“What? When?”
“She’s just over four months along. I tried calling you right after we got the news. I wanted you to know you were going to be an aunt.”
Charlie had to sit down on the kitchen floor for that one and hug Flo.
“So, you just got engaged? Who is he?" Joey asked.
"He’s a former Ranger turned blacksmith. He's enormous and gentle and he makes chainmail and he sings folk songs and he's the best man I've ever met and he lovesBattleLore."
"He’s a blacksmith who lovesBattleLore." She could hear the grin in Joey’s voice. "Of course he is. Of coursemysister ends up with a guy like that."
My sister.The words hit her somewhere she hadn't known was still tender.
"So, I'm on leave until the new year. Maybe," Joey said carefully, like he was afraid of pushing too hard, "we could—if you wanted—maybe we could meet up? No pressure. I just…I really want to meet your blacksmith. And you could meet my wife."
Charlie pressed her back against the kitchen cabinets and stared at the ceiling.
"Yeah." Her voice came out rough. "Yeah, Joey. I really want that too."
They talked for another hour, until Charlie heard a woman’s voice the background asking if everything was okay because the food was getting cold and Joey said, his voice warm and proud, “It'sCharlie. It’s my sister calling me back. We’re gonna meet up, baby. She’s excited for us.”
After they finally said goodnight, Charlie sat in the dark kitchen for a long moment, the phone still warm in her hand, Flo’s head on her leg. She thought briefly about her mum and wondered if she'd ever be brave enough for that particular phone call.
Not tonight. But maybe someday.
Especially since it looked like Joey was back in her life. Maybe they could reach out to their mother together.
She got up and went back to Ben.
He stirred as she settled against him. "Everything okay?" he murmured without opening his eyes.
"Better than okay." She tucked herself carefully into his side and looked at the ring on her finger. "I'll tell you in the morning."
He pulled her closer.
“Merry Christmas, Princess,” he said softly.
“Merry Christmas, Ben the Forger of the Ember Sword.”
She looked at the ring on her finger, then at the drawing of her friend Sean and his brothers propped on the mantel. Looked at the man in her arms—her blacksmith, her gentle giant, her home.
“I love you,” Charlie whispered.
“I love you too.” Ben pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Always.”
Outside, snow began to fall. Soft and gentle and nothing like an avalanche.
Just gentle and beautiful.
The beautiful beginning of their always.
TWENTY-FIVE
“Are yousure, Kyle?”Arden’s voice trembled. Her silver-grey eyes darkened and she reached for the fireplace mantel to steady herself.
“Affirmative, baby. Once you see it, you can’t unsee it.”
Arden dropped her chin forward. A tear fell straight down and splashed onto the bricks.
