He arched a brow. “Do we need to worry?”
“No. She brought Nani to see me before she passes on.”
He crossed the room toward me, still damp and dappled with droplets of water. “Are you all right?”
I smiled up at him. “Better than ever.”
“I’m sorry I missed meeting her.”
“Me too. She would have loved you.”
“And I her.” He wrapped me in his arms, nuzzling the spot beneath my ear.
I resisted the urge to melt into him. “Araz, you’re getting me all wet.”
Araz chuckled, the sound low and filled with innuendo.
“Fecking hell,” Blue said. I’d almost forgotten he was in the room. “Half an hour. No hanky panky. People are waitin’ to see their king and queen.” He ducked out, muttering something about divine hormones.
Araz kissed my neck, then released me, standing back to take me in. “You look more beautiful every day. Divinity suits you.”
My cheeks warmed at the compliment. Even after all this time together, he could make me blush. One look. One touch and I melted, and the way he was looking at me now had heat blooming low in my belly.
I exhaled and looked away. “We don’t have time for that.”
He tipped his head to the side, topaz eyes bright and hungry. “You’re right. There isn’t enough time for the things I want to do to you.”
We’d made love earlier, but there was no limit, no set time for love. We’d learned not to ration it. After everything that had happened. After we’d almost lost each other, every moment was precious.
But not tonight. Tonight, we had a celebration to go to.
The New World ceremony to celebrate the rebuild of our world. Of Aakash Sansaar and Svargana.
Araz kissed my cheek and vanished into the walk-in closet. “Have you thought any more about who you’d want on the council aside from who we discussed?” he called out from the depths. “The people need to see stability in the ranks.”
“I know. I’m thinking. I promise.”
I’d been ascended and crowned all on one day after Mizikiel destroyed himself. I’d never understood why he’d done that. He could have fought me. Probably would have won, but…he hadn’t.
His final words filled my mind. Unforgotten even after all this time.
Every living thing has an end, so a new beginning can take root and bloom…It’s inside you now…
The blue light…I’d had nightmares about that for a while, but the nightmares had faded soon enough. Still, there was a part of me that was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Pashim and his spectral troops made sure to keep an eye on the mountain where the throne was now simply a stone seat. I wasn’t taking any chances.
I didn’t feel like a queen, but Araz…he felt like a king even when he wasn’t trying. I had a while to go before I felt royal. And maybe it was best not to. Because no singular person should be given all the power.
The formation of a council would ensure that power was divided. A voting system would allow the people to have a say on matters that concerned them. Rebuilding had taken up most of the past four years, but it was time to formalize the structure.
We’d need representatives of all races, and tonight would be a good time to speak to them. Rakshasa, pari, Asura, Danava, djinn, drohi, and humans were coming together as one to celebrate our new world.
Shahee Kshetra was now open to the land dwellers. Vortexes operated regularly to transport people back and forth. Our world was at peace. But every society needed rules, and it was time to focus on those. Fair rules and equal rights.
There was so much to be done.
But not tonight.
