Eventually Nina barely managed to stay awake long enough to mutter one final sleepy sentence against my shoulder:
“If you tell anyone I got emotional tonight, I’ll kill you.”
Interesting threat considering she was already half asleep.
“I’m deeply terrified.”
“You should be.”
Then approximately thirty seconds later, she fell asleep directly against me anyway.
Epilogue I
Eva POV
Six months later, Hell had coffee shops, and not elegant royal cafes for nobles either, but crowded little places with terrible handwritten menus, exhausted employees, and drinks named after palace scandals, which was apparently all my fault.
“The ‘Future Queen Breakdown Latte’ is still disrespectful,” Anderson said while walking beside me through the lower city market.
“I didn’t name it.”
“You inspired it.”
“That feels legally different.”
The market streets glowed beneath silver lanterns while demons crowded between vendor stalls carrying flowers, books, glowing charms, and paper cups full of aggressively caffeinated drinks.
The city sounded different now, louder and warmer than before, with far less fear hiding beneath the noise.
A group of younger demons sprinted past us laughing while one yelled:
“I TOLD YOU NOT TO SUMMON THAT IN THE APARTMENT.”
Nina’s influence had spread like a disease. Ahead of us, music drifted through the market square where the old cult members now ran the most popular shop in the district.
Apparently surviving exile, summoning royalty, and crying publicly for several weeks turned them into local celebrities. One of them noticed me and almost dropped an entire tray of candles.
“Lady Eva!”
I smiled despite myself. “You’re still selling destiny candles?”
The old man looked deeply offended. “Of course. Business doubled after your wedding.”
“That feels unsafe.”
“It feels romantic.”
Honestly, there was no winning this argument anymore. Before I could continue, warmth brushed softly through the bond. Then a hand settled against the small of my back.
My heartbeat betrayed me instantly anyway.
Kaelith stood beside me wearing dark royal robes rolled carelessly at the sleeves like he’d abandoned formality halfway through the day again. Silver markings glowed faintly beneath the collar of his throat where our bond rested hidden beneath skin and soul.
The cult members straightened. Not fearful now. But Respectful. That still surprises me sometimes.
“Your husband banned three council members from entering the palace archives today,” Anderson informed me tiredly.
Kaelith looked unimpressed. “They attempted to remove your Earth novels.”
