"Yeah. You've never forgotten the annoying little sister of the girl you were trying to charm into your bed, who was sending you baleful looks because she saw right through you."
Esag laughed. "That too. But I wasn't angry at you for that. I admired your loyalty to your sister and your fierceness. There was nothing timid about you. You were fire."
She looked into his smiling eyes. "Aren't you afraid to be burned?"
"Not at all. Your fire warms my heart. I want to build a life with you. A home."
Tula never had that before, and she hadn't even dared to wish for it.
"But if you join the Guardian force, you won't have time for your art. You'll be training, fighting, and rescuing victims of trafficking, which is very noble, but I don't want you to sacrifice something you love just so you can support me."
He smiled, that gentle, slightly lopsided smile that made her want to kiss him. "I can always carve as a hobby."
"You've already decided, haven't you?"
He nodded. "I've been drifting for thousands of years, and carving fit that lifestyle. I'm not drifting anymore, and I need a change of occupation."
Tula studied his face, searching for signs of regret; there were none. Just a quiet determination.
"You'd be good at it," she said. "I still remember you when you squired for Khiann. You were magnificent with a sword in hand."
"Well, thank you, my lady." He executed a perfect bow. "I was quite skilled with the sword. Not that it would do me any good as a Guardian now, but some things don't change no matter the weapons used."
"Like what?"
"Basics like how to assess a threat, how to protect what matters, how to stay calm under pressure." He lifted one hand to cup her cheek. "I've spent five millennia wandering, Tula. Searching for purpose, for meaning, for something worth fighting for. Now I've found it. I have found you. If becoming a Guardian is what it takes to build a life with you, then that's what I'll do."
Tula's throat tightened with emotion, and she rose on her tiptoes to press her lips to his, right there in the middle of the pathway where anyone might see.
She didn't care.
The kiss was soft and sweet, a promise rather than a demand. When they parted, Esag rested his forehead against hers, his breath warm on her skin. "I love you," he murmured. "I know you're not ready to say it back, and that's okay. But I need you to know. Making a home for you, for our family, is more important to me than anything else."
Our family. The words wrapped around her heart like a warm blanket.
"I have strong feelings for you," Tula whispered. "Very strong feelings. I just need more time to figure out what to call them."
"Take all the time you need." He kissed her forehead. "I'm not going anywhere."
They stood there for a moment longer, wrapped in each other's arms, before Tula reluctantly pulled away.
"We should go. We'll be late for the party."
"Would that be so terrible?"
"Yes." She swatted his arm lightly. "This party is for the ladies and me. We can't skip it to go back home and have more wild sex, no matter how much I'd prefer it."
Esag laughed and offered her his arm again. "Then let's not keep your adoring public waiting."
They'd almost reached the village green when Tula spotted two familiar figures walking toward them from a side path. Ravikiand Sarah, both dressed in new outfits that they had gotten from the same boutique.
Raviki wore a flowing red dress that matched her fiery personality, the fabric swirling dramatically around her ankles as she walked. Her dark hair was piled on top of her head in an elaborate arrangement. Sarah, by contrast, had chosen something simpler, a soft blue sheath dress that brought out the color of her eyes, her blond hair hanging loose around her shoulders.
"Tula!" Raviki's voice carried across the distance as she waved enthusiastically. "Look at you! You're ravishing. Practically glowing."
"It's the pregnancy," Tula said. "It makes everything glow, including my ankles."
"Oh, stop it." Raviki pulled her into a hug, mindful of her belly. "You look gorgeous, and there is nothing wrong with your ankles. They look amazing in these sandals, and this dress is perfect on you."
