Epilogue

EPILOGUE

C assie sat in the uncomfortable folding chair, listening to the president of the college speaking about the glorious futures they hoped the fresh graduates would experience. Normally, the athletic center hosted the university’s basketball games, but for this one Saturday, three different graduation ceremonies would take place. The College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics went last. Cassie wondered if the president had given the same speech at all three ceremonies. If so, the fact that she still spoke with conviction and enthusiasm was admirable.

She wanted to listen to the words, but her mind kept drifting to Sten, who had promised to take her out to celebrate after the ceremony. He sat somewhere in the stands with some of the other Vikings from his tribe, and Astrid—a Valkyrie who Cassie took fighting and self-defense classes from. One of the reason’s the folding chair hurt her butt so much was because Astrid had smacked her on the behind with a practice sword last time they sparred.

The Valkyrie had a mortal sj?lsfr?nde , Luke, and sometimes Cassie talked to him about what it was like to be an immortal warrior’s soulmate. Everyone who lived at the Viking fortress had been nice and welcoming to her. She didn’t get to visit at often as she’d like because studying for a bachelor's degree in biology took more time than a full-time job. The last four years had been brutal, but worth it. She didn’t know what she’d be doing next. Maybe she’d go to medical school. That would have made her healer grandmother proud. Cassie had done some work with Irja, the Viking tribe’s doctor who had a medical degree but also used herbal healing that she’d learned when she’d lived as a mortal about a thousand years ago.

But Cassie also loved the physical therapy internship she’d done. And the Vikings could definitely use someone to help them with the many injuries they sustained during battle and sparring. Sometimes, she worried about Sten when he went out to fight, but since he never complained about what she wanted to do with her life, she couldn’t very well tell him to stop doing his job. Especially since the gods had given it to him.

The speeches finally ended, and the process of the graduates walking across the stage began. The university had people at each end of the stage giving out the diplomas, so it didn’t take long before Cassie headed up the stairs and waiting to receive her accreditations. When they read out her name, she heard cheering and whistling from way up in the stands, and she turned toward the sound with a broad smile on her face. Sten and the Norse warriors who’d come with him stood, waving their hands.

She had to return to the uncomfortable chair and wait for the end of the ceremony, but it didn’t take long before she found herself outside the athletic center with all the other graduates, looking for the people who’d come to support her. A loud whoop carried across the crowd, and then powerful arms lifted her and swung her around in the air.

“I’m so proud of you,” Sten shouted.

Cassie laughed. “I’m right here. You don’t have to yell.”

“But I do. I want everyone to know how amazing you are.”

Astrid and Luke caught up with them, as did Per, Sten’s closest battle brother. “But her down,” Astrid said. “She’s going to get dizzy.”

Sten laughed, but lowered Cassie back to the ground. The others took turns hugging her and when it came to Per’s turn, he also twirled her around, but not as high as Sten had. Cassie laughed and held on to her cap. The square head covering had twisted to the side with all the hugging and twirling. But when she turned around to face Sten again, her laughter petered out.

Her sj?lsfr?nde kneeled in front of her, holding out a small open box in which the most beautiful ring with a fawn-colored gem rested. He watched her with somber gray eyes.

The people surrounding their little group noticed the kneeling blond, and a collective gasp sounded, and then everyone grew quiet.

Cassie held her breath.

“Cassie,” Sten said. “I am in awe of everything you are and everything you do. My happiest times are when I’m with you. My saddest times are when you are not by my side. I will spend the rest of my days proving myself worthy to be your husband if you would do me the honor of being my wife. Will you please marry me?”

Tears filled her eyes, and she couldn’t speak.

“If you don’t say yes, I’ll have him,” someone shouted from the back of the group of people around them, causing everyone to laugh.

“He’s mine,” Cassie shouted back. “All mine,” she said as she gazed down at her beloved.

Sten licked his lips. “Is that a yes?”

She laughed. “Yes,” she shouted. “A thousand times, yes.” No matter what the future brought, she knew she wanted this brave and gorgeous Viking by her side.

“Thank the Goddess,” Astrid said.

“Yes,” Per agreed. “That would have been awkward had she not said yes.”

Sten glared at them, but then put the beautiful ring on Cassie’s finger and picked her up again. “You just made me the happiest man in the world,” he whispered in her ear.

Happy , his berserker rumbled inside Cassie’s mind.

She grabbed her fiancé’s hair with both hands. “Stop twirling me around so I can kiss you properly.” And then she did, as the crowd cheered around them.