Page 50 of Frosty and the Reaper

When their lips met, it was a kiss to seal that promise. Time seemed to stand still as they shared that perfect moment together, and the echoes of magic and turmoil faded under the brilliance of their love.

Epilogue

“We are beinginvaded.”

Kami wanted to laugh at Zander’s morose tone.

While her powerful mate hadn’t flinched in the face of danger, he was practically undone by the number of visitors they’d had since their return to the In Between. Not only had her friends and family followed them home, several of the recently released reapers had also joined them.

Sitting on Zander’s lap in one of the open pagodas, she glanced around at the crowd of people and smiled. All the people she cared about were gathered together, so it was hard not to smile. Well, there were a few people missing, but she gave them a pass. Her relationship with her father might never be mended, but he had accepted the fruit from the Tree of Life she had gifted him and had shared it with his mate. They were still healing together, but Kami no longer felt as if she owed them anything.

Also missing from the party were Lia and Raziel.

After Lia had healed Raziel with her blood, she had almost died. Once he realized what he had done, he had healed her and freed Kami from her shackles so she could stop her own bleeding. With the last of his strength, he’d wrap himself around Lia’s unconscious form before succumbing to his wounds.

But he didn’t die.

He couldn’t die.

For centuries, he had been living in a perpetual state of torment. In order to keep him trapped, Famine had continuously used blood sacrifices to keep him caged and contained in a dark room buried deep below the Autumn Kingdom.

Famine had taken refuge in the Autumn Kingdom after the curse had failed. It had taken him a long time to recover, but thatprocess had sped up once he started draining magic from other supernaturals. For centuries, Famine had kept Raziel prisoner. No one knew exactly what he had gone through, but whatever it was must have been horrible by looking at the state of his body.

When the conventional methods hadn’t worked to wake them, Zander and Kami had decided to bring Raziel and Lia back to the In Between with them to heal. They’d taken them to the cavern with the Tree of Life and the Fountain of Youth, hoping to ask for help to wake them.

Instead of providing the typical solution by offering fruit, the Tree of Life had astounded everyone present by conjuring a magnificent canopy bed using its sprawling branches. Woven together from sturdy branches, silvery vines, and shimmering leaves, the bed had enveloped Raziel and Lia in a blanket of verdant protection and healing magic.

It was clear that it was no ordinary gesture. The tree had offered its own sanctuary, sheltering them with its ancient power. It was even more shocking when the Fountain of Youth had risen from the depths of the lake and sent tiny droplets of water to nourish the bed and the sleeping couple. In all his years of visiting the cavern, Zander had never witnessed such a miraculous display of healing magic, but he had been glad for it.

Kami and Zander wanted both of their friends to recover from their ordeal.

“Come with me, mate. There is something I wish to show you.”

When Zander held out his hand to her, Kami took it with a smile. As they started down one of the covered walkways, she pulled him to a stop when she saw Lucifer huddled together with a beautiful female with bright red hair. She knew the female looked familiar but couldn’t place her. Then, she remembered exactly who the female was, and her jaw dropped open.

“Isn’t that the Goddess of Pain?”

“It is,” Devon said as she walked over to join them with her own mate.

Lowering her voice, Kami said, “Don’t tell me those two are, like, together now.”

“Oh, hell, no,” Braxton denied quickly. “Could you imagine what a fucking nightmare that would be? They are just bonding over their…shared interests.”

That was a scary thought.

Leaving them behind, Zander led her to a pavilion with a clear crystal roof. She hadn’t noticed that building before, then quickly realized it was new.

“What is this building?”

“It’s yours,” he told her. “Go ahead and take a look inside.”

Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open and gasped in shock.

The art studio was a sanctuary of light and inspiration, nestled within the pavilion crowned by a crystal ceiling that gave her an endless view of the night sky above. Starlight cast intricate patterns of light across the polished wooden floors, filling the entire space with a gentle, natural glow.

The studio was spacious and open, designed to foster creativity and collaboration. Along one wall were long shelves that displayed jars of vibrant pigments, brushes of every size, and a variety of sculpting tools. Large tables were set up in another area, their surfaces polished with a shimmering gleam, and easels stood in neat rows, ready to be used.

While most of the space was empty, it was filled with the promise of creativity and potential. Her eyes stung when she saw several of her own paintings hanging on the walls, artfully displayed under glowing spotlights.

Spinning around, she wrapped her arms around Zander and hugged him hard. “Thank you, Zander.” She let out a shaky laugh, overwhelmed by the depth of what she was feeling. “Inever dreamed I’d find someone who would see me, truly see me, and give me a place that feels like home.”

“You are very welcome, beloved.” Leaning down, he pressed his forehead to hers. “You are home to me. No matter where we are, as long as I’m with you, I have everything I need. Since you have filled my world with light and color, it was only fair to try to give a little back to you.”

Leaning back, she smiled up at him with tears in her eyes. “You are my light. My love. My everything.”

Zander cupped her face gently, brushing away a tear with his thumb. “And you are mine. Always and forever.”