Epilogue

The sun is high and bright, a yellow ball of daffodils that casts its warm rays across the lush gardens. Jasmine scents the crisp, clean air that swirls around my skirts and tangles in the strands floating free from my long braid.

Marion presses her hand against her mouth to contain her laughter as Alderic hits the croquet ball so far from the wicket that it rolls across into the field of tall grasses and wildflowers beyond the mowed court. “You’re terrible at this.”

Alderic lifts his mallet onto his shoulder and waves an attendant away to go after the ball himself. He sighs, his golden hair catching the sunlight. “Is that something you would say to me if I were still king?”

“Not at all,” Marion chirps, her eyes twinkling.

Alderic lets out another dramatic sigh and spins on his heels, his lips tilted in a mixture of mock exasperation and genuine enjoyment. “Kane, Your Majesty.” His bow is so deep and theatrical, his fingertips nearly touch the grass. “Would you consider returning my title for as long as it takes me to finish this game? I’d like to do so without being heckled.”

“I’m not heckling you,” Marion insists, her smile widening. “But I should start.”

Kane grins, his gaze meeting mine before he responds. “Let me think…” He rubs his stubbled chin, drawing out the moment.

“Oh, never mind,” Alderic grumbles, trudging off into the knee-high grass. “You’re all insufferable.”

There’s a warmth in my chest as I watch him go, Marion’s laughter dancing in the air around us. I’ve only recently realized it’s comfort. It’s happiness. I’m completely content.

I’m home.

An attendant approaches with Shadow, her black coat gleaming in the sunlight, her mane lifting with the breeze. Kane takes the reins and smooths his palm along her strong shoulders before reaching into her saddlebag and pulling out a handful of oat-covered molasses cookies. The mare cranes her neck and impatiently lips his shoulder. “She says you look stunning today.”

“Does she?” I ask, reaching up to comb my fingers through her coal-black mane.

Shadow softly snorts her agreement as he feeds her treats and rubs her velvety nose.

“Although you’re wearing far too many layers,” he says.

“Shadow!” I exclaim, pretending to be scandalized.

“Don’t blame her,” Kane murmurs, stepping closer. He grabs my waist, his grip firm and warm, and lowers his mouth to my ear. “That was all me.”

Goose bumps crest along my arms, a delightful shudder skipping across my skin.

“Shall we, my queen ?” He presses a soft kiss to my neck, and I breathe in the scent of him—earthy, warm, and uniquely Kane.

“Yes, my king. Let’s.” With him this close, his hands and mouth on me, I will say yes to him forever.

Kane effortlessly lifts me onto Shadow, his hands lingering on my waist a moment longer than necessary. Settling into the smooth leather saddle, I look down at him, my heart nearly bursting with love. The way he looks up at me, his eyes like endless night, tells me he feels the same.

“Lose your balls, Alderic?” Marion shouts from across the croquet court, shielding her smile with a sip of wine.

Alderic laughs, whacking at the grass with his mallet. “Patience, my dear Marion. Victory takes time.”

“Marion, you better call for more wine,” I say teasingly. “Sounds like you’re going to be here all day.”

McDougall rushes toward us as quickly as he can without actually breaking into a jog, a gold platter balanced on his gloved fingertips. His urgency pulls me from our carefree fun.

When he reaches Kane, he extends the tray, his fluff of white hair quivering as he bows. “A message for Your Majesty.”

Kane takes the letter, his brow furrowing as he breaks the seal and begins to read. The shift in his demeanor is immediate, the weight of leadership settling back onto his shoulders.

Brows drawn, he passes the letter to me.

“It’s from Cups,” I say, quickly scanning the letter written by the Queen of Cups herself. “They received Kane’s letter, the one that told them what happened to their ambassador and his wife. They are deeply saddened by the loss but wish to resume trade discussions. They’re asking us to send an emissary.”

Always calm and deliberate under pressure, Kane smooths the reins between his fingers. “Alderic,” he calls out, his voice carrying across the court with a note of authority. “I have a job for you. Consider it a way to repay me for all the trouble you’ve put me through.”

“Repay you?” Alderic glances up from locating his lost croquet ball, one blond eyebrow raised. “I thought giving you the throne would wipe our slate clean. I was rather looking forward to tarnishing my fresh start.”

Kane smirks. “I was going to be beheaded for my attempt to save you, remember? I think that buys me a few more favors.”

Alderic leans against his croquet mallet. “I have a feeling I’m going to hear about the time you nearly died for me forever.” He lines up his shot and takes it. The ball spins across the field and into the stone pathway on the other side. “That settles it. I’ll go.”

“Because you’re being bested by a woman?” Marion asks, her voice laced with playful challenge.

“Because I owe my very best friend and his radiant partner my life. Plus, I do want to taste the delicacies of someplace not so close to home.”

“You’ve kicked his ass so badly, he’s running away,” I say, grinning at Marion.

Lifting her wineglass, she curtsies.

Kane sweeps the reins over Shadow’s head and hands them to me before turning back to Alderic. “I’m glad I didn’t have to use my new title to force you to act.”

Grinning, Alderic crosses his arms over his chest. “You should know by now no one forces me to do anything. Without using magick, that is.”

“I should also feel confident that you’re not going to get involved in some sort of scandal we’ll have to come save you from. You’re not the king anymore. There are consequences for your actions.”

“Yeah, Alderic,” I add, unable to resist joining in the teasing, “don’t get caught with your hand in the cookie jar.”

Alderic’s lips quirk. “If it’s so bad, why does it sound so delicious?”

“McDougall,” Kane addresses the man who’s as silently present as an early-morning shadow, “if you have the patience, give Lockhart a quick lesson in what’s expected of him as a palace emissary.”

“I don’t need a governess,” Alderic grumbles.

“Of course not,” Marion consoles, hooking her arm through his. “You need a nanny.”

Kane grips Shadow’s saddle and mounts behind me. He wraps his arms securely around my waist, the warmth of his body seeping into mine.

We ride away from the gardens, our friends’ laughter fading into the gentle rustle of leaves and the rhythmic clopping of Shadow’s hooves.

I sink into the steady rise and fall of Kane’s chest against my back as he guides Shadow through the wildflower-dotted fields and toward the Tower. His voice vibrates softly, a low hum that I feel more than hear. “I have a surprise for you, Fawn.”

I lean to the side and glance over my shoulder to get a better look at him. That smile—the one that could melt gold—graces his lips.

“So, this is more than just the relaxing ride to the Tower I was promised?” I ask, my heart fluttering with excitement.

He shrugs, his smile widening.

“Give me a hint.”

He slides his hand along my braid, tugging on the loose end. “Be a good girl, and I’ll give you more than that.”

A warm rush pools low in my belly, a delicious heat that makes my pulse quicken. I no longer want whatever the surprise is. I only want him.

We arrive at the Tower as the sun falls toward the horizon, casting a warm golden glow over the ancient stones. The Empress stirs against my chest, getting hotter the closer Shadow carries us.

It’s like she’s responding to the Tower, to the magick I’ve known was here since I saw it from the garden.

Kane dismounts first, and he helps me down with a gentle grip. I’m glad he brought me here. I’m glad I came back and gave him the chance.

He reaches into a saddlebag and pulls out a package wrapped in silk, the fabric shimmering in the tangerine light.

“I made this for you,” he says, practically beaming with pride as he hands it to me. “It felt only right to give it to you here.”

I unwrap the silk and glide my fingers along the rich, smooth leather satchel nestled inside. “You made this?” I run my hand over the glistening rubies, each meticulously placed to create the perfect pentacle.

“I thought it a bit more befitting of both you and the Empress,” Kane replies, his voice soft and sincere. “It’s to carry the card so you don’t lose it if you should ever want to return home.”

Tears prick the corners of my eyes as I remove the card from its resting spot on my heart and slide it into the best gift I’ve ever received.

“This is my home.” I reach for him, my fingers tracing the lines of his face, his neck, the strength of his shoulders. This man—my king, my love—has given me so much more than I ever dared to dream. “ You’re my home.”

“And you’re mine, Little Fawn. I love you, Hannah.”

Kane kisses me, his lips soft and tender. His hands move over me, exploring, caressing, igniting every nerve. He removes my clothes with such ease and quickness that they seem to simply fall away, each piece slipping to the ground like autumn leaves. The sun dances warmly against my skin, and I want him to feel it too.

I move to lift his shirt, and he stops me like he has every time, his fingers wrapping around my wrist.

“You don’t have to hide from me, Kane.”

He cautiously releases me, and I pull his shirt off over his head. The fabric slides away, revealing the lines of velvety gold scars that wrap around his body like intricate ancient tattoos. They’re the marks of his life as a warrior, each one evidence of the battles he fought and the magick he was forced to hide.

They shimmer slightly, sunlight caught on glassy water.

I look down at my stomach, running my hand along the scar on my abdomen. We’re a matching set—king and queen.

I glance back up, my eyes drawn to his bare torso. His abs are a work of art, a chiseled masterpiece that flexes as he straightens, the ridges and valleys creating shadows that dance across his skin in the waning sunlight. His chest is broad and sculpted, the contours leading to the thick corded muscles of his shoulders and arms. He’s more beautiful than I could have imagined.

“Like what you see, Fawn?” His voice is a low, teasing growl, but there’s a wavering edge to it that makes me want to hold him close.

I nod, unable to tear my eyes away from him. “You’re…perfect.”

I praise the lines of his scars with my fingers, my lips, tasting the honey-sweet warmth of magick that courses through them. Kane’s body reacts to my caresses, his muscles tensing and relaxing under my touch.

I move to the waistband of his pants and slide them down, revealing inch by inch of his muscular thighs, painted with the same gold magick. The fabric pools around his ankles, and he steps out of them, his body now completely bared to my hungry gaze.

A slow satisfied smile spreads across his lips as he steps closer, his eyes darkening with desire that sends a swell of heat straight to my core. He lowers me down between soft grasses and wildflowers and leans over me, his hands framing my face as he positions himself between my spread thighs. The tip of his cock brushes against my slick entrance, and I gasp, my body arching toward him in a silent plea.

“Kane,” I whisper. “I need you.”

“I’m here, Fawn,” he murmurs. “Always.”

With a slow, deliberate thrust, he pushes inside me. I moan, and the air sparks with energy. We move together, our bodies in perfect harmony. Every touch, every kiss, is a spell that connects us.

The golden glow from Kane’s scars spreads, casting a warm ethereal light that makes my skin hum.

Gold shimmers in the air, wrapping around our entwined bodies and soaring toward the cracked walls of the Tower. Magick swirls and dances, weaving a tapestry of light and strength that binds us to the very heart of the Tower.

“Let go, Fawn. Let me feel you come apart.”

And I do. I come apart, open myself, free myself. For Kane, for all the days I felt disconnected, cut off from loving who I am.

The Empress flashes behind my closed lids: scarlet dress, lush garden, frame of pomegranates, crown of stars. She is a sacred vessel. I am a sacred vessel.

Her magickal energy surges within me, filling every corner of my being with power. As I surrender to the waves of pleasure, the magick Kane and I created together releases.

Brilliant light bursts from us, a radiant golden glow that crashes against the Tower. Its ancient stones absorb the surge of magick. The walls shimmer and gleam with an inner light as magick continues to flow around us, through us, from us, joining us to each other and to this place in a way that feels eternal and unbreakable.

We collapse together, breathless and entwined, magick still pulsing.

I’m connected not just to Kane, but to the Tower, to the Empress, to the very fabric of the realm around me.

And I’m bound to them by more than love.

I’ve bound my body, my soul, through magick.

The Tower’s cracks and fissures begin to heal, golden light stitching up the broken places just like it did with Kane, just like it did with me.

Destiny, magick, the Empress—they all led me here. The Tower called me home.

I finally found where I belong.

“You’re mine, Fawn,” Kane whispers as he kisses down my chest. “All mine.”

And in that moment, I know it’s true. Every inch of me belongs to Kane, belongs to the Empress and Towerfall, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.