Byron’s eyes widen slightly but then he exhales and leans closer, bracing himself on the bed. He quirks a brow as he holds my gaze. “And what are you going to do since we aren’t home?”
“I suppose I’ll just have to settle for kissing you here in this infirmary.”
“Willow,” Byron says pulling back slightly, looking me over with concern. “Are you sure you’re all right? You must have hit your head.”
“Please, call me Lo if you want. And I don’t think I’ve ever been quite so certain in my entire life.” I push up onto my knees and grasp Byron’s shoulders. I guide him down, the bed sags under his weight as he braces a knee next to me. Then I press my lips against his.
Epilogue
An ending is only ever a way to experience a new beginning.
—The teachings of Saint Miguel on mortality and the disappearance of the Maker
Earlyautumnpaintsalovely picture of reds and oranges in the trees around Woodsbury. I hadn’t thought that I would be back around this time. I had figured I would still be at the academy, and then after I was picked up by a knight, I would only have precious few days to call my own when my patron decided. I probably wouldn’t have had enough time to visit Woodsbury.
I guess I figured that when my days as a knight were up, and I had filled my life with adventure then I would finally settle down back at Woodsbury. But until that time came, I’d travel the world.
Marvin sighs heavily as we approach the bridge that crosses the small stream that winds around the border of Woodsbury. “Do you think Istaria is married by now?”
“I don’t think she’s gotten married in the last five minutes since you last asked,” Byron replies with a roll of his eyes.
Marvin shakes his head. “I just can’t believe that Menavillion forced her into marriage. No one should be forced into something like that.”
“Marvin, you need to stop pining over her. She nearly got you killed, her selfish actions did get that templar killed,” I say, patting his shoulder. “You’remuchbetter off without her.”
“She only did all that horrible stuff because…” Marvin glances at Byron and snaps his mouth shut. “Never mind.”
Because of Calder, who did it because of Byron who did it because of his mother who did it because of Menavillion, and it’s all just a cycle of blame isn’t it? Still, I think whether she thought she was in love or not Istaria should be responsible for her own actions. Calder may have manipulated her, but she still was the one to come up with the horrible idea of hiring cultist and having her guard killed to make it look like a true ambush.
She’s Menavillion’s problem now, whether he chose to marry her out of revenge or because he truly loved her, I suppose no longer matters. He is far away, and I’ll likely never see either of them again.
“Do you think if Istaria had not been so cruelly forced to wed that… she and I—”
“No,” Byron says with snort, cutting him off.
I reach out and cuff his shoulder. “Be nice!”
“Of course, darling,” he says, his eyes twinkling. He turns back to Marvin. “I’m sorry, but no.”
Marvin huffs out a dejected breath but doesn’t argue. “I’m going to stay in Woodsbury this time,” he mutters. “I don’t think I can handle anymore fae. Not you, of course, Willow, but the other ones.”
I nod once. “Okay, but you’re the one who needs to convince your father to give up on his dreams of you attaining a magical lineage.”
Marvin grumbles under his breath and Byron smiles at me as Marvin trudges on ahead. He reaches his hand out, wriggling his fingers. I slide my hand into his and he presses a kiss to it. “You know, you could very well stay here as well. You don’t have to go back, Lo.”
I’m shaking my head before he finishes his sentence. “I’m not ready to give up on my dreamjustyet, Byron Coalbiter. I still intend to be a knight, perhaps not Menavillion’s, but someone else’s.”
“I’ll just miss you so,” Byron grumbles.
I stop and rest a hand on his cheek. “I’ll miss you too. I’ll write you as often as I can.”
“You make certain that you do because if a singledaygoes by where I don’t hear from you, I’m heading to Skyshire to hunt you down.”
I laugh lightly. “I’ll have studies.”
“I’m more important than those.”
“Are you certain that you won’t come back to the academy with me?”
