Page 37

Epilogue

Ravena

Six Months Later…

“Tharion!” I call out, giving up on opening this stubborn jar of olives. I twisted it until my hand was aching and the stupid thing still won’t budge. “I need your help!”

No answer.

I huff out a breath and search through our new house for him. It’s an adorable two-story house on the outskirts of town right next to a gorgeous pond. When I saw the porch facing the weeping willow trees in the front yard, I was instantly in love.

Tharion was true to his word about the gold hidden in the mountains. I just didn’t think there would be so much of it! My mouth dropped open when I saw how much my thrifty little dragon was hoarding up there.

We bought the house three days after we met and spent the next two weeks locked inside even though all we had was a bed. It was all we needed really… It provided more than enough entertainment for us.

I stopped working with my dad and instead, I switched to helping out at the healing center, giving medicine and taking care of all the sick people and injured creatures that wander in. I owe a lot to the universe after all that death I helped with and I’m trying to make amends.

When I came home from work after my first day, Tharion had the best surprise for me. He and my father built bookcases and transformed the room with the fireplace into my own personal library. Tharion even gave me a bag of gold coins and flew me to the bookstore for an all-I-can-read shopping spree. I went a little nuts and it took him three trips back and forth to haul all of my books back to our place. Sometimes I just come in here and stare at the beautiful rows of books, wondering which one I’ll like the best. So far, it’s all of them.

It’s amazing how nice it is to read in front of a roaring fire without the sound of dozens of hammers hitting anvils. I thought I’d miss the sounds of the Forge District, but I really, really, really don’t. The peace and quiet is so nice.

Although, the house is a little too peaceful right now. I don’t hear Tharion stomping around and our guests are going to be here in about an hour.

Father is coming to introduce his new girlfriend, and we have some friends coming as well—some nurses I met at the health center. I’m really excited, although I know Tharion is nervous about it. He’s a solitary creature after all and social events are always a little tough for him.

And this one is extra intense because we’re going to announce to everyone that I’m pregnant.

It’s true!

I have a little gargoyle growing inside me. I’m only two months pregnant, but I can already see the bump. This little guy is growing fast.

I’m not sure what we’re having, but I’m already sure it’s a boy. I can just feel it.

I’m mostly excited, but I am a tad bit nervous. I did make Tharion reassure me about a hundred more times that gargoyle babies are born without their horns, but I’ll believe it when I see it. I’ve never actually seen a baby gargoyle before.

I don’t know what I’m going to do in the toddler years when he’s flying around the room out of reach, but I guess I’ll face that hurdle when I get there.

“Tharion!” I shout as I peek into the bedroom. I get warm shivers when I see the bed, remembering what we did last night…

…and this morning.

“Where are you?”

I look in the living room and then in the back room, sighing when I see him.

“Of course,” I say staring at the solid block of hot gargoyle rock in the middle of the room. He’s kneeling down in his usual pose, frozen into rock.

Like I said, he’s a solitary creature. It can be a problem whenever we have guests coming over.

Luckily for me, I always have an ace up my sleeve.

I walk over, step on my toes, and kiss his stone lips.

He begins to rumble as the rock cracks open from within.

“I just vacuumed this carpet,” I groan as the pebbles start tumbling down.

Larger pieces fall, and then the whole thing splits open, and my introverted mate is grinning at me guiltily.