Epilogue
One year later
“Were you awarethat an infant can squall louder than one of your sister’s storms?” Daric asked, placing the little silver-haired bundle into his wife’s outstretched arms.
Princess Cassia Starflower Ash immediately began rooting around for her mother’s breast.
“My goodness, I’ve only just fed her.” Rain looked in concern at her perfectly red-faced, grunting daughter.
“She’s voracious,” Daric said, feeling slightly less harried now that Rain was done with her bath and could nurse their daughter. He’d tried everything. Singing. Bouncing. Swinging. Cuddling. Cassia had wanted nothing but her mother.
He understood. He’d felt that way for years.
“Voracious.” Rain glanced up with a sly smile after Cassia had found what she was looking for. “Like her father.”
The teasing heat behind her words sent an instant bolt of desire through him. “I’ll show you voracious,” he teased back with a low growl. “As soon as Cassia is asleep, and my hearing goes back to normal.”
Rain chuckled. The sound would never cease to amaze him, not only because it was beautiful, like dewdrops on spring flowers, but because he’d once thought he’d never hear it again. His heartstill exploded with joy and relief each morning he woke up next to his stunning, powerful wife. The only woman he’d ever wanted.
“My parents have promised to take her out for a stroll after her nap and let us collapse from exhaustion.”
Cocking her head to one side, Rain gazed down at their infant daughter. Cassia was two moons old, incredibly demanding, and growing like a weed in summer. “It’sodd, wanting a respite and yet not wanting to let her out of my sight.”
“They’ll take good care of her,” Daric assured her, smoothing Rain’s damp hair back when it slid forward. “I’ve never seen more proud and doting grandparents.”
She looked up again. “They’re wonderful with her.” Rain bit her lip, and her lake-blue eyes roamed over him with blatant interest. “And I’m not all that exhausted,”she added.
If Cassia hadn’t been between them, Daric would have pounced. He was still the Hallerhound Prince, after all, not quite tamed and definitely not placid, even though he’d started looking and acting more civilized again. Their time apart had given them both an edge that would never disappear entirely. Desperation had left its mark on him, and he still woke some nights in a sweat, hisheart pounding a hole through his ribs and his voice raw from shouting for Rain.
But she was there now when he woke from his nightmares, right next to him, soothing his fear and anguish with soft words and hot touches. They’d twine together like vines, and he’d make love to her with an intensity that bordered on broken. But every day that went by, he felt less like he might shatter, and morelike everything in his life was whole again, including him.
“She’s asleep,” Rain whispered. “That didn’t take long.”
Daric took Cassia and gently laid her in her cradle. He went back to his wife and pulled her into his arms. “She just needed you to comfort her.”
Just as he did. As he always would.
Rain smiled, and when she did, no matter where they were, inside or out, day or night, it wasas though the sun came out to shine upon him.
