1
Ivy
SET 4 MONTHS AFTER THE EPILOGUE
“Well,” healer Cove murmured, smiling softly as she pulled her hands from my stomach, “you are progressing as well as expected.”
I chewed my lip as I tugged my dress down, unable to stop the anxiety swelling within me. “That sounds a little vague,” I replied, sitting up. Elias rested a hand on my shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze, while Xerxes leaned forward in his seat, eyeing the healer warily. “The potion Dante gave me…it’s not having any lasting effects, is it?”
Healer Cove shook her head. “Not at all.” She scooted back in her chair, crossing her legs. The office reminded me a little of the clinic I used to go to back in Forthampton, with its stark white walls, tile backsplash, and intense overhead light.
Only in Healer Cove’s room, there was a hint of magic. Like the fact that in the corners, there were vines growing straight from the stone ground with pixies flittering between the leaves. Or how the window overlooked the lower clinic where the healers worked with charm and potion witches on remedies.
“And you can be sure about that?” Xerxes asked, rising from his chair, pulling me from my thoughts. “You said yourself you’ve never seen it before.”
If the questions perturbed her—it wasn’t like this was the first round of them—she didn’t show it. “I’ve been working with the rescued shifters, as well as the prison, to conduct safe tests on those already affected. You got the counteractive potion in time, Guardian. It means you are now progressing exactly as you should be through your pregnancy. And in less than six weeks, the twins will be here.”
I swallowed hard, nodding once as I glanced up at Elias. “Less than two months.”
His darkening eyes met mine. Through the bond, I felt his excitement, which overshadowed the wariness he tried hard to tamper down. We were only just getting used to this new life. Of course, the last couple of months meant we’d been preparing for the twins’ arrival, ensuring the house was ready. The rooms Orion never got to were complete; I was almost certain my mates were glad for something to do, since most had been prepared for positions as knights surrounding their Queen, not the one we were preparing for.
“And we’ll be ready,” Elias murmured, dropping a kiss to the top of my head. “You will be, too.”
I wanted to believe him, and yet my heart pounded with that familiar rush of panic I used to feel so often, stomach tightening painfully from dread.
I knew I had nothing left to fear now. There was no one hunting me—not anymore. Dante was barely alive, locked away in a prison no one would find him in. His followers—the High Council he’d created, his ruthless torturers, and his most loyal soldiers—had been weeded out. There were still some being caught and sentenced, but they weren’t an immediate threat.
Since I announced I was stepping down as Queen, there hadn’t been any attempt on my life. Granted, no one knew where I was, and we were keeping mostly low profiles with Damon shadow jumping on and off the island when we needed to leave, so they couldn’t follow us even if they tried.
For the first time since I learned about this world, I was…safe.
And yet, the panic still twisted through me, a painful reminder there was still so much at stake I couldn’t afford to lose.
We leftthe healer’s clinic silently; Xerxes had one of my hands tucked into his own, while Elias curled an arm protectively around my shoulders. Both their presences brought me—and my magic—more peace than I ever could have imagined.
“Where are we meeting the others?” Elias asked, his voice tight.
I didn’t have to look at him to know he was scanning the crowd for potential threats, for remnants of Dante’s operation. We were met with curious glances and a hesitant friendliness that tampered some of my worry, instead.
“There’s a restaurant by the river,” I said, guiding us towards the loud, rushing water cutting through the city. “They’re reopening after Dante hit them with an attack for harbouring agents.”
Elias made a sound in the back of his throat, though through the bond I sensed pride. No surprise; the creatures of Nyx who hadn’t fallen for Dante’s manipulations fought back, and deep down, Elias had known they would. I could admit I’d beenworried, had doubted them. Too many times, I’d seen people—humans—accept the destruction and horror that came with someone evil assuming power and lording pain like a weapon over them. In rare cases, there were those who fought back. Who rebelled. But sometimes, it was too late.
It hadn’t been too late for these creatures, and because of their determination, they’d survived. And they’dwon.
“Rebuild efforts appear to be going well,” Xerxes noted as we strolled down the cobblestone road, taking in the old buildings. Some had been levelled but were in the process of being rebuilt. “How long until it’s all done?”
“Maeve says another month, and any damage caused by his army will be fixed,” I replied, tightening my hold on his hand as we passed one of the fallen structures. There were several creatures at work, new walls going up. But it wouldn’t replace all the destruction Dante had caused. “Are you excited to go back to the Old World?”
Xerxes glanced down at me, a wistful look entering his dark eyes. I couldn’t help the small pang of guilt knowing he could only return for a day because of me. The pregnancy made everything harder, especially since our bonds were still so fresh. Even the ones between me and my five original mates were still being mended after the blocks.
One would think no longer being Queen would offer a bit of leniency with my magic, but unfortunately, the power still belonged to me, and it still needed my mates—all of them.
“I look forward to seeing it again,” he replied carefully, “but I wish you were coming.”
I sighed, leaning my head against his upper arm as the restaurant—and the flood of creatures eager to support it—came into view. “Alas, if I were cleared to go, I would be there in a heartbeat.”
“I would much rather you be safe here than in potential harm there,” he replied firmly, touching his lips to the top of my head. “Although we do have great midwives in my village.”
