The other wraith lords had stopped cheering. They gathered around us and silently—reverently—witnessed a hero being laid to rest. I would make sure they knew it was Aranren who had saved us, not me. I would be dead if Ara hadn't found the strength to fight Death one last time. He knew it was the only way to end the war. I think he'd always known.
When Ara's body was reassembled as much as it could be, I laid down beside him and held him. I must have looked insane. Hideous. But I didn't care. I needed to hold Ara one last time. I closed my eyes and pretended he was there. People gasped, but I ignored them. And then my mind must have broken because I heard Aranren speak.
“Ember,” Ara whispered.
“I love you,” I said and nestled closer. “Goodbye, Ara. Thank you.”
His voice turned teasing—utterly inappropriate for a corpse. “But I've only just returned.”
I frowned. “I have to let you go.”
“Never, my love. Never let me go.”
“Ember,” Xae said again, his voice breaking.
“Just a few more minutes,” I begged.
“Holy fuck, Ember!” Graysen shouted. “He's alive! Aranren is alive. Open your fucking eyes, you dumb asshole!”
I jerked back and met Ara's pale stare. Still ice blue but love warmed it. His elegant hand lifted to stroke my hair back, and he placed a chaste kiss on my lips.
“What the fuck?!” I shrieked and scrambled away from him.
Ara sat up, a glow settling into his skin at the places where he'd been torn apart. He smiled at me. “You were right, my love. She is beautiful, kind, and generous. She forgave me.”
“Ara?” I whispered. “You're really alive? But no one could come back from that.”
“Not without divine help.” Aranren got to his feet, cracked his neck, and stretched his back before he reached a hand down to me. “Evidently, I have redeemed myself and earned a second chance at life. You are my reward, love. And I am yours.”
I took Ara's hand and leapt up with a shriek of joy. I fell forward, but he caught me, and then my other lovers were closing in around us, forming a ring of love that nothing could break.
“Thank you,” I prayed to the Goddess. “Thank you.”
“Divine prophecy has been fulfilled,” Earth said in a dramatic rumble. “Death has been conquered by the Spark of the Goddess and the Corrupted One. Varr is free at last.”
“In other words, it's time to party!” Fire shouted.
Cheering came again, but I was still distracted. This time, it was by love. And not just that of the men embracing me. A shiver of love washed over me and it was distinctly feminine. And full of Spirit Magic. The Goddess was pleased.
Chapter Forty-One
A week later, I woke up in Aranren's arms. It still felt like a dream. But every morning, the sun shone on a world free of Death. Well, not death as in the end of life or the magic. Those still existed. But the Consciousness of Death was imprisoned in a box of elements and spirit, guarded by the Goddess herself. She even visited the Emperor in a dream to assure him that it was truly over this time.
The Wraith Lords had been reassigned as a new type of soldier. They helped the Emperor's army keep the peace, specifically assigned to the more dangerous situations. They still wore their pendants and answered summons, but they didn't use their wraiths anymore. There were no Corrupted to free. Now, they were simply the Lords. But I didn't think they'd be summoned often. No one wanted to fuck with them.
I say “them” because I was no longer a lord of any sort.
My lovers and I had happily retired. Together, we had enough money saved to live comfortably for a very long time. When that ran out, we'd figure out what we wanted to do. But for now, we were focused on settling into a new life. Starting with forming a routine.
So far, I had spent a day with each of my lovers in our new homes—two with Rath and Xae since they were sharing. Ihad begun with Ara and now was back to him. So far, so good. Although we were just starting and would test it out before deciding on something to stick with for a while. The men were still bonded, so they wanted to spend time together as well. We were thinking of making day seven into a combined visit. Ara had offered his fortress for our use.
Everyone had made a face at that, but now that Death was gone, the fortress wasn't so gloomy. The taint and heaviness had left with that evil consciousness, and Ara was quickly using elemental magic to revive the place. Our bedroom, for instance, was an airy space with three walls full of windows, sheer curtains that billowed in the sweet air, and a huge, plush bed canopied in climbing—thornless—roses.
I sighed and squinted.
“What's that look about?” Aranren asked.
I turned to find him awake and smiling softly at me, his pale hair glowing in the sunlight.
