Chapter Thirty-Eight

Ara and I stepped out of the room to the sound of cheering. We froze in the doorway, hand-in-hand, and stared at all the happy faces. My lovers rushed forward and swept me up into jubilant hugs, lifting me off my feet to spin me around. Meanwhile, the Emperor went to Aranren and hugged him before introducing him to Sally.

"You did it!" Rath declared. "We felt the bond take root. The war is over, Ember!"

" We did it," I said as I lifted Ara's unshackled wrist. "I released him to test it. Death is gone. Aranren is free!"

"We are all free," the Emperor declared, and the corridor burst into more cheering and applause.

I smiled at Ara through it and when the ruckus died down, I said to my men, "Now, we just have to figure out how to live together."

"I have a fortress," Aranren offered as he joined us, the Emperor and Sally beside him.

"It's, uh, currently full of, uh." I slid my stare down to Sally.

"Actually, it's been cleared," the Emperor said. "Your fellow lords stayed behind to deal with what was left. They've cleaned the fortress thoroughly and put . . ." He paused, glancing at Sally, then added, "Everything away. The Corrupted were freed when you were, my friend," he said to Aranren.

"But won't Death be there?" I asked.

"Death will be everywhere," Ara said. "But we can put up wards to keep him out. And I must face him eventually. I'm not afraid of Death anymore."

"What do you think?" I asked my other men.

"We need to discuss this more," Xae said with a look at Taroc. "I think it may be a . . . traveling situation for you, Ember. You may have several homes to divide your time between."

"We're splitting up?" I asked in surprise.

"Uncle Ember, you ended the war!" Sally said. "Daddy told me. You and Uncle Ara ended it."

"Uncle Ara?" I looked at Aranren.

He shrugged and grinned guiltily. "Sarthares, I mean, the Emperor, is familiar with the name. He shared it with Sally."

"Oh. Yes, of course. You were friends." Then I straightened my shoulders and looked back at Xae. "I don't want us to split up."

"We'll talk about it later." Xaedren pulled me in against his side. "We're celebrating right now. Come on, the Emperor has ordered a feast, and the other Wraith Lords are coming."

As Xae led me away, I saw Taroc shake Ara's hand, then he motioned after me. Aranren smiled and came along with us, a part of my team that wasn't a team anymore. I wasn't sure what we'd be now. Our main purpose had been to fight him, but he was now a part of us. My destiny had been fulfilled, and it was time for my rewards. But I had a feeling I wouldn't receive them as I hoped. What was it that Ara had said about fate? Sometimes it gives you exactly what you want, just not in the way you envision it.