Page 77 of Blood and Roses

"I had a dream that there was snow on those rocks," she said, pointing at the portal. She looked at him steadily, eyes tender with worry. "Eli told me about Lily and Jane. How are you?"

"How am I? You ask me that when you..." Balthasar shook his head. "I'm hurt by Lily's betrayal. I grieve for the person I could have been had I known the truth."

"I know you suffered greatly, but the person you are now is the one I love. Mourn the past if you have to, but don't live in it anymore."

"How can I with so much to look forward to?" Balthasar said as he wrapped his arms around her. "I still have to thank you for saving my life, which will take...oh, years, I imagine."

"Promises, promises," Rosa said as she stood up on tiptoes to kiss him. He could feel strength, the fresh power of the change bubbling up through her. "So what now?"

"Lily is going to Italy, and the Gwaed Gam world is in a mess," Balthasar said. "I think the best thing we could do is get out of the country."

"Leave the country? But won't Eli need you?"

"Eli has Saul to help him. It will do them both good. As for us, I'm sure there is a villa in Spain that's demanding our attention. It doesn't have to be Spain. We can go to Italy or France or wherever it is you would most like to see first. You only need to pick somewhere."

Rosa's lips silenced him, and he buried his hands in her soft, curly hair.

"I would wander the world forever as long as it's with you, Balthasar Vane. Never leave my side again."

"That, my stubborn, wild Rosa, I can absolutely guarantee." Balthasar kissed her, and Rosa Wylt finally felt that Gwaed Lyn was home.

EPILOGUE

Rosa woke hours later, her new senses on fire, and her intuition screaming at her to get up. Something was coming. Something ancient and powerful.

"What's wrong?" Balthasar asked sleepily.

"Did you feel that?"

"What are you talking…" Balthasar's eyes flared in panic, and then they were both moving at a preternatural speed to the main front door of the mansion. They stopped on the marble entranceway, unsure of what they were feeling.

"Bal!" Saul appeared on the steps as there was an insistent rap on the door.

Rosa hesitated only a moment before stepping forward and opening it. A tall, lean man was waiting impatiently with his hands on his hips.

"You!" They both exclaimed in unison before both looked at each other with identical twisted grins. He looked like an eccentric pirate rock star in black jeans and mud splattered Doc Marten boots. He wore a waistcoat and a blue and green scarf under a plum frock coat. Dark golden eyes stared out of the handsome, angular face surround by windswept raven hair. Helooked around forty years of age except his impossibly bright amber eyes were far, far older.

"I didn't think he would be foolish enough to turn a bloody Wylt," the stranger said as he strode into the house as if he owned it.

"I'm a special case," Rosa said.

"I bet you are." He eyed her all over before shaking his head. "What did you do?"

"Killed a faerie lord who had it coming."

"Which faerie?" he asked suspiciously.

"Ryn Eurion."

"Ha! I should've known. Heavens above, the Wylt family resemblance isstