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He needed no further encouragement.

Jael’s mouth captured hers with a shy sort of urgency, testing at first but growing more possessive by the second. The minutes that followed were among the happiest she had ever experienced in her whole life. In his arms, she knew where her fate would take her, what her future would look like. No, not all the twists and turns, surely. But she believed if she had Jael by her side, and the children around her, she would live a complete life.

With no regrets.

She couldn’t imagine anywhere else in all of Rhuin that she would rather be. She didn’t need magic or enchantments to be perfectly, exquisitely happy.

“Hey, look!” A delighted squeal from down the path caused Jael to tear his mouth from hers.

She took a moment to catch her breath before peeking over her shoulder to see a stark-naked little Gorge standing on the pathway, pointing straight at them. Crag loomed behind him with a grin that stretched across his chubby face; one hand clutched the scruffy rock monkey against his chest.

“Uh-NEE is giving away kisses!” Gorge shouted. “I want one too!”

Crag’s ears burst into flames while Gorge pelted toward them, popping in and out of existence every few feet. A herd of half-clothed goblin children tore into view and raced straight toward their hiding place under the arbor.

“Oh, dear,” Anrid breathed at the same time Jael muttered, “Rock and bone...”

She screeched when he spun her around. His large hands circled her waist moments before he hauled her over his shoulder. She clawed at the back of his robes, her stomach digging into his shoulder bones as she hung over him in the most undignified position. “Jael! What are you doing?”

He spun on his heel and sprinted away from the screaming children. His strong arms grasped her thighs against his chest as she bounced up and down. “I’m kidnapping you good and proper, my love,” he grunted, breathlessly. “Why should Rig have all the fun?”

She succumbed to childish shrieks of laughter as her goblin prince tore through the gardens with their children hot on their heels.