Epilogue
In the aftermath of both realms adjusting to new policies, Darrius eventually took some of the wards down, and new trade agreements between Everlea and Oryndhr were negotiated. While Roshan is no longer king, he still advises the new council in an official capacity, which works well for everyone. It’s the start of a prosperous, mutually beneficial, peaceful relationship between two formerly feuding realms.
The hope is that magic will eventually return to Oryndhr.
My Starkeeper magic also came in handy to build a permanent portal bridge between the palace in Kaldari and the one in Verisia. It’s like walking from one room to another, and the convenience is wonderful when it comes to practicality and accessibility. I did the same from Kaldari to Coban so that my father and Amma can always visit.
Now fully recovered thanks to Nuadar—who despite my grovelingstillhasn’t quite warmed up to me, though I’m determined to win him over one day—Papa has announced that once things settle down and go back to normal, he and Amma will be getting married in Coban.
And finally, after weeks of preparation, the time of the wedding has arrived.
I’m excited to have Darrius visit the place where I grew up, for Roshan to see it anew and certainly not while under the influence of a dark god. Needless to say, the village is in a fraught state now that the king and former king of two realms will be in attendance.
When Darrius arrives, he causes quite a few young women and men to swoon, which isn’t surprising. Those dark good looks, his onyx crown over moon-kissed hair, and his towering build will weaken the legs of anyone with a working pulse. I restrain my territorial urges to snarl at anyone staring too long, and instead try to behave like the gracious queen I am.
You’re not fooling anyone, pátni.His honeyed rasp makes shivers coast down my spine.I can feel your jealousy down the bond.
I amtryingto be a demure, well-behaved lady.
Even from where he stands on the other side of the crowded square with the alderman of House Aldebaran, his eyes glimmer gold.You know I like you wild.
My blush is impossible to hide.Yes, I do know that.
When Roshan arrives, the fanfare is just as uncontrolled, perhaps even more so—he’s their former king, now simply just a prince, who saved their kingdom. With his thick dark hair, tawny-golden eyes, and athletic form, he doesn’t even need a crown to look regal.
My prince greets me warmly, lifting me up and spinning me around. “Gods, starling, I’ve missed you,” he says reverently, kissing me without care for anyone watching. He has made his claim of the Starkeeper more than clear.
“Ro, I was gone for two hours,” I say, blushing at the scandalous thrust of his tongue and hoping my father isn’t anywhere in the receiving room.
He grins. “That’s two hours more than I could take. When can I get you alone?”
“After the reception. Now be a good boy or the magical tendrils will come out.”
“Promise, promises.” Roshan cants his head, but his eyes glint wickedly, making me let out a laugh. “Where’s Nightsong? Ah, never mind, I see the fawning crowds over yonder.”
“You know they’re fascinated by him,” I say. “The nightmare king of Everlea. He has a terrible reputation.”
“One he secretly adores,” Roshan says, lifting my hand to nibble my fingertips.
“Stop that,” I tell him breathlessly, though the feelings spawning in my core definitely don’t want him to stop. I love when he touches me like this. “Come on, we need to go.”
The chapel is small, and only family and close friends are in attendance. Darrius joins us to sit on one side of me, while Roshan sits on the other. I hold both their hands as I watch my father marry my aunt, and as they promise to love and cherish each other, I can’t stop the tear that slips down my cheek at how happy they seem. My father is handsome and dashing in his formal clothing, and Amma looks like a goddess in red and gold. I feel something brush my brow, and I smile at the gentle touch, knowing that my mother is watching with the other Royal Stars and that she approves wholeheartedly that these two are finally taking the leap.
It’s about time,I think I hear her say, her laughter like bells.
Amma must hear her sister, too, because a radiant smile blooms over her lips.
When the service is over, we congratulate them and make our way to the reception hall, which is really the market square right outside the Saab Inn covered with tents and fabrics since so many people are here. Everyone wants to celebrate one of the most beloved couples in Coban. We feast, drink, and dance until my stomach is ready to burst and my feet feel like they are going to fall off. It’s a far cry from a fancy ball at either palace, but so much more significant.
By the end of the night, Darrius has lost his crown, his shirt is unbuttoned, and his silver hair is deliciously tousled from dancing. He doesn’t seem to care one whit that he’s shredding his cold king reputation with every genuine smile that creeps across his face. And there have been a few.
Roshan is flushed and bright-eyed in the middle of the remaining dancers, and his old golden crown has been appropriated by Amma of all people.
She deserves it—she can be queen if she wants.
Darrius joins me where I’m sitting in my quiet corner and hands me a glass of water. He nuzzles my neck and draws me into his lap, kissing away my mumbled protests of propriety and prying eyes. But no one is paying us much attention. After hours of festivities, most of the crowd has dissipated, with only a few determined stragglers remaining to celebrate to the very end. Laleh would be among them, if she were here—she would have stayed to the last. I lift my glass and toast my best friend, hoping somewhere she, too, is watching and happy.
A sweaty Roshan comes to flop beside us and plants a sloppy kiss on my lips before stealing my water and guzzling it. “Hey! That was mine.”
