“Did not,” I protested weakly.
“What was it, then? A strategic renegotiation with consciousness?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Well, if you could come back tofullreality, I’d appreciate it. Your husbands just arrived, and they’ll kill me if they think I let you get hurt.”
“They’re here?” I forced my eyelids up only for them to slide right back down. “Where?”
“Kinda have to open your eyes to see them.”
“Pushing your luck, Foster,” I groused.
“Story of my life, Little Boss.”
Hearing a shout, I put all my strength into waking up and was rewarded with the sight of my husbands running toward me, their faces fierce with worry and pride, their tactile gear coated with blood and other things I didn’t care to examine too closely.
“Told you she’d do it!” Zane yelled, his red hair wild and his gingerbread eyes alight with triumph. “Our wifey’s a warrior queen!”
Koa reached me first and swept me out of Foster’s arms and up against his chest, one hand cradling the back of my head, fingers threading through my hair as he pressed his face into my neck.
“Serafina,” he breathed. His heart thundered against mine, his body trembling. Not with fear, but with the effort of restraining himself from crushing me in his embrace.
Casimir held me next, scanning me from head to toe, checking for injuries. When his gaze landed on my bloody hands, approval flashed across his face.
“In and out. Quick and clean. No hesitation,” I croaked out. “Just like we practiced, Simmy.”
“That’s my good girl.” He touched his forehead to mine and stared into my eyes.
As Casimir passed me to Zane, Foster picked up Koa’s knife and wiped it clean on the hem of Arabesque’s dress, then handed it back to my husband, handle first. Koa took it with a grunt and held it at an angle so I could see the etching of my name on the handle.
“The?aumakuaalways knew Serafina was destined to finish this,” he said, his espresso eyes bright.
Biting my lips, I blinked back tears as he kissed the letters before sheathing the blade.
“Ready to go home, bubbles?” Zane nuzzled my cheek with his nose.
“Yes.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and let myself sink into his strength and warmth. “Want a bath and our bed, Zoodle.”
“Take her. I’ll stay and burn the remains,” Casimir said.
“Not gonna lie,” Zane smirked, “I wouldn’t mind resurrecting her a few times just to kill her again and again. Still, bath and bed with our wife sounds way better than choking on Dark witch ashes for the next hour.” He dropped a kiss on my forehead. “Let’s get outta here, bluebell.”
“I’ll wait until Simmy’s done,” I murmured against Zane’s skin. “I don’t want to be apart from any of you right now.”
“Go, all of you,” Foster intervened. “You three need showers, Little Boss needs loving, and Brums and I can handle this.”
“You sure?” Casimir was clearly reluctant to hand over what he saw as his responsibility.
“Oh, yeah. We’ll make sure Arabesquecombusts properly. When we get home, though, I demand my weight in steak. Something special for Brums here, too. Little man deserves it.”
“King of the dires, aren’t you, taking out monsters’ hearts like a beast,” Zane crooned as he looked down at our baby. “You’re going to be a legend, yes, you are. You’re Zaddy’s special boy!”
Brummy threw back his head and howled in agreement, and I hid my smile in Zane’s throat.
#
By the time we crossed Evermere’s threshold, I was bone-tired, but also still exhilarated. We’d done it. Arabesque was gone. The Gravewrought were destroyed. And we survived.
