my face as I tested my new arm. Lifting the prosthetic, I marvelled as my fingers wiggled as easily as my own had a decade ago. It’s amazing what Vyrium can achieve when it’s not being hoarded by those in charge.
The scars of my father’s legacy no longer tore me apart, but my nights were forever tainted by nightmares, visions from those weeks when she sat on my throne, purging my family’s memory from existence while holding my people hostage.
The profits from the Vyrium mine have been poured into research, uncovering wonders like my second hand.
It’s one of the ways I’ve sought to right the wrongs I inadvertently wrought during Delphine’s short reign.
A world of new discoveries, opportunities given flight.
But none of that meant anything without my queen at my side. I undid the top buttons of my shirt as I stared at the door. My heart cleaving as hers did. I knew she needed her time, but Gods, I missed her.
‘Perhaps this one will lure her out?’
I turned, smiling as Carrie approached. She held Grace as gently as if she were her own daughter. Nodding, I took my baby, my heart soaring as she glared at me with those brown eyes. Brown eyes that burned with a fire that matched her mother’s.
Evella help me.
Holding Carrie’s gaze had never been easy. I still saw the child sobbing in a dungeon as I held a dagger to her raging heart. My desire to make amends had finally brought me to her family’s door. Then, three years ago, it brought her back to the palace when we sought a nanny for our boys.
‘She’ll only open the door for the children,’ Carrie said, before offering a wave and running off to join the other servants as they prepared for the birthday picnic.
Settling Grace against me, I savoured the warmth of her tiny body, kissed the soft down of her dark hair. Lifting my hand, I held it a breath from the door. My shoulders slumped. Could I really ask Sorrow to put aside her grief and join us?
It’d only been a week and although we’d had a growing sense of dread for months, his death still cut us more than we could put into words.
It was the way Pablo had stayed longer before the fire, how his legs stumbled when he tried to sit beside his Sorrow.
He gave up his space curled up on the bed to his daughter, Rosa.
Then, when his mate, his cubs and those who’d come after started to bring him his barely touched food, we’d known he wasn’t going to stay with us much longer.
But that morning, when we’d found him, forever sleeping by the fire, Sorrow had shut herself away, only opening the door to feed Grace, before going back into herself.
I’d stood by the door, my heart ripping as her muted sobs carried through the wood.
But I knew my Sorrow. Knew she needed to grieve him in her own way.
But as a bundle of grey fur growled, snarling and tugging at my trouser leg, I knew a part of that damn wolf still lived on.
I shook out my leg, but the terror gripped tighter, snarled louder.
‘Diego!’ Like his grandfather, he ignored me completely, and I sighed as the rather expensive fabric ripped.
I raised my hand. I’d knock on the count of three.
One.
Two.
My hand fell forward, narrowly skimming Sorrow’s jaw as the door opened.
She raised her chin, a brow quirked, and my heart soared as the whisper of a smirk tugged up the corner of her mouth.
‘Grace is hungry,’ I lied, holding up our youngest.
She tilted her head, and I couldn’t help but smile.
‘No, she isn’t,’ she said, stepping forward, Rosa taking her usual spot by her queen’s side. ‘But I am. Is the picnic ready yet?’
‘Almost,’ I said, stepping in line with her, thankful she couldn’t see the relief on my face. ‘Asher and the kids are loading it up in the entrance hall.’
‘And there’s definitely cheese?’
I groaned. ‘You’ll never let me live that down, will you?’
She turned that perfect head in my direction, a stray strand of darkest hair slipping down and I tucked it behind her ear.
‘You swore I’d have at least four varieties and when we got to the beach?’
I sighed. ‘I forgot. It was a different time. I had a lot on my mind.’
‘I only had cheese on mine.’
‘It must be the effect all those mice had on you.’
She slapped my arm gently and I laughed.
‘And tuck that damn shirt in.’
I scowled, hastily shoving the white shirt back. How she always knew, despite the loss of her sight, was nothing short of a miracle… or perhaps she did possess a third gift like Glesni after all.
As we entered the entrance hall, she halted and dragged in a deep breath. Rosa nuzzled her queen and Sorrow ran her fingers through the wolf’s soft fur. I groaned as tiny teeth tore into my already tattered trouser leg.
‘Is that Diego?’ Sorrow asked, glancing in the direction of the pathetic snarls.
‘Unless you know of someone else who’s trying to eat their way through my entire wardrobe?’
Sorrow furrowed her brows, and I grinned at the knowledge her gift unfurled as the terror let go, scrabbling away to the rest of the pack.
I leaned in, placed my mouth right over that spot and smirked as she shivered.
‘There are at least five types of cheese.’ A rash spread up her neck as I passed her Grace, kissing her neck and delighting in her smile. ‘I personally checked.’
‘You’re a terrible liar, Elmswood,’ she said, tucking Grace into the crook of her neck. ‘I’ll bet a sack of Vyrium you got Skye to do it.’
I barked out a laugh. Turning at the giggle of our boys, I opened my arms to Gabe and Ifan, wrapping them up and relishing their laughs as I swung them up.
As they talked over each other, demanding I listen to them both, I watched Sorrow. She crossed the entrance hall, standing beneath the portrait she’d never seen. She won about having the damn wolf in the painting and as I stared into his amber eyes, I’m so glad she did.
