Emma gave a grumpy sigh. “I guess ithasbeen beneficial. No one complains about the laws we pass anymore.”
“Indeed.” No one wanted to appear foolish enough to object to the words of a woman who’d seen the afterlife, and returned to talk about it.
Her grip tightened on my arm as she said, “If only he were here. He’d be so happy to see how much things have changed.”
“He does see, and he knows,” I told her. “He is with you, despite him being gone.”
Tears still rose to Emma’s eyes whenever we spoke of Arthur. “It waswrong. I got so little time with him.”
“The time you did spend with him created a love that will last a lifetime,” I told her. “Your brother will be waiting for you in the Great Hunting Grounds, as will all the people we lost. They are at peace. It is up to us to carry on the torch for them.”
“I know.” Emma wiped her eyes. “If only we didn’t lose them at all.”
There was a heavy weight on my heart that would never go away. It still felt as if we’d lost Kiara and Alexei yesterday. None of us had gotten used to their absence, even in the years that passed. Whenever all of us were together, I found myself looking for them, searching the room for their presence before I realized again that they wouldn’t be found in any place I sought.
We all missed them. So much so that we didn’t feel complete without them here. There was a hole in our union that would never go away, so long as we were bound to this life.
But they would not want us to carry on in this way. They had new existences in the Great Hunting Grounds, and we had our mortal lives on Earth. Being separated from them now did not mean losing them forever. Friendship overcame everything, even death. This was just a small part of eternity we had to bear, until we met them again.
Kiara’s family had done their best to move on. Her parents had gone to South Africa, swearing off returning to Malovia ever again. Siona had reopened her shop, and married a sorceress from the griffin Faction last year. I hope she and her wife were happy, although I knew Siona would always grieve for her sister.
We took the stairs downward until we came to an ornate golden door. Emma turned the handle, and we stepped into a beautiful illusion room. The room had taken on the appearance of a massive frozen lake surrounded by mountains. Snow trickled lightly from the ceiling, which was overcast into a gray sky.
It looked very similar to the frozen lake we’d flown over on our way to the dark fae city. Emma had rebuilt the Hall of Wonders with her magic. I thought no one would be able to replicate it but Lady Magdalina, yet Emma had grown even more powerful since her return.
“About time you two showed up,” Stefan said. He was on the ice, guiding Isaak along. They’d put hockey skates on his feet from the moment he could walk. He loved it, though he fell whenever Stefan stepped away.
“We were enjoying our lunch in the gardens,” Emma replied.
“Yeah, and giving the palace a good show, I bet,” Stefan teased.
“We did no such thing,” I said.
“We all heard you last night,” Delmare sat on a wooden bench by the ice, holding her black cloak tightly around her as a small fire blazed. She reached out to grasp Emma’s hand affectionately as she drew near.
“Good,” Emma replied. “Maybe they’ll learn to stop bothering us once the door is closed.”
Doubtful. A king and queen’s work was never done, and there was always more to do… ways to make the country better, ways to provide a better life for Arcanea everywhere. We stole away what moments we could behind closed doors, but we belonged to the people now.
“I heard you’ve taken an interest in coaching hockey at the university,” I said to Stefan. He reached out to catch Isaak before he tumbled over.
“Hey, someone needed to take Lucien’s place,” Stefan said. “I figured I might give it a shot.”
I nodded grimly and didn’t elaborate on the subject.
“Besides, I need some time to get away from these boors at the palace,” Stefan said. “Give me any excuse, I beg you.”
We’d rebuilt our Circle, and restored Stefan to his council place on it, along with his mate. Delmare’s reputation as a lady had risen in recent months, as her paintings were hanging in the Louvre, and some of her books had recently earned awards and accolades. She’d become a famous artist, as she’d so desired, and we couldn’t be prouder of her. She’d proven that coming from a peasant’s background meant nothing in the light of the person you would become.
Emma waved her hand, and our summer attire was replaced by winter gear, skates on our feet. We stepped onto the ice and skated around hand-in-hand, taking in the gorgeous scenery.
I enjoyed the privacy immensely, glad that down here, there were no nobles or governors to bother us. In the Hall of Wonders, we had an escape where we could truly be ourselves.
Across the ice and at a great distance from us were Finlay and Amantha. Finlay wobbled on his skates as he clung to Amantha like a cat, terrified he’d fall. Amantha laughed, coaxing him along as they moved at a snail’s pace.
Finlay had been elected as one of the wolven pack’s leaders, and we’d given him his spot on the council back. The intolerable prat had saved our asses in the war, and was determined to help us build the country back better than it had been before.
And, though I’d never say it aloud, he was my friend. I’m certain he wouldn’t admit it, either. Some things never changed.
