Page 34 of Fake Dating the Dragon

I smile, my palms splaying across his shoulder blades, “Merry Christmas.”

Turns out you can and should ask the universe for what you want, but if you’re really lucky, it will give you exactly what you need.

EPILOGUE

Penny

Christmas Eve in Madison

One Year Later

“Okay,I’m not exactly sure what I’m doing here,” Hazel says, looking down at the dice scattered across their play mat. “It’s a six, and my strength modifier adds two, so that’s an 8.”

Asher reaches and knocks the tiny monster statue on its side, “The Scorpio Guard lets out a shriek as your cudgel slams into his breastplate and then collapses, his legs splaying across the stone floor of the dungeon.”

“You did it!” I grab my twin’s shoulder.

It’s so wild how much one’s life can change in a year. After Christmas, the entire family dynamic changed, as Violet had predicted it might. She’s loving her time in New York with her mate and the boys, she says it’s just like Madison in a way and keeps her from being homesick. I can’t wait to see her next Christmas.

My mom finally apologized close to Easter. It was around the time she heard through my siblings I was thinking about movingin with Asher. She told me she doesn’t fully support my choices, but she’s going to stop pressuring me. Small victories.

The family Christmas is going to happen via Zoom, which feels like a step in the right direction. Christmas Eve, on the other hand, is the beginning of a new tradition. Asher put together a special Dungeon Raider game to include his friends along with Hazel and their partner Alice.

We’re currently deep in a dungeon looking for the fabled Ring of Adara, which was created by the dark wizard for his beloved wife. It’s the key to ending the darkness that has descended over the kingdom.

“You’re up, Penny.” Asher moves the two figurines representing the Scorpio Guard closer to the group.

I nod and check my cards before biting my lip. “Remind me what I’m dealing with here. Hazel just took out the first guard.”

He gestures, “One guard is incapacitated by Alice’s sleep spell and the other is readying his attack.”

“And the ring is right back there in that room?”

He tilts his head, “It might be. You can’t be sure.”

I shuffle between my two artifacts, one I pulled from the deck and the other dropped from one of the earlier monsters. “I want to use my Staff of Ravenous Tentacles on the second guard, the one who is attacking.”

Clark lets out a holler, “Get ‘em, girl!”

Taking a deep breath, I pick up my sky blue dice and toss them onto the table. “That’s 3 damage, multiplied by 5, with a radius of 10 steps.”

Asher shakes his head and knocks both of the guards on their sides, “Thick black tentacles break through the stone floor, wrapping around the guards and thrashing, knocking them against the wall. They are done.” He glances up at me, “Do you want to check the room?”

“Yes.” I bounce in my seat and move my tiny character into the large empty room.

“When you step past the threshold, the torches roar to life one by one, illuminating the spacious room until you can see a large marble pedestal topped with a dusty red velvet pillow with a ring box perched on top. You notice the walls are gold, etched with an ancient design you recognize as the deep arcana, a language used by the elder wizards. Elaborate runes aren’t a spell, but a love poem dedicated to his wife, Adara.” He stands and walks over to my side of the table before reaching into his pocket and producing a hardwood box. “My love, for you, I would rend the stars from the heavens and thread them through your golden hair. I cannot imagine anyone else I would rather spend an eternity with, my heart, my muse and my beloved.”

“Asher, what are you doing?” I glance around the table, my heart racing.

He drops onto a knee beside me, cracking open the clamshell box and revealing a blue-green sapphire set in gold, similar to the one I added to my “not-so-secret” wedding Pinterest board the moment we started talking about marriage.

“Penny Evelyn Woodhouse, will you marry me?”

“Yes!” I cry out, covering my mouth before giving him a nod. “Yes.”

The table erupts in cheers around us as he places the ring on my finger. I throw my arms around his neck and kiss him, melting against him as he clings to me, his hands shaking.

“Merry Christmas Eve.” He whispers in my ear.

“Merry Christmas Eve.”