“I’m so sorry, my darling girl,” he sobbed, holding me close. “I’m so sorry that I wasn’t there for you.”
I clung to him, and for the first time in my life, for the first time in my entire existence, it felt as though all of the puzzle pieces within me finally clicked into place, forming a full picture of the history of who I was and who I was going to be.
“It’s all right, Da,” I managed in a choked whisper. “Everything’s going to be all right now.”
EPILOGUE
Jax and I stood in Jaggedston’s throne room, our hands entwined, our heads held high. Our fathers stood in front of us. Crowns sat upon their heads. Jewels dripped from their cloaks, and they held a sealing cloth between the two of them.
Behind them, the rest of our families sat in the first row of seating, and Lorasbelle couldn’t stop grinning. Upon the other seats, the ten noble Houses from each kingdom watched on. Other fae were present too, both nobles and commoners of Stonewild and Ironcrest.
I’d come to learn that my birth name wasn’t Elowen, but instead Isobel, or at least, that was the name my parents had intended to give me upon birth if I’d been born a girl.
But Jax and I had agreed that in private we would continue using the names we’d always called one another—Jax and Elowen—but to the continent, I was now Princess Isobel Miramim Cerullee Riverling, a princess of Ironcrest Kingdom.
Jax’s father walked toward us, the side of his cloth held in his hands. His gaze kept drifting to mine, and I could have sworn that the tiniest bit of shame lay there. The queen of Stonewild Kingdom wore a similar expression from where she watched in the front row, and while I didn’t revel in their guilt, I was thankful for it. Finally, the friction that had existed between us was gone, even if it angered me that it hadn’t stopped until they learned I was of noble birth. I should have been worthy before they’d found that out, but I pushed that thought aside.
They were to be my new family, and despite how abusive they’d been to Jax and me, I vowed to create a peaceful relationship with them in the coming seasons. I’d had enough strife in my life. I didn’t want more, but I also knew that while Jax and I could remain civil with them, a loving relationship was never in the cards for us. They weren’t the kind of fae that was even possible with. But civility we could maintain.
Jax’s father draped the silk cloth over Jax’s and my joined hands while my father wrapped it around us. Then the two kings turned to the kingdoms, and they both declared at the same time, “Prince Adarian and Princess Isobel are hereby joined in engagement for the entire realm to bear witness. We look forward to joining the might of our two kingdoms as their upcoming marriage signifies the beginning of a new dawn.”
A burst of applause and cheer exploded in the throne room. From the corner of my eye, I saw my sister beaming. My new stepmother was also grinning.
I winked in their direction, and Lorasbelle blew me a kiss, then I faced my mate.
Jax gazed down at me, his blue eyes shining like sapphires. He pulled me close, his mouth descending to mine. We kissed before the realm, the cheers increasing.
When he finally pulled back, his mouth moved to my ear. “I told you we would find a way, my love.”
I laughed softly at the swagger in his words. Still laughing, I gazed up at him, all of the love for this male shining through me. Playfully, I said, “It probably helps that I’m a royal.”
He groaned, but the sound was still joyous and carefree. “I’m pretty sure that’s made my parents happier.”
Hand in hand, we descended the stairs, newly engaged for the entire realm to see. We walked together past the cheering crowd, passing all of our friends who were whistling and cheering, and under a glamour, Bastian’s eyes shone with happiness as he and Anna watched on.
Outside on the streets, the passing fae whistled and called congratulatory comments to Jax and me. The Jaggedston bells tolled, and in the distance, the palace sparkled like black sand.
Jax and I waved and thanked everyone who called out.
Still grinning, Jax’s expression took on a devious look. “You know it’s tradition that when a male and female are engaged in Stonewild, that the female rides her mate in his animal-form back to their dwelling.”
My throat bobbed. Jax had told me this yesterday, and a part of me couldn’t wait. I still hadn’t seen him in his stag form. The opportunity had simply never arisen.
“Ready?” he asked, arching a midnight eyebrow.
I nodded.
He stepped back, and in a flash of magic, Jax disappeared, and a huge black stag stood before me.
“Jax, you’re sobig.”
He pawed at the ground and chuffed, getting a laugh out of me.
In his stag form, Jax was enormous, so tall that his antlers would have tangled in vines in the Wood’s canopy if we’d been in a denser part of the forest.
He lowered a front leg, bowing before me, and in a flash of my own magic heating my muscles, I jumped on him.
The second my seat was secure, a billow of his air element flared in the air around me, then he took off through the streets, exacting his magic as we flew to the palace.
