Page 226

She looks around, fear etched in her face.

She has clung to hatred and revenge for so long, she knows nothing else.

Brock can barely look at her, but as Callia takes a step forward, something within the portal shifts as a green landscape of rolling hills comes into focus. And then I see them.

Hundreds of unicorns prancing and playing. One gallops over to the portal and shifts into a beautiful woman with deep mahogany hair and matching skin. She peers through, as if looking into a dream, and then she drops to her knees. "My Queen."

Callia startles, then steps forward, reaching out a hand. "Lumara? Is that really you?"

Tears stream down both their faces as the Queen of the Unicorns steps through the portal and joins her people after millennia apart. They take hands and walk towards the others. When they reach the glade, they shift into their unicorn forms and Callia is surrounded by her people.

Brock's face is hard, impassive as she watches this, and I can only imagine what she's thinking or feeling. Callia, who killed her siblings, now gets to be with her kind. And Brock is alone.

I glance at Lilith, who seems to read my mind and nods.

I concentrate and the scene shifts to one of mountain tops and endless skies. And five dragons flying against the backdrop of a beautiful, warm sun. Brock gasps and moves closer. "My family," she says, softly.

"Would you like to speak with them?" I ask.

She reaches her hand out, nearly touching the portal, her eyes misting over. "Can I?"

I nod and move away from the gateway so she has some time alone with her siblings.

I take this moment to enjoy the crashing of the waves against the shore, and Cole joins me, his arm sliding around my waist.

"Are you coming to say goodbye again?" I ask without looking at him.

I've been in fear of this moment since the battle with Amora. He saved us, saved the world, by showing up. I couldn't have done that spell without him. Without all five of them. When I expanded the lands here, I was building on what already existed. I had enough power to do that. But this time, it was different. I had to stop the destruction of the Otherworld, which basically meant rebuilding it from within. I needed every element amplified to accomplish that. Cole was integral in that.

Since then he's stayed, though he is often missing for long periods. Each time, I expect he won't come back, but he does.

But I've been waiting for the final goodbye.

And here it is.

He moves to stand in front of me, his dark gaze capturing mine. "I've spoken to my brothers," he says softly, his lilting French accent like music. "And if it's all right with you, I'd like to stay."

My eyes widen. "For good?"

He nods. "Forever."

Tears blur my vision and I hug him fiercely. "Of course it's okay with me," I say. "We are all meant to be together."

We walk hand in hand back to the portal and Brock is saying her final goodbyes. Ava'Kara is there in human form, gazing longingly at her daughter. When she sees me, she smiles. "You have done well, my friend. This world is in the best of hands with you."

After saying her last goodbyes, Brock turns to face us with tears in her eyes. "We must go now. My world awaits."

We've already said our goodbyes, but we exchange one last hug and watch as they fly into the sky through the tear Brock opens. When it closes behind them, I sigh and turn to finish sealing the portal I created into the world of the dead.

But just as I'm about to, Lilith puts a hand on mine. "There's one more who wants to come through," she says, her gaze distant.

I wait, watching as the portal shifts once again and standing by a cottage is…Adam.

I cry out, and step closer, wanting desperately to go through and hug him once more. Cole takes my hand to keep me in this world as Adam moves closer to the doorway. "Evie," he says softly, his big blue eyes so achingly familiar. "I am so sorry I left you the way I did."

Tears stream down my face. "Oh, Adam. I wish you were here," I say. "I would give anything for you to be back with me."

"It's all okay, sis," he says. "I'm healing. My heart and soul are healing. And someday I will come back to you. Someday we will be together again. Just know, I'm safe. And I'll love you forever. It's always going to be you and me against the world."