Epilogue
REDVYR
“Over there.” Bezaliel pointed to the copse of trees, the first bright green leaves beginning to bud.
Within the shade stood Prince Torvyn and his priest Vallon, along with a petite, fair-haired wood fae female. I recognized her from the time she had visited her sister before.
“It is her,” Jessamine said excitedly, Tessa standing next to us.
“Yes!” Tessa set out quickly with Saralyn strapped to her back.
Saralyn was growing fast and almost too heavy to haul in her back-carrier, but Tessa still insisted. It didn’t seem to stop her from racing ahead to meet her sister.
Murgha said something to Vallon then rushed out of the shadow of the trees. I noted that Vallon’s gaze was on the sky when his mate stepped into the sunlight. There was nothing above us, which told me the priest was anxious about a possible attack. The grimlocks.
“She’s so big!” Murgha gushed, lifting a wriggling Saralyn out of the carrier.
“Isn’t she?” Tessa beamed. “Murgha, this is Jessamine, our Lady of Vanglosa.”
I couldn’t help but smile, the title of my mate and wife being freely given. Bezaliel and I walked alongside the women toward the two shadow fae still standing beneath the trees up ahead.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you again,” Murgha said, referring to how Jessamine had served Vallon and his mate, Murgha, in Haldek’s tavern several months ago. “I’m so happy my sister has a new friend in the clan.”
“It is good to see you too,” said Jessamine. “I feel so fortunate myself. Tessa has been such a dear helping me acclimate to clan life.”
“Well, it makes my heart happy all the same,” said Murgha as the women led the way over to the prince and his priest.
“You still owe me an apology,” murmured Bezaliel under his breath.
“What are you talking about?”
“You swore it would never happen.” He pointed between me and Jessamine. “Seeing as I presented you to the clan as lord and lady of Vanglosa a few days ago, I think it’s high time you gave me that apology.”
Sighing, I said, “Sorry that you’re a cocky know-it-all and that you happened to be right about Jessamine.”
“I suppose that’ll have to do.” He smirked as we finally made our way to the canopy of trees.
“It took you long enough,” I told the prince as we stopped in front of them.
“We’ve been occupied.” It was Vallon who spoke, his red eyes watchful and wary of our surroundings. “We didn’t receive your message until recently. And you left your winter camp early. It took us longer to travel.”
His quick side glance at Murgha was explanation enough. They’d decided to bring Murgha with them for their meeting with us. Interesting.
“We found your grimlocks,” Bezaliel said gruffly, all levity gone from his voice now. “They abducted both my child and another from our clan.”
Murgha, who was still holding Saralyn, went pale. “Oh, gods.” She jerked her gaze to Tessa. “Did they hurt her?”
“We were fortunate that they did not,” I told them. “And Jessamine used her magick to lure them out.”
Prince Torvyn, his cool expression pinching with a frown, finally spoke. “How did she manage this?”
I looked at Jessamine, letting her decide what she wanted to tell them.
“I am a skald fae with a particular kind of magick,” she began, then she told them briefly and without the gory details about what happened, but she did include that Farla, Tylok’s wife, was murdered trying to protect her children in the end.
“How terrible for you all,” said Murgha, wrapping an arm around her sister’s waist.
“And Tylok’s children are still with you?” asked Vallon.
