They’d already said goodbye once, but that had been under different circumstances. After the fight, Talon had allowed his heart to fill with hope. He’d envisioned their future. One where he and everyone he cared for would spend the rest of eternity fixing their world. He hadn’t imagined—
Arianna’s magic swelled again and Talon’s head snapped up. He couldn’t help it. His friend shimmered, light bursting around her wings right before her body began to shrink.
Rion lifted his head toward the heavens and made one final deafening roar that had Talon covering his ears before he, too, began shifting.
Shifting.
Talon gaped as he watched the pair revert back to their bodies.
Their Fae bodies.
Both collapsed into one another’s arms, and Talon felt the beginnings of tears form behind his eyes.
Dirt and rock rose and fell with uncertainty, as if Rion couldn’t quite get a grasp on it anymore. Both were covered in sweat and blood, their clothes tattered beyond repair.
Talon didn’t care.
Not as he stepped forward, shoved Rion’s defensive hand out of the way, and wrapped his arms around both their necks. Arianna returned the gesture, settling into his shoulder. It took Rion a moment to collect himself enough to do the same.
Talon pulled back and looked them over. He didn’t care that his eyes had misted. He met Rion’s bewildered face and Arianna’s hopeful one. “You’re staying.”
Arianna cocked her head as though she were still a bird. “Did you think we were going somewhere?”
“I thought—” Talon shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. You’re here. We’re here.”
“We did it,” Arianna said, a bit breathless.
Talon smiled back. “We did it.”
Chapter Sixty-One
Saoirse
Saoirse studied the faces gathered around the table. Faces that were familiar. Faces that were alive and well and ready to plan their future.
Future.
The last time they’d gathered, it had been to say farewell. They’d all made a pact to bring Vairik down and fight like hell until the bitter end.
But that end hadn’t come.
Vairik was dead, burning in the deepest parts of hell for eternity, thanks to Ellie. Niall was gone, and the remainder of the Dark Fae had fled across the mountains.
Saoirse glanced toward the beautiful female at her side. Alive. Zylah gripped a steaming mug between her slender fingers, hair still damp from that morning’s shower. She wore Saoirse’s favorite pair of pajamas, the little cacti waving in greeting to anyone who passed.
Neither female had been willing to let the other leave their sight since the battle’s end two days ago. Zylah had slept in Saoirse’s room, beneath her comforter, in her arms, for two glorious nights. The pair had simply laid in the stillness, both struggling to absorb the magnitude of everything that had transpired.They hadn’t even kissed again, but Saoirse certainly wasn’t complaining.
Saoirse placed a hand on the female’s arm and Zylah smiled up at her. This was enough.
To be alive was enough.
Saoirse reclined in her seat, back still aching despite Zylah’s attention. Even runes could only go so far.
None had bothered with formal dress. No one cared at this point, aside from Liam and her brothers.
She looked at Alec, then Rion, then her mother.
Alive.
