Page 20 of Raven Blackwood (Cyborg Guardians #2)

Hannah

Two years later

The town of Brislow is thriving, not just surviving, as we were under the chokehold of Jenkins and his gang. Tom Barrows and the council voted in by the people ran the town fairly and honestly. They were all grateful for Raven’s hand in removing Jenkins from power.

Now, everyone had a voice, and we had a set of laws to ensure fairness and equal opportunity for all.

They named Raven acting sheriff in addition to his title of protector.

His duties didn’t change much. I think they did it just because it made them feel better.

They trusted his loyalty because he’d fought to protect them when nobody else could.

In the Spring of the following year, Raven and I married traditionally in front of the whole town, with Mayor Tom Barrows officiating.

We had a lovely celebration in the old saloon.

The Cyborg Rangers had revived the custom of traditional marriage just a couple of years before Raven and I met. It was a beautiful thing.

Once Raven brought in the new machine to plant and harvest, our fields were greener than I’d ever seen. We had started our herd of cattle to provide for the growing population. Zach and Grace had their hands full with a lively two-year-old with boundless energy and his father's stubbornness.

Grace and I were pregnant together. She was having her second child, and I was having our first. We both had daughters weeks apart. They named their daughter Jesse May Lawrence, and we named our daughter Emma Raven Blackwood. When we married, I took Blackwood as my last name.

Raven

I held Emma, her tiny fingers gripping my thumb with surprising strength. Emma Raven Blackwood. Hannah had insisted that she take my name, even though I told her it didn’t matter. But she wanted us to be a family, all of us.

I sat on the porch, cradling Emma against my chest as she dozed. The sun was setting, its golden light painting the world in soft hues. Hannah came out of the house, wiping her hands on a rag, her smile warm and tired.

“How’s she doing?” Hannah asked, her eyes shining with the kind of happiness I’d once thought I’d never deserve.

“She’s perfect.” I brushed my thumb along Emma’s downy hair, my chest swelling with a fierce, protective love.

Hannah sat down beside me, leaning her head against my shoulder. “Tom’s calling for another council meeting next week. He wants you to come.”

“Anything wrong?” I asked, already scanning the horizon as if danger might creep over the hills.

“No. Just more discussions about expanding the town’s boundaries, drawing up new trade routes with the Enclave.” She chuckled softly. “Tom’s really grown into the role. You should be proud of him.”

“I am.”

We watched the sun sink lower, the air cooling as night approached. The ranch was quiet and peaceful—everything I’d ever wanted.

“Do you think you’ll ever take the Enclave’ s offer?” Hannah asked after a while.

“Expand my jurisdiction to the whole state?” I shook my head. “No. I’ll help where I can, but my place is here, with you and her.”

Hannah smiled, her hand finding mine. “Good, because we need you here, and I want you here, building our life together.”

We sat there until the stars blinked into existence, the cool breeze rustling through the pines. And for the first time since my awakening, I felt something I hadn’t known I was missing.

Peace.

The End

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