Page 111 of The Prophet

“Uh-oh.” Marc nudges him with his knee. “None of that.”

Grinning, Flint rolls over and hugs our legs to his chest. “You’ll like this idea.”

Sharpe combs back my hair. “Go on.”

“We should do a new bonding ceremony.” Flint’s purple eye flickers between us. “Sharpe doesn’t remember our first one, and Darius wasn’t a willing participant. Let’s perform a new one.”

Warmth spreads through me. “Curse ourselves all over again?”

Darius’s hand pauses on my stomach. “Eternity with you is not a curse, my lady.”

I reach down to link our fingers together. “Would you like that?”

A shaky sigh escapes him. “With all of my being.”

Sharpe drops a kiss on my bare shoulder. “I want to do it, too. I need to build new memories with you all.”

“Marc?” Turn my head to look at him. “What say you?”

“Cursed to once again be stuck for eternity with you lot?” He grins. “Sign me up.”

“Then we’ll do it.” I sink into their embrace. “The right way, this time.”

Inside me, the firebird rustles her feathers and releases a contented sigh.

epilogue

- Pen -

Autumn sunlight spills into my bedroom, casting a golden glow over the Fumontis-exclusive quilt that covers the foot of my new king-size bed. Darius had presented it to me as a homecoming gift when we finally moved back home to our newly remodeled cabin.

Outside my second-story window, the once vibrant greens of summer have given way to a fiery tapestry of oranges and reds, ushering in a season of change.

Months have passed since the Wild Hunt threatened our city, and Marc, Darius, Sharpe, and I have settled into our roles within Clearhelm.

My promotion from Captain to Chief of Police came swiftly after Lynch’s demise, and Clearhelm has experienced months of welcome calm. Sharpe has been working tirelessly alongside Nickodemus and Julian to create laws that ensure the protection of both humans and Others alike.

As I gaze at my reflection, lost in thought, the bedroom door opens with a soft creak.

Lord Marius ducks below the lintel as he steps in, the tall ceilings accommodating his height. For today, he has replaced his white robes with a stunning, dusky-blue suit that I instantly recognize as one of Darius’s creations.

“Are you ready, my child?” he asks, his voice gentle.

I nod and turn back to the mirror, my hand sweeping over the ceremonial robe Darius crafted for me. The fabric shimmers like starlight and cascades down my body in rippling waves. Intricate patterns reminiscent of ancient runes adorn the bodice and sleeves, touches of Flint interwoven with delicate vines and flowers.

The breathtaking masterpiece blends elements of the human and demon planes, honoring our past and our present. A pair of diamond clips that Sharpe gifted me hold back my ash-blond hair, and Focum’s Heart rests between my breasts, the large ruby warm against my skin with Marc’s fire.

Everywhere I look, the presence of my men surrounds me.

Lord Marius cups my shoulders. “Your bonding robe is exquisite.”

Pride shimmers in his golden eyes, so like my own.

I study myself in the mirror. “Darius truly outdid himself.”

“Indeed, he did.” A tender smile tugs at the corner of his mouth.

My eyes sting, and I wipe away a tear before it escapes, overcome with gratitude for the love and support of my family, both by blood and by bond. The weight of Lord Marius’s hands on my shoulders, his presence as solid as a mountain behind me, leaves me cocooned in a sense of security I haven’t known in centuries.

---