Page 57 of Born of Blood and Thorns

I'm here for you, I whispered in the recesses of my mind. A soft smile played at the corners of Lore's lips, and I thought for a moment he had heard me.

Nods and grunts of agreement filtered through the crowded space. My heart plummeted for them. So much time locked in stillness, and aware of it the whole time. It was unthinkable. I searched the crowd, seeing them. Some were still half aware, as if trying to reconcile their new reality; others were sobbing in the back, either from the torture they had endured or from joy. This kingdom was in tatters; its people were as broken as the king and queen who had once ruled them.

Allora, who had been distant and quiet until this moment, walked up to stand beside me, taking my hand in hers. "My children. I understand the pain you've endured because of my sister, Nyx. While I cannot change what has been done or the past, I give you peace as a present to you for my daughter. You will remember your time as if it was a distant dream and no more." As if she, too, spoke in my mind, I heard her whisper, "Or you shall all surely go mad."

I met her sunshine gaze, and she nodded to confirm I'd caught her thoughts. She said in my head, Phoenixes have special abilities you will learn to harness one day, daughter. One of those abilities is projecting thoughts and reading them from those you connect with. It will serve you well as the queen.

A figure dressed in tattered clothes stormed through the courtyard in a fury. "The king and queen are dead!" the man cried. The crowd was lost to fear and pain because I remembered Lore telling me his family was very much loved in this kingdom.

As suddenly as the crying began, they all turned to Lore and bowed, getting to their knees in the dirt before chanting, "Long live the king, King Lore."

Lore swallowed as I watched him. Even all these years away from court, it was as if he pulled on the persona of royalty with effortless ease while I stood there naked but with a cloak and newly risen from the dead. He kissed my hand and lifted it to the crowd. "This woman saved us all. She is to be my wife. Long live your queen, Queen Isabella."

The crowd dropped to their knees again and repeated the phrase, this time with gratitude and love shining from their eyes as the memory of their torture slipped from their minds. The castle was once again awake, alive, and ready for what time had in store for them.

I turned to Lore, lifting an eyebrow. "Who said anything about marriage or being queen?" I demanded as Lore gave me a sheepish smile.

"You love me?" he asked slyly with a seductive smile stretching across his lips.

"Yes," I said with deliberate slowness, wondering why he would ask me that question.

He dropped to his knees in front of me—in front of his kingdom, my mother, our friends, and our family—and looked up at me, his bright blue eyes flashing crimson for a moment. "Isabella Val' Draco, daughter of Roderick and Allora, is my heart, my soul, and my reason for living. Will you marry me?"

Cheers erupted in the courtyard as I stared into the face I'd planned to kill, only to fall madly in love with, and nodded.

Finally, we both got our happily ever after—or, as Alysha would say, a pounce and a bounce.

Epilogue

Returning the lands that had once belonged to Lore's kingdom proved more challenging than expected as we traveled this new world. A millennia of changes awaited Lore, and with each new discovery, I watched his facelift in amazement.

"What do they call this?" he asked as he licked the treat, now running rivulets down his hand.

"It's called ice cream," I answered, licking my double chocolate cone. There had been very few times in my life that I'd had the delicacy created by the humans of this land a decade past. My first time had been at the castle when my Nan had brought it to me. That one had been chocolate, too. It was my favorite.

I watched as Lore let out a moan, and I felt my cheeks heat as I thought about another time he'd moaned with his tongue. I stood as I wiped my hands with a napkin and steadied myself by grabbing Lore's arm.

Lore's eyes went to my body as it traveled up, a heated look crossing features. "You are so beautiful," he murmured, taking another languid lick of the ice cream as his tongue licked upward.

"Stop it," I hissed, looking around.

We'd been busy these months, rebuilding the kingdom and creating a new world for Lore's people and ours. With me on the throne beside him, I wanted no lines drawn. We weren't moon territory or sun territory. We were just a kingdom; anyone willing to live in peace was welcome. At least, that was the dream.

Thus far, it had been a challenging journey. Tonight would be my official coronation, and people from all over were journeying to see the king and queen of the forgotten kingdom slowly returned to the eldest of our lands.

"We should have ice cream in the castle every day," Lore mumbled, his eyes trailing over me lazily. "But you know what I want more than anything?" he asked with a wide grin.

"What is that?" I asked.

"You." He stood, discarding the finished ice cream, and pulled me toward him. He pushed the strands of hair away from my face with a gentle tenderness that melted my heart. "Nothing tastes as sweet as you. "

I leaned into Lore with a sigh as he claimed my lips with his, kissing me with such tenderness I felt his love to the core of my being. With a chuckle, he pulled away.

"Az says you need to just go to our room with me and never leave," he purred in my ear. His hot breath fanned across my neck as I arched into him, wanting him to touch me more.

"Well, Az is the smart one." I nodded. I lost all thought as his hands caressed down my body until I was purring against him, my creature peeking out—my phoenix. She had yet to tell me her name, but I felt her presence increasingly as we got to know one another, sharing the same body.

"I think she agrees." He nuzzled my neck, and I moaned against him, only to regretfully pull away as I realized we had an audience slowly forming—one that looked to us to lead them. People who had once looked down on me for my heritage now bowed as I passed.

I'd yet to reconcile the two, but I tried every day. I reminded myself to never stoop to their level and be the change I'd wanted to see. Some days were easier than others. With Lore, each day was a new adventure.

"Are you ready to be crowned queen, officially?" Lore asked as he lifted my hand to his lips and kissed my fingers.

"I'm ready to stand by your side forever, yes." I nodded, realizing as my heart expanded that I meant every word. It was as if destiny clicked into place, and finally, I was exactly where I was meant to be.

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