Page 53 of Alpha's Magic

“Yes,” Asher said, glancing at me. “Please tell Amalinia that we’ll stop by and talk to her about arrangements.”

“That would be kind, sir. I’ll tell her.”

He left then and I shuddered. In fact, I couldn’t seem to stop. Not because I felt so much, but because I felt nothing at all.

“Can you find out where my father is buried and put her beside him?” I asked. “I think she might have liked that.”

Asher put his arms around me then, and I buried my face against his shoulder.

Epilogue

Asher

I was sitting in Harrison’s office, with Harrison and Lex beside me, and Lex held up his glass in a toast. “To the new Regent of Sudfarma,” he said, and I smiled.

“That might be a tad premature. We have a meeting with the Sudfarman council. Nothing has been decided yet.”

“They want you to stay in the palace after you arrive, and they’re planning a huge reception. I think it’s a foregone conclusion,” Harrison replied. “You have the paperwork to prove who Leo really is. Leo’s father’s name has been cleared at last, or it soon will be with the testimony of this Amalinia person. My scribes are in Marikosh taking her testimony as we speak to put it all in the record.”

“I finally got an answer to my letters to Brandon and Roxbury too,” Lex told them. “They said they can definitely identify Banshira once they speak to him and make assurances about how gentle he was with them. Grimora told them a little of his story too, which they will attest to in front of the council if necessary.”

Harrison nodded. “And the council is thrilled at the idea of having you as Leo’s Regent. Now as soon as I can see Leo and apologize to him, I’ll feel like we might be setting things right at last.”

“Give him a little time, Harrison. I know he’ll come around. With his mother’s recent death—it’s been a lot for him to take in.”

“I know it has. It’s been a lot for me too, to realize what Rozamond did. I didn’t fully believe it until I spoke with Amalinia at Lady Rowena’s funeral. I always felt as if I were being disloyal to my consort for the thoughts I sometimes had about her. I tried really hard to make excuses for Rozamond. For years now.” He sighed and drained his glass. “Apologize for me again. I hated the estrangement between us, Ash. I want that to be over.”

“Consider it done. Leo may take a little more time, but he’ll come around. Omegas can be extremely stubborn.”

“Tell me about it,” Leo said, laughing. “Where is Leo anyway?”

“Perhaps you should have asked sooner. Rory took him shopping this morning at last, and when they returned, I heard they both spent a good deal of our gold on new wardrobes. I understand a celebratory hat was purchased this morning as well. He’s promised to wear it for me tonight—and nothing else—when he comes to bed.”

“Now you’re just bragging,” Lex said.

I stayed a while longer, but I was anxious to get back to our room in Harrison’s castle to find my omega. I opened the door and saw immediately that he and Rory had definitely unpacked their purchases, judging from the number of boxes—including hat boxes—all over the floor of the room. Bright splashes of color were thrown across the bed—mostly waistcoats that Leo had been trying on in front of the mirror, as well as breeches and neck cloths in various colors to match.

“Leo, where are you?” I called and I heard his footsteps coming from the small receiving room next door. He stepped in the room, completely naked, except for a simple tri-coned, flat hat with a magnificent orange feather trailing off the back.

He did a little twirl for me. “Do you like it?”

“I love it.”

“I mean the hat.”

“Oh yes, the hat. It’s very understated. In excellent taste.”

“Thank you,” he said, preening a little. “I’ve decided to wear it tonight for dinner with the king.”

“You’re going?” I said, feeling really pleased with him. “Thank you, love. I know it’s hard for you to forgive him. But he’s one of my oldest friends.”

“Which is why I’m going to dinner tonight and treating him and everyone else to a view of my new hat. I love you, Asher, and I want to love your friends too.”

“Why don’t you come over here and sit on my lap and tell me about it? By the way, I thought you said you’d be waiting for me in bed with your new hat.”

“I was just checking it in the mirror before you got back. To make sure it’s perfect.”

I’d been moving closer to him as we talked, so now I swooped in and picked him up in my arms, where he needed to be. We spent the rest of the afternoon in bed, and much later that day, I left him in bed as I went over to the window to pull the curtains together as darkness was just beginning to fall. I stood there for a moment, looking out at the twilit garden below as the trees shed their red and golden leaves and let them fall to the ground and blow gently over what was left of the grass. Winter was definitely coming, but I didn’t mind it.

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