“Andwhoare you?” the king asked Shen.
“He… and the others standing in this meadow… are the alphas who saved me after your mate attempted to kill me,” Snow snapped. “They offered me sanctuary. They fed me. And they fought the wizard, tempting their own deaths, to protect me.”
“Not going to lie, I fought for me own freedom,” Greer muttered. “It wasn’t ‘bout protecting no prince.”
Hwa punched Greer in the gut and leveled a glare. He then eyed the king.“Mostof us fought to protect Snow. And we’d do it again, happily. Without him, we might not be free of the wizard’s curse.”
“Are you?” Snow asked Hwa. He glanced around the meadow at the others. “Has it been lifted?”
“I don’t feel the weight of it any longer,” Owan said. “If we can pass the boundary and leave this place, we’ll know for sure, I suppose.”
“Then let us be off,” Snow said. He turned his attention back to his father. “They’re coming with me. They gave me their life. The least we can do is offer them the sanctuary they afforded me.”
“Of course,” the king said, frowning. “The men who protected my son are welcome in my castle.”
Weary, Snow rested his head on Shen’s shoulder and closed his eyes, never having felt more exhausted in his life. “We bury my love beside my papa.”
“Yes, my sweet prince… anything you wish,” Shen said before walking across the meadow, carrying Snow to a waiting horse.
He settled into the saddle in front of Shen. Hwa and Owan helped the King’s Guard to lift Vor’s lifeless body onto an unmanned horse. None of it seemed real. Just that morning, Vor had held him tight and said he loved him. He couldn’t be gone. It had to be a nightmare, and soon enough, he’d wake up.
Greer walked over and stopped beside the horses. “Snow… I, ah… a castle ain’t the place for me. I’m no hero, love.”
“I won’t force you to come,” Snow murmured, struggling to keep his eyes open.
“I wish it hadn’t turned out like this. Vor was a right pain in me arse, but he didn’t deserve this.” Greer shrugged. “I’ll be seeing you, I guess. Take care, Snow White.”
“You, as well, Highwayman,” Snow said to Greer.
Greer saluted him and marched off to parts unknown.
“Us, too,” Lazlo said, clinging to a wounded, bloodied Klaus. “We won’t be following.”
“No,” Klaus said, shaking his head. “We should see that he’s buried properly and say our goodbyes. Then we can leave.”
“I’d rather remember him alive and well,” Lazlo said. Tears shone in his eyes. “He was a good man.” Lazlo drew in a shakybreath. “Nay, agreatman.” Lazlo brushed away a tear. “Vor accepted me as I am, and something has always told me you all followed his lead. I sensed your uneasiness at first, but Vor was always in my corner, from the start. Had he not been, I think my life in that cottage would’ve been much harder than it was.” A tear streamed down his face. “Because of him, I got to taste real freedom.” Another tear fell. “A freedom men like me rarely see.” Lazlo turned to face Snow. “I can’t see him put into the ground. I can’t. I’d much rather remember him for what he was and what he gave me. I hope you understand, Snow.”
Snow reached out and took Lazlo’s hand. “I do. I understand.”
Lazlo kissed Snow’s hand before turning into Klaus’s arms. Klaus gazed up at Snow, his eyes shining bright.
“He was right. I was jealous of him. I was entitled and a brat.” Klaus’s lips flattened into a thin line, and his jaw tensed. “I’ll never get a chance to tell him he was right or that he finally got through my thick skull. I wanted to talk to him, but I kept holding off, waiting for the right moment. It never came… and now he’s gone.” Klaus’s face twisted with sorrow. “I’ll never be able to tell him.”
“He knows,” Shen murmured. “We’ve all seen the change in you these past weeks. Vor even mentioned it to me, glad you may have finally gotten your head out of your ass.”
Klaus snickered. He wiped his sleeve over his eyes and forced a smile. “Though, I will say he’s a liar.”
Snow stiffened.
“A liar,hmm?”Shen asked, as tense as Snow was.
“He said he wasn’t a leader,” Klaus said. “He was a liar, because he was born to lead men. It came to him naturally. He did what needed to be done, not for the glory, but to ensure we all had our needs met as well as they could be in this hell we’ve lived in.” Klaus wiped his eyes again. “He showed me the kind of man I want to be.” He gazed at Lazlo and smiled. “The kind of man you deserve.”
Lazlo rested his head on Klaus’s shoulder. Klaus pressed a soft kiss to Lazlo’s forehead.
“Where will you go?” Shen asked.
“Perhaps we stay,” Lazlo said. “I know it was our prison, but we were free here in a way we can’t be outside this place. Maybe there’s still a little magic left in the cottage, and Klaus and I can continue what we started here.”
