“For you? Always.”
I roll onto my side and pull her against me, placing her so her back is pressed to my chest. My hand splays over that small swell of her stomach.
“I can’t believe we’re going to be parents,” I murmur against her hair. “After everything we’ve been through.”
She covers my hand with hers. “Are you scared?”
“Terrified.” I’m honest with her. I’m always honest with her. “But also excited. Hopeful. Things I haven’t let myself feel in centuries.”
She’s quiet for a moment, then: “Lucian and Astra’s daughter is beautiful. When I hold her, I can barely breathe. She’s so small.”
“You’ll be a wonderful mother,” I assure her.
She turns in my arms so she’s facing me, and her eyes search mine. “What happens now?”
“Now?” I consider the question, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Now we live. We build a home. We raise our children. We grow old together.”
She nods, satisfied. “I like that.”
Outside our window, I hear the sounds of the palace settling in for the night. Lucian is probably standing guard over his daughter while she sleeps. Seth is likely checking the perimeter one more time. Daciana’s brothers are probably trying to come to terms with their new lives, still grieving the loss of their family. It’ll take time, but they’ll heal.
“Kieran?” Daciana’s voice is drowsy now, sleep pulling at her.
“Yes, love?”
“Thank you for not giving up on me. For all these lifetimes.”
“Always.”
She doesn’t respond. Her breathing has already evened out, deep and steady. I listen to it for a long time, this simple proof that she’s alive, that she’s mine, that we made it through the darkness.
My hand drifts back to her stomach, to that small bulge. Our child. Our future.
Tomorrow, we’ll face whatever comes next. But tonight, I just hold them both.
And for the first time in my long, bloody life, I feel complete.
Untitled
Epilogue: Five Years Later
Daciana
“I don’t see why we have to go when you’re expecting,” Kieran says, watching me pack another bag. I just know his arms are crossed over his chest, with that stubborn set to his jaw that usually means he has already lost the argument but refuses to admit it.
I don’t even look up from folding Veer’s tiny dresses. “It’s Selene’s first baby.”
“I know that, but—”
“I’m not going to miss it.” I turn to face him, one hand resting on the slight swell of my stomach. “She’s one of my best friends. I was there for Astra when Jaylene was born. I’m going to be there for Selene, too.”
He sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Fine. But why are we taking all three children?”
“All three?” I laugh, moving to him and sliding my arms around his waist. “Kieran, Anson has only been to the palace once. He barely remembers it. And the girls have never met Astra or Selene properly. I want to introduce them.”
His hands settle on my hips, and the sensation is warm and familiar. “They’re going to cause chaos wherever they go.”
“They’re always causing chaos.” I rise on my toes to kiss his cheek. “But they’re our chaos.”
