Page 68

A few days had passed since the Battle at Lirien Valley, and the village felt as if it could finally breathe again. The war was over and all our healing could truly begin.

I walked along the lush pathways, brushing my hands against the leaves. Small vines followed and reached for me, curving around my fingertips as I walked by. Keeli floated behind me, squawking and marveling at all the greenery around her.

I wore a slate-grey dress laced with shimmering threads.

Two thin straps wrapped around my neck, down my sternum, and then separated into wider panels that covered my breasts.

The sleeves hung low off my shoulders and pooled at my elbows.

The dark silver fabric draped down my body like a twilit pond.

“Are you ready to tell Nepta?” Rowen asked, striding alongside me, one of his calloused hands holding mine. We had requested an audience with the Elven-head at the Sacred Vale.

“I am. Are you sure you’re ready?” I asked back, noting the slight tension in his fingers. “This is the third time you’ve asked me. ”

“Sorry,” he said as he loosened his grip. “I guess I am nervous. I must tell the greatest leader I’ve ever known that I’m the lord of a citydom. I know next to nothing about ruling, and I’m worried she won’t think me suitable. But more so, that you won’t think me suitable.”

I stopped on the path and pulled him toward me, wrapping my arms around his waist.

“You’re the most suitable man I know,” I said with a smirk.

My hands lowered down his backside where I squeezed the defined slope of his ass.

He chuckled, and my ploy to ease his nerves worked.

“I’m serious, though. I don’t know anyone more suitable.

I don’t know anything about ruling either, but I will be right there beside you, learning with you, ruling with you. You won’t be doing it alone.”

Rowen smiled, letting me trap him within my arms. “I must have done something right in another life to deserve you. I haven’t even asked you if this is something you want to do.”

I grabbed his face in my hands, feeling the scruff of his beard against my palms. “I thought I already answered that when I agreed to be your wife,” I said as I wiggled my vine-entwined ring.

“Of course I want to. That dream? The night before battle? That was our shared vision of the future, and I want more than anything to create that with you.”

Rowen cradled my face in his hands, tilting my head back to fully take him in.

He swiped his thumb over my lip. “Spirits, I can’t wait to make you my wife,” he said as he gently popped out my lower lip and took it into his mouth.

My breath caught in my throat as he branded me with his smoldering kiss.

His tongue stroked mine deliberately, slowly, and my mind went haywire as every bone in my body liquified.

Keeli squawked, but I was so lost in Rowen’s kiss that I completely forgot what we were supposed to be doing.

“I can’t wait to make you my husband,” I murmured between kisses, my hands trailing up the defined muscles of his back. “And I can’t wait to fuck you as my husband.” Our bodies melded closer together as my tongue curled into Rowen’s mouth, and I tasted his moan on my lips.

“What’s this, I hear?” Nepta said, coming up behind us on the path, and Rowen and I jumped apart.

So that was why Keeli was chirping.

Nepta may not be able to see what we were doing, but she definitely didn’t need to hear it.

“I can understand now why everyone knows you two are soul flames. You certainly aren’t hiding it,” the Elven-head said with a huge grin on her face.

“I plan on making my soul flame my wife,” Rowen proudly said, sliding his palm to the small of my back. “As well as the Lady of Viltarran.”

If Nepta was shocked, she didn’t show it. She just continued to smile.

Rowen cleared his throat and continued. “The queen of Hara’dune found a scroll bequeathing the citydom to me.

We will leave once things have settled here, but I wanted to thank you for everything.

For taking me in when I was broken with nothing but the clothes on my back.

For protecting the love of my life within your village and fighting alongside her during the war. ”

“You are welcome, Rowen Damascus,” she replied, taking his left hand in hers. “Go to Viltarran with my blessing. Your people need you. Both of you.” She grabbed my left hand as well and placed our palms together.

She spoke in a language I couldn’t understand but could feel deep within my bones. The flame in my chest thrummed and flicked in time with Rowen’s. Energy moved around us as heat, flames, and Light coursed through our bodies like an infinity symbol .

“The Spirits bless this union,” Nepta said, her voice thick with emotion.

I looked down at our joined hands, where our vine-wrapped rings slowly hardened into silver.

The earthy details and tiny leaves remained as the rings became everlasting symbols of our love.

