Page 122 of The Sorcerer of Shadowholde

The feast was bountiful, trays of food and drink delivered until everyone was fit to bursting.

Love swelled in Vita’s heart, almost bringing a tear to her eye as she observed her family. It wasn’t just Verian and Renatus that made her whole.

Aurora and Petran laughed at someone’s joke, the large elf’s bellow echoing through the dining hall. Though Aurora still had a room at the High Consul’s palace, she spent more and more time traveling the realm with Petran. Vita suspected that her and Verian’s presence had something to do with it, that she finally felt comfortable leaving because she knew Renatus wouldn’t be alone.

Drusus’ eyes were glued to Livia and all Vita could do was shake her head at his transparency. The former Praetorian guard had been promoted again, quickly moving up the ranks to centurion.

The news had been bittersweet for Verian, but he was happy for his friend. Though duty weighed Drusus down these days, he always found some free time to visit the tavern with them.

Even the thralls had started to feel like family.

Verian and Gaius were good friends, spending hours playing chess—chess of all things!—in the library after dark. Vita even let Gaius read her fairy stories, though the thought made her whole body flush with embarrassment. Still, she’d finally finished one, and it felt nice to share it with the people she cared about.

After all these years, she’d found the happy ending she’d been searching for.

Domina Amulius seemed to have found her happy ending as well. Vita had spotted her a few times in the market, arm in arm with one of the council members. Some may think it was a downgrade after beingmarried to the Praetor, but the smile plastered on her face told Vita otherwise.

The city guard never found Amulius’ murderer, never figured out who exactly his mysterious friend was. Vita didn’t shed a tear, didn’t bother attending the man’s elaborate funeral. Good riddance.

A new Praetor had been elected, a former council member Renatus approved of, and Vita had to wonder if his influence had anything to do with the results.

Every day she could feel her power growing, the love she felt burning through her brighter than any emotion she’d experienced. Magic came to her without trouble and she could wield it as deftly as a quill. At times the power frightened her, some wells still untapped and unexplored, but mostly it felt good to be strong.

A presence at her back stirred Vita from her thoughts, Renatus’ cold lips pressing against the shell of her ear. “Are you ready toconsummateour marriage, my lovely wife?”

She giggled at the irony; they consummated their relationship every single day, sometimes more than once. She turned to face him, his red eyes glimmering with mischief.

“Yes, husband, I think I’m ready.”

Verian grinned at her from across the table, though she didn’t miss the hood of his lids. It seemed that both husbands were eager to begin this marriage with a bang.

A happy ending, after all.

---