Page 199 of What Lies Within Blood & Heirs

“And then one day, I saw him smiling like we were elder faelings again. You did that, Alora. You brought him back to me, and now I can breathe again. I can laughwithhim again. He doesn’t flinch when I offer my hand on his shoulder. My brother has returned, and I don’t know how to thank you, starfire,” he rambled, choking back sobs and tears. “I missed him like I miss Everlyn.

“And he told me tonight,” Thalon sobbed. “He told me things he hasn’t been able to say. Things I witnessed but never wanted to torment him with. Things he confessed on drunken nights and forgot in the morning. You, Alora. You’re showing him he doesn’t need to do it all alone.”

She didn’t stop herself. Alora fell to her knees in front of him and pulled his head to her neck, hugging him so tightly she wasn’t sure he could breathe.

But Thalon choked out, “Thank you.” Repeating it, “Thank you for returning my brother to me.”

Over and over until she felt it and let it seep into those once broken pieces now mended, knowing she would do so much more for them in a heartbeat.

“When I met you all, I didn’t realize how much you would mean to me. You all are my home, Thalon,” Alora admitted. “And now I need to go find him and tell him that, too.”

“Unleash Michael—finally.” He chuckled.

She pulled back. “Finally?”

A beautiful smile widened on his face. “Yes, finally. Though I have a sacred duty to my High Prince, don’t think I haven’t noticed you two the last few months. It’s bad enough I have to keep Aiden from trouble, but you two are going to give me gray hairs before I’m three thundered twenty.”

“Grandsire,” Alora snickered, and Thalon shook his head.

Her Guardian stood and pulled her from her knees before straightening her crown. A wild smile crossed his face as he looked to the maze. Thalon beamed with something akin to fatherly pride and said, “Go get your male, starfire.” Thatwaspride. “He’s been waiting a long time for you.”

Though the mountain air was cold, Alora’s hands wouldn’t stop sweating. And that breeze disturbing the weeping willow branches and trellises of white hydrangeas and wisteria was calming enough to tickle loose wisps of curls from her pinned hair.

Silvery moonlight caused the sprinkling of pearlsea petals, which lightly fluttered along the ancient stone path, to glisten.Alora followed those considerable stones under a canopy of towering trees delicately hung with glass lanterns. And though her path was marked with pearlseas, she didn’t need their aid. Following that endless tug, the strong call across their tether, Alora weaved inside the maze, past spiraling staircases leading to alcoves offering views of the garden’s heart, and others down deep to tranquil ponds and fountains.

The only sounds: the click of her heels on stone and the sanctuary of bristling leaves. Amidst the beauty of night’s slumber, her heart thundered louder with every corner she turned, every lantern and white petal she passed.

Carved into what seemed to be anendlessmaze, Alora stood at the top of an alcove, leaning on the graystone railing as her eyes met the same glistening of silver under the moonlight she’d glimpsed from Garrik’s balcony.

Alora descended the staircase, then walked a short path to the next. Down to an annulus of glass lanterns and pillar candles illuminating every shade of green. Where blazebugs danced around Garrik like spirits.

Offering their flickering display against his onyx jacket, they cast plumes of moonstone and pearlescent light along the silver threads and gleaming off his sword.

Garrik’s blade reverently dropped the moment she broke the barrier and stepped into the oasis of light. His eyes closed, chin raised to the sky as if he were drinking in a peace only the night understood. And as she closed the distance within a place only dreams could offer, the male of hers deepened a breath, so slowly, opening his eyes with dangerous hope and longing.

Alora’s hand fell to her chest, hopelessly battling to slow the forges pounding.

Garrik extended his hand. Unending hope coursed between them. Between their magic, when he offered, “Dance with me, darling.” Garrik’s eyes… She’d never seen them that way.

Unlike before. Unlike when he kissed her. Unlike when she stole the venomous darkness on the cliff.

This was something far greater. Something ancient existing outside the bounds of time and distance. Everlasting. Extending across this life and the next.

Garrik cradled her against his chest, curling her hand in his between them, at his heart. Then, cupped her back with a gentleness this realm had yet to know.

“There is no music,” she breathed in a voice unlike her. Shaken, yet entirely sure.

That true and real smile curved up his face, breaths before the annulus trickled with the sound of ivory keys and strings. There was no one around that she could see. And like the peaceful promise of winter, a call home, a familiar melody filtered around them. She could almost hear the words. An ethereal, angelic voice singing it to her little lion cub.

An icy finger brushed a tear from Alora’s cheek as she breathed, “The tavern in Maraz.” The song her mother used to hum. “It was you who played that music.” The music she had gazed around the room for at the bar. When she had desired, for the first time in decades, to play a piano again.

In answer, Garrik pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, near her crown. “I have waited for so long to dance with you. I thought this one would be fitting.” His eyes, the swirling ash and polished silver, glowed and she couldn’t speak over the pressure building in her chest.

Swaying to the melody, Garrik brushed his fingers along the curve of her back. She didn’t know how long they danced, but like the beauty of the music, their eyes never left the wonder of each other’s face.

When Alora’s hand trailed up the smooth fabric of his jacket, over the mountainous muscles underneath, she remembered the words she wanted to say. The reason she explored the maze anddescended those staircases. Why her heart was ready to burst and bleed for him.

Alora’s lips parted, but instead, her traitorous tongue mustered, “You had a nightmare.”

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