I suddenly knew why I’d been allowed to regress—because her heart had broken, too, knowing I’d be separated from Edwin. I was so thankful for her, for her faith in me, that I told protocol to go hang.
I threw both arms around her waist and hugged her tight.
“Thank you,” I spoke against her shoulder, feeling choked up with too many emotions to name. “Thank you for the second chance.”
“You are more than welcome. I’m glad I did. I knew you’d succeed on the second try.” She squeezed me tight for a second before stepping back, her smile gentle and warm. “You must return, but remember, you both are very loved. Now, off with you.”
She laid a kiss against my forehead—a benediction, or a blessing.
Then, with a snap, I was back in my body. I barely registered my return before pain racked me from head to toe.
“Owww, fuck, owwwwww.” I knelt on the ground, just breathing and wishing for a nap. Apparently, being inhabited by a goddess was hard on mortal flesh. I felt like I’d tried to cage lightning with my own body.
Was I complaining? Hell no. My goddess had finished the battle for me, and it was worth every bit of pain. Plus, hey, I’d lived this time! Yay, go me!
Mage Rexword scuttled to my side, kneeling and supporting me, his eyes worried. “Your Majesty, are you all right?”
“If you have a pain-relieving potion on you,” I panted out, “I’ll take twelve.”
“Start with two.”
“Spoilsport.” I was relieved he had them, though, and tossed both back despite the sour taste. Their magic flowed through me, and I felt better already with my next deep breath. “Thank you. Our losses?”
“A dozen, which is amazing, all things considered.”
“Truly. Tell your mages there’s no need to put a ward up. The portal is completely sealed. Goddess Vuheia did that herself before leaving.”
His eyes bulged right out of his head. “Is that who was possessing you?”
“Indeed. We owe her much thanks. I’ll throw a banquet in her honor when we’re back. Maybe donate half my fortune to her temples. Seriously, we’d be dead without her aid.” I grabbed another potion bottle from him, as I still felt like I was a single banana peel away from a grave. “Call Edwin.”
While he pulled a mirror free of his pocket, I looked about. The testament of battle showed all around me—scorch marks dented the earth, buildings had gaping wounds from the impact of the fight, blood splatters from the injured and fallen painted the ground, but it wasn’t as bad as the last time I’d battled demons. This town was still intact. It could have been far worse.
There were many ex-possessed who were still down, and the troops focused on helping them, obeying the directions the priests gave. I hoped there were enough places to put all the people to recover. I was glad my soldiers realized these poor souls were victims too and treated them accordingly. No one had wanted to be in this battle.
Well, aside from the demons.
Poor Victor’s and Valentina’s bodies lay not far away. No longer acting as hosts for demons, every injury they’d sustained in battle had reinstated itself. They’d been killed, in essence, once the demon’s power no longer healed their flesh. Neither of them had deserved this ending, per se, but I couldn’t feel upset about their deaths. Not after all they had done. I’d see they had proper burials, though. To avoid them becoming some ghostly menaces, if nothing else.
Rexword presented the mirror and I oriented myself, still tired enough to desperately want sleep, but at least the pain felt more like overused muscles and fatigue than wrestling with electric eels.
Edwin’s image came into focus in two seconds, so he must have kept a mirror on hand this whole time. Of course he had.
“James.” He greeted me with relieved urgency, his whole body leaning toward the mirror. “How fare you?”
“It’s done. The Demon King, Valentina, all the possessed—everyone’s been defeated.”
His eyes closed with blatant relief. “You?”
“Not injured. Exhausted. Goddess Vuheia answered the spell to possess me. Turns out, being host to a goddess feels like harboring lightning.”
Jaw dropped, he spluttered for a second. “That’s who the spell calls?”
“I don’t know if it called her specifically, but she’s the one who answered. Which makes sense, as she’s my goddess. Of course she’d have an easier time with me than the other gods. But for now, beloved, know this: All our enemies are vanquished, the portal has been permanently sealed by Vuheia herself, and she’s promised it will not open again. We’ve won.”
The truth of my words resonated down to my bones. We had won.I had won. It wasn’t just the battle I’d waged, defeating the Demon King again, although that was significant all by itself. I’dwon all around. I had everything I had ever wanted. Valentina was no longer a threat to me, there was no screwup Victor to deal with, nothing loomed on the horizon, threatening to decimate half my country.
I’d won Edwin’s heart this time, married him—a dream I’d never thought I could actually realize—and now Vuheia herself had promised me I could live in peace with him for the rest of our natural lives.