My breath still catches when Sorrow’s close. I can’t imagine a time will come when I’m never bowled over by her beauty, her fierce heart, her love. Tears caught in the back of my eyes as she and Skye checked that there was, indeed, cheese.
I barked out a laugh. No. Eternity with her will never be enough. She is my heart. My soul.
My wolf queen.
SORROW
Rosa was born to be the companion of a wolf queen.
It would take a lifetime to note all her attributes.
Noble, obedient, loyal and fierce. I adore her more than I can ever put into words, but Pablo, she is not.
I breathed against the pain that crashed into my chest the morning I found he’d finally left me and hasn’t abated since. The pain I can never escape.
But I am a queen. A wife. A mother. A mentor.
I could wallow in my rooms forever. But who would ensure the children weren’t eaten by the damn wolves? And as Matthias grumbled and I sent out a warning to Diego to leave the king’s trousers alone, I smiled knowing a part of my wolf still ran through his grandson’s rebellious veins.
I think I already know who my next lupine companion will be.
Matthias passed me a hunk of still-warm bread and I groaned as the soft cheese crumbled.
Lifting my face to the rays of the sun, I closed my eyes, relishing the shards of light that pierced my lids with crimson strands.
Grace had fallen asleep as I fed her, and now Rosa curled around my daughter.
I rolled onto my front as the gulls cried above.
They’d learnt there’s little point trying to steal from this queen’s picnic.
Matthias wrapped his arm around my waist and I shuffled closer. The familiar spark, a force greater than lightning, raced up my spine. I bit my lip and turned towards him. Knowing, just knowing, that smile lay on his face.
‘And what are you smirking at, Elmswood?’
He moved closer, placed a soft kiss to my jaw. I shuffled towards him, desperate to close the gap between us.
‘I was wondering if I’d be able to share the bed with my wife tonight?’ His breath warmed my cheek as he waited for the answer, for the permission he still sought.
I moved forward, unsure where his face was and giggled as I misplaced my kiss, striking the side of his nose. His lips brushed mine, so damn softly, and I groaned, moving closer and kissing him back. Gods, I missed his touch, his warmth.
‘I haven’t slept,’ I whispered.
He nuzzled my neck and my body melted.
‘Or me. I missed you, Sorrow.’
His mouth claimed mine and I pressed into him, smiling against the curve of his lips, before he pulled away.
‘I get you can’t see what’s going on, but the beach is packed, Sorrow.’
I giggled as he tucked me close, placed a kiss to my temple.
‘And if we carry on like that, we’ll be the rather un-family friendly entertainment.’
I took his hand, the new one, and pressed my fingers against the chill of the Vyrium. Ten years ago, I’d threatened a God to bring him back from Death herself. Sometimes it feels like it happened to someone else, a hero from the pages of the books he reads me each evening.
Although Matthias says he can’t recall anything of those long minutes when he no longer breathed, he quietens sometimes.
My eyes don’t see the fear in his, but I know his mind wanders to places darker than my vision.
That’s when I hold him, tell him how very loved he is and, eventually, I get my Matthias back.
Sometimes it feels like ten minutes ago rather than ten years.
Our marriage has been all I hoped for and more.
There are days we both dig our heels in, we still argue and, inevitably, I get my own way.
The days filled with more joy than I could have hoped for, more friendship, more love, than the girl who hid away in a library, fearing the gifts burning in her veins could ever imagine.
And I’ve mentored. Hopefully, with a bit more softness than Glesni, but diplomacy has never been my gift.
Almost thirty emerging Anomalies, terrified of the pain in their minds, the itching burning across their skin, have passed through my care.
A new girl arrives tomorrow. A girl who fears she carries more than one gift.
A Blythe.
‘Damn wolf,’ Matthias cursed, moving away, and I shivered against the loss of his warmth.
‘Diego?’ I called.
‘Trying to drag Gabe into the water.’
As I sat up, lay my head against my knees, Skye and Asher called to the children.
From what I made out, they’d set up a game kicking a ball around.
There never seemed to be a question of them leaving the Palace of Solace, despite Lord Rossing’s demands that Asher return.
Then they adopted, and our family grew. Matthias and I ensured we had our time before trying for a child of our own.
A smile split up my face as the sun warmed my cheeks. That had been another argument. I was adamant that I would only ever have the one child, certain I didn’t possess the right disposition for motherhood.
But the Gods always seem to enjoy messing with my life and I bore our twins. Our boys. Then Grace arrived, completing us.
And we’re about to pack up – Elmswoods, Rossings and wolves – and head to Oskar’s coronation. An event I’m strangely looking forward to. Before she left to join the Sisters, Enfys raised a wonderful young man. I should know. I trained him myself.
And as for my sister? I giggled as I recalled her last letter.
My eyes may not see those I love, but my heart does.
It knows every fragment of their souls, family, friends, beasts.
A hand I knew better than my own heartbeat laced with mine.
A kiss brushed my knuckles and I settled into Matthias.
The ever-familiar warmth I’d do anything to protect.
I turned my face to the Heavens, knowing they’d never try and take him from me again.
Not from me. The only one to defy those fucking Gods.
* * *