The final change was the moonlit diamond forming on the top of my band.

Happy tears pooled in my lash line as my gaze met Rowen’s.

“You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” he said as his eyes glistened with tears and choked emotion.

“My sky was dark, void, and without meaning, but then you appeared to me, and I recognized you immediately, even in my utter darkness. You filled my night with stars, galaxies, and purpose. It was as if you’d found me in a thousand different realities and worlds and lit my sky in every one.

I knew I never wanted to be parted from you. ”

“Before I met you, I felt you everywhere. You were in my pulse, my heart, and my soul long before I knew you. Time and space couldn’t keep us apart, ”

“Go on, Rowen,” Nepta said with tears in her eyes. “Kiss your wife.”

Rowen palmed the back of my skull and pulled me toward his soft but firm lips. We kissed and sealed our forever on a simple village pathway with a starwing as our witness. It was perfect, and Keeli cooed in approval.

Nepta’s face beamed. “You both stood as pillars of light and strength when my village needed you most, but I have always known you were meant for more. Go forth in love and nourish your sacred soul flame bond. Use it as a guide to rule with kindness and wisdom.”

“Thank you, Nepta,” I said, throwing my arms around her small frame. “Thank you for always sensing something more within me and believing in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself. ”

“Of course, child. I look forward to witnessing the prosperity you two will bring to Viltarran, Luneth, and beyond.”

“What of the dark crystals?” I asked, making eye contact with Rowen. Keeli barreled into my arms as if the mere mention of the Dark Spirit terrified her. I clutched her close as her long tail cascaded down my arm.

“Driskell and I have returned them to the Sacred Vale,” Nepta replied, offering the starwing a gentle pat to calm her. “They could not remain out in the open where anyone could find them. They must never fall into the wrong hands, for I believe Erovos’ power can be accessed through the stones.”

“Are you sure?” I asked. “We can take them or find a way to hide them in the Crypts where no one will ever find them.”

Nepta shook her head. “The Wyn once guarded the Light that needed to be protected from the world. But it is you who guards that Light now, and we must protect the world from the dark crystals. It is our duty.”

“You have Viltarran’s aid in whatever you need,” Rowen said, his voice steady yet sincere as he held me and Keeli.

“Always,” I agreed, knowing the dark crystals were safest with Nepta.

“It is settled then,” Nepta said, continuing to walk the path to the Sacred Vale alone. “I shall see you at tonight’s ceremony. Make sure to bring a luminorb.”

A memorial service was held at the beach for all the warriors, animals, and elves who had succumbed to Erovos’ darkness. And for Maddock, the Synodic Son who’d sacrificed himself to save us all.

It was a beautiful evening. The stars and comets reflected on the calm ocean as the forest flourished behind us. Rowen stood by my side, his strong presence grounding as Keeli hovered nearby.

I wished we could’ve held the service near the Sylvan Mother Tree, but the valley was still recovering.

The land had sustained extensive damage and needed time to heal.

Though it gave me peace knowing Indrasyl was whole and complete, and that her healing roots already stretched to the Wyn village, I still missed being near Maddock.

I tried speaking with the Sylvan Mother Tree inside the Hymma, but it appeared she was in some sort of healing stasis. It took a lot to repair a world, so I understood. I hoped one day, I could speak with her again. Maybe even Maddock, too. Somehow.

He would probably say something like— It took me becoming a tree for you to declare a ceasefire between us? Glad we could finally get to the root of our issues.

He would say it with a smile, and I would roll my eyes at his inappropriate joke. What a smart ass! But even now, I couldn’t help but smile.

“The fallen shall always be remembered and honored for their sacrifice,” Nepta called out, her obsidian headdress and half-moon staff shimmering in the starlight.

People and elves from all over Luneth had traveled to the Wyn beach, each one holding a glowing luminorb within their hands.

“Release your memorial lanterns to the wind and let their light shine from this life to the next.”

I opened my palms, letting the wind carry my luminorb to the sky. Tears streamed down my face as thousands of orbs soared and reflected over the water.

The sight was peaceful, infinite, and reflected eternity.

The luminorbs represented all those we had lost, but my eyes never left the one I dedicated to Maddock. I missed him so damn much, it hurt .