Page 162 of Alastair

“No,” Michael responded. “They’ve served the realms well. If there’s another war, the celestial army will deal with it. You have my word.”

His word was all I needed to know it was true.

I felt much lighter as I left the celestial realm. The council’s decision no longer hung over my head. I could breathe again.

As I returned to the island, there were no warriors training in the fields. There was no sense of urgency. The tension and anticipation of war had been dispelled. The peaceful, lighthearted atmosphere was a welcomed change.

Families strolled through the streets near the harbor, visiting cafés and shopping. A female Nephilim child was learning to fly for the first time. She squealed in delight as she hovered a foot off the grass, her tiny black wings flapping. I recognized her father as one of the warriors who’d fought beside us in Echo Bay.

The end of the war had allowed for more beginnings. First flying lessons. First love. But it had also brought goodbyes.

Prince Viktor and his army had returned to the ice dragon kingdom. King Tatsuya and his force had left earlier that day for their island in Japan near Ishigaki. Sirena’s warriors had traveled back to the Caribbean, but she had stayed behind with Clara for the time being.

The two females were currently trying to decide where they’d call home. The witch longed for her mansion in Echo Bay, while the Nephilim commander had trouble leaving her warriors. A resolution would surface though. Their bond was too strong for it not to.

“What was the council’s ruling?”Alastair asked telepathically.

Our mind link had resurfaced not long after we’d left Echo Bay following the battle. That connection with him was important to me. Having temporarily lost it had been crushing.

“I’ll tell you when I see you.”

“Tell me now,”he said. And before I could respond, he added,“Yeah, yeah, you don’t take orders from me. Shut it.”

I chuckled.“Are you at Raiden’s?”

“Yes. He insisted on throwing a welcome home party for Elasus that is also an end-of-war celebration feast. So in other words, I hope you’re hungry.”

Another chuckle. It was strange—laughing came so easily. The weight that had lifted from my shoulders had also seemed to lighten my heart. I hadn’t known it was possible to feel so free.

Laughter spilled out from the open windows of the white stone house as I walked up the porch steps. Another bout of booming laughter hit me as I stepped through the door. The brothers were telling Elasus stories from over the years.

The Spartan was coping with the modern world much like Kallias had. Curious about everything but also uneasy about it as well. He sat on the couch, body tensed. When Kallias slid an arm across his stomach and whispered in his ear, he softly smiled, that tension slightly easing.

“Uh-oh,” Gray said once spotting me. He was lying across Simon’s and Mason’s laps on the other couch. “Look at his face. Think it’s good news or bad? I can’t tell. He always looks grumpy.”

Alastair approached me with a tentative expression. “So? What’s the verdict?”

I pulled him into my arms and planted a kiss on his lips right in front of everyone. Bellamy catcalled. Castor told us to get a room. The spontaneous kiss took Alastair off guard. But seeing him had made my heart skip a beat. Relief, joy, and love had then flooded my core, so much I felt like I’d burst at the seams.

“You’re smiling,” Alastair said, brushing his thumb over the corner of my lips. “Does this mean what I think it does?”

“They decided in our favor.” I rested my hand on his nape, loving the feathery soft tickle of his blond hair as my fingers slid through it.

Alastair didn’t react at first. He only stared at me, his blue eyes unreadable. But then, he slammed his mouth to mine and kissed me so hard my toes curled in my boots.

“Hell yeah!” Raiden came through the back door, holding a tray with grilled chicken and vegetable kabobs. “So this is a welcome back Elasus, yay the war is over, congrats on your engagement party. Damn. I need to make more food.”

“Baby, we have enough food.” Titan took the tray from him. “Go sit and visit with your brothers. I’ll finish up outside.”

Meat sizzled on the grill, the aroma coming through the open patio door—pork chops and steaks rubbed in Titan’s special seasoning that was a combination of salt, pepper, and Mediterranean spices. Nothing got past Raiden’s impeccable sense of smell though. He guessed every ingredient in it after one whiff.

Clara and Sirena arrived not long after I did.

“I brought lemon bars,” Clara said, placing a container on the kitchen counter. She smelled… different.

“Holy shit, girl.” Bellamy picked her up and spun her around. “Someone got marked.”

“About time,” Phoenix muttered before taking a drink of ambrosia-laced whiskey. His gaze lingered on Bellamy’s backside.