Epilogue

EPILOGUE

RAVEN

“The faster we get this done, the sooner you get your surprise.” I quirk an eyebrow at Zane, who wiggles his back at me, and my eyes narrow. “I’m just saying. Tick tock. Tick tock.”

Damn, it’s a good thing he’s handsome, because if he was this annoying without being so pretty to look at I think I may have throttled him by now.

“Maybe if you tell me what my incentive is it might make me speed up,” I retort, which only earns me a chuckle from Eldon.

“That’s not how surprises work, Little Bird,” he mutters before pressing a kiss at my temple. The move softens the irritation that was rising in me and I relax. “But it’s pretty good, so get a move on,” he adds, spiking the annoying intrigue inside of me once again.

Turning away from the pair of them, Creed and Brax too, I look at the shimmering emerald gate that appeared this morning.

“Five days. Five damn days of hoping for peace since fighting in an actual battle and they give me trouble like this. I thought I was going to be able to rest,” I grumble to myself, completely aware they can hear me.

“You had plenty of rest when you slept the first two days of that. Two days we, in fact, didn’t get to rest because we were beside ourselves with worry over you,” Creed points out, and I roll my eyes at him.

So dramatic.

I was fine. I just needed to recover from wielding too much magic all at once and finally bringing Burton down. It still doesn’t feel real. Everything feels far too…serene. Right now, it’s calmer than it was before Erikel appeared, more relaxing than when I was in Shadowmoor, and less stressful than any other moment I’ve ever experienced in my life.

It’s not a feeling I’m familiar with, but apparently, it’s one I need to get used to. Especially if my men have anything to say about it.

Burton is gone. Forever. But it still confuses me why he chose to impersonate Erikel. What connection does that have to anything? I don’t understand. I’ve mentioned it to Rhys twice now, and there’s something about the look in his eyes that tells me he knows, but he’s not open to sharing. Maybe I don’t need to know, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to know. I fought a damn war for it.

The only other enigma I still face is the reappearance of the emerald gate before me. An addition which has had me rereading the scrolls about the magical items that make this world so damn messed up.

In my slumber, Rhys transported us back to his home, Zane’s childhood home, for us to rest and recoup while I slept away my worries. I’ve enjoyed the past three days exploring the ridiculously large grounds, meeting with my mother, and indulging in my men in the entire fucking wing dedicated to Zane.

This morning, however, when I stepped out of our bedroom to slip down the hallway to the main bathroom with the clawfoot bath, I was stopped in my tracks by the shimmering green gems.

With the shadows still around, I knew we had missed something with the prophecy, but there was no time for me to consider anything with everything else unraveling around us. It seems the gate felt the same way, waiting until now to reappear.

The passage I came across earlier consumes my mind. As if sensing my thoughts, Brax speaks. “We just need to figure this out, Shadow. Then, the passage promised that the completion of the prophecy regarding the Realm of Shadows would come to fruition.”

“You say that like I’m going to have any confirmation once it’s done,” I grouch, huffing in irritation, even though I’m aware it’s definitely not his fault.

“It states that once the prophecy is completed the correct Realm of the Afterlife will be restored. The shadows will be where they’re supposed to be. They’ll be safe. Will we have confirmation? No. But we will have done everything we can on our side, and if not, we’ll know because they’ll still be here. Which means we’ll keep trying until they’re fucking not.”

Well… when he puts it like that.

“Say it to me one more time.” I don’t peer back over my shoulder to clarify who I’m talking to. He’s read it to me far too many times already to know I mean him.

His heavy sigh echoes around me, but I know it’s not frustration at me. It’s at the fucking prophecy. “When green arches hold delicate reds, all that is needed is a touch of darkness, a promise of change, and an unwavering belief.”

I purse my lips as my foot taps on the marble floor. Initially, we had assumed my stepping through the green arch into the Realm of Shadows and holding the Potens Ruby was what was needed, but clearly not.

Edging closer to the emerald arch, I let my fingers run over the gems. When I reach the top, hovering on my tiptoes, I pause. The familiar feel of sharp edges and smooth surfaces is absent, making me frown.

“Brax, can you—” My words are cut off when he stands before me a moment later, hands wrapping around my waist as he nuzzles his face in my neck. I hum in approval, still caught off-guard when he lets down his walls and embraces me like this.

“Whatever you need, Shadow,” he breathes, and I smile.

“Can you lift me in the air? Just a little, please,” I ask, and before I can finish saying please, I find myself in the air already.

I can see the top of the arch much better from here, and a gem-shaped space at the crown of the keystone sits empty, just like my fingers detected. “Do we have the ruby?”

A moment later, I feel the press of a jewel in my palm and glance down to see Eldon smirking up at me. He wraps my knuckles around it, pressing a feather-light kiss to them before releasing my hand.

Slowly prying my hand open, the Potens Ruby gleams, trying to draw the desire out of me to use it for my needs instead of getting rid of it. Its allure does nothing for me, and I waste no time holding it up to the empty spot.

It fits perfectly, and when I push it into place, a shiver runs down my spine. Brax pulls me back a step, lowering me to my feet as the jewels shine bright.

“What—” Creed’s question is short-lived as the room falls dark.

One by one, shadows and silhouettes appear before us, dancing along the walls and stretching along the floor before embracing the darkness that falls inside the emerald arch. It feels like hundreds, if not thousands, appear, some taking their time while others rush through until, all at once, the room goes still again and the emerald gate shatters. Shielding my face, I brace for impact, but it’s as if it implodes, all the shards drifting into the darkness just like the shadows did moments ago, taking the Potens Ruby along with them.

“When green arches hold delicate reds, all that is needed is a touch of darkness, a promise of change, and an unwavering belief. The Potens Ruby needed to go in the actual emerald arch. Even though you’re technically not a necromancer anymore, your touch still counts as darkness. You’ve done more than promise change with an unwavering belief, Dove.”

I take a deep breath, letting Zane’s words wash over me. They’re all true, all correct, but it’s still weird as hell that he’s referring to me when he says it.

“Do you want to summon those fuckers? Check if they respond, just to confirm?” Brax asks, cocking a brow at me, and despite his teasing tone, I do just that.

Connecting with my magic, I call for the shadows, but nothing happens. My shoulders sag with relief, and it surprises me how much this was weighing down on me after everything else we’ve been through. Lips press against my temple, my hand, my crown, my neck. Each of my men reaches out for me as I happily embrace their touch.

“Now, are you ready for your surprise?”

“What does it involve? And is it a good surprise for me or a good surprise for you?” I quiz as Zane takes my hand and leads me down the stairs.

“It’s good for all of us, and you’ll see,” he answers, a knowing smile at the corner of his mouth.

Fucker.

When we reach the bottom of the steps, I expect him to turn us to the communal areas where I’ve been catching up with my mother, Leila, and even Sammi a few times, but instead, he turns toward the front door.

The moment we step outside, I start to panic.

A gateway gleams ahead, enticing us forward, but I freeze on the spot. “Are we going somewhere?”

“Yes,” Eldon answers with a grin, but my frown only deepens.

“Where to and for how long?” Brax gives me a deathly stare, not impressed with my questioning, but I can’t help it. “It can’t be for long. I promised to help the Drakes⁠—”

“They’re already on their way home. Guided, I might add,” he interjects with a sigh.

“Wait, what? Without saying goodbye?” My jaw falls slack. That’s some shit right there.

“Of course not. Well, technically, yes, but we’ve made agreements to go and visit them in the next few weeks,” Creed explains, tampering down the disappointment inside of me.

Clearing my throat, I nod. “Fine, but I also have to help Ari and Gia with the magical creatures from the⁠—”

“Done.”

I blink up at Eldon. One word. One word and another job on my to-do list seems to be completed.

“How?” I question, narrowing my eyes at him.

“They actually really love the island off from Silvercrest Academy. Figgins has helped put a new set of wards in place for them. Wards that allow them all to come and go as they please while keeping unwanted guests out,” Eldon adds, and my heart clenches.

Damn, that’s the best idea. I’ve been trying to tackle one thing at a time, and I hadn’t gotten around to that particular issue yet, but it makes total sense.

“Thank you,” I breathe, but my mind is still racing, trying to piece together something else I have to handle. “Well, we can’t be gone long because…” My words trail off when I come up blank, but my heart continues to race.

“Raven, everything is going to remain exactly as it is until we get back. Your mother is going to stay here with Leila, take a little R&R in a place they feel safe,” Creed states, waving his hand at the huge mansion behind us. The mention of my friend hurts my heart a little. She lost her father in this battle too, and she’s hurting. It’s a feeling she can’t quite comprehend since he was working with Burton. She’s never going to have an explanation for his actions, understand his motives. Nothing. But she’ll get through this, she’s stronger than anyone else I know. “The Monarchy is in tatters and it’s going to take more than a few days or weeks to recover. Rhys is heading all of that, and if he wants our input on anything, you know, we’ll give it to him. The academy is not in service right now, or for the foreseeable future. Some big changes are going to have to happen, and I’m not trying to shock you or anything, but that’s not our shit to deal with.”

My eyelids fall closed as I take a deep breath. He’s right, he’s really fucking right. It’s just hard for me to switch off when I’ve been alert and handling so much shit for what feels like an eternity. They’ve taken care of everything within their control while swiping things off our to-do list that didn’t require my direct attention. Fuck, I love them.

Blinking open my eyes, I look up at them as a smile grows across my face. “Okay, so what’s the plan?”

“Step through the gateway and you’ll find out,” Zane answers, sweeping his arm dramatically in that direction.

A bubble of excitement rushes through me and I nod, moving toward it, but before I can step through, Brax beats me to it, always leading the way. I’m right behind him, and the second the new scenery comes into view, my chest clenches.

“Where is this?”

“This is paradise, Shadow,” Brax breathes, slinking his arm around my shoulders and pulling me into his side as I stare out at a long stretch of sand and a little hut shack situated all alone. “And it’s ours for the next five days.”

The sun beams down, warming my soul along with my body, and I sigh contentedly. Relaxing isn’t the norm for me and I don’t know how I’ll handle it, but remaining calm for five days doesn’t sound too bad… I don’t think.

“We’re going to work your body so hard for those five days, Dove; I hope you’re not planning too much relaxing in your head,” Zane murmurs against the shell of my ear, and I shiver, excitement coursing through me.

“I would never.” I can’t keep the smile off my face.

“We’ll let her relax a little, at least. Especially since we’ll be heading to Shadowmoor before we go home,” Creed states, and I frown in confusion as I look to him for further explanation. “Rhys agreed that it’s time Shadowmoor wasn’t suppressed anymore, and felt there was only one person suitable to oversee it be done properly.”

I blink and blink again, in awe of his words.

Holy fuck.

“Does that sound okay to you, Little Bird?” Eldon asks, and I nod vigorously.

“That sounds more than okay,” I admit. It’s about time the realm wasn’t subjected to this kind of shit. Everyone should be treated equally and given a chance to nurture their own abilities.

“Are you happy, Raven?” Creed asks, and I take a second to really think about it.

If my life has taught me anything so far, it’s that happiness isn’t a destination. I don’t get to arrive there and stay there forever. It’s an emotion, just like sadness, anger, and heartache.

Are there sad moments in my life? Memories I’ll never be able to avoid, and pain that will come and go whether I like it or not? Yes. But is there also love in each embrace, heart in every encounter, and a reason to keep on living? Fuck yes.

There’s only one answer to his question. There will always only be one answer to his question. Because if I ever feel anything other than happiness, I know I’ll be able to ride out the storm and feel it warm my veins once again when I’m ready.

“With the four of you by my side, I will forever be happy.”