Even if my children hated me, once they discovered the truth.
Emma strode up to me, wrapping her arms around my waist. She held me tightly as she said, “No matter what may come, I’m here for you and our children. I’ll fight for you until forever comes.”
I held her tightly against me as I pressed my lips to hers. “Forever… and even longer than that.”
We’d gotten all our friends together for dinner that night. Everyone sat around the table, raising tankards and feasting like there was no tomorrow. Perhaps there wasn’t… because as far as we were concerned, nothing was guaranteed, not even today.
I smiled as I observed the faces of the people I loved. They’d been here for me while I was at my lowest, picked me up when all my heart felt was the burden of sorrow and despair. Even in my darkest moments, they’d come in during the quiet and sat with me, enduring the worst as they walked beside me through every storm. Their laughter echoed around the room, and as we shared a meal together, I’d never been more grateful to know each and every one of them. I was strong because they were beside me. I ruled because they followed me. Emma and I had accomplished the impossible, because they had helped us to move mountains.
Now, we were all here, and it felt like we were on top of the world. This is what it truly meant to be a king. As long as I had my friends, I had all the power I needed.
I wouldn’t have made it without them.
I found myself on the balcony overlooking Dolinska as the sun set over the city. Kalina was there, waving around a wooden toy sword and screaming war cries that I was certain she’d learned from Lucien.
Her hair was braided, and she’d rummaged through Emma’s makeup and found black shadow to smudge across her eyes. Looking at her now, I could almost picture the woman she would become. The warrior she’d have to be, to survive what the gods had in store.
But that was a long way off. She was a child now, and I’d fight for her to be a child until she no longer was one. Destiny would have to wait, because right now, she belonged to me.
“What are you up to,dzika?” I asked. I bent down to lift her onto my shoulders.
“Fighting off monsters,” she replied, and she patted my head.
I gave a soft smile as I reached up to grasp her hand. Yes, there would always be more monsters left to fight.
Emma had fulfilled her destiny as given to her by the gods. Kalina’s destiny, whatever it was, was waiting for her. The future wasn’t so far off, and a new world was coming, one my daughter would be instrumental in shaping.
She wasn’t ready for all that yet. I wasn’t sure if she’d ever be. So, until destiny called, I was desperate to bless her with the greatest gift I could afford to give.
Time.
END OF BOOK SIX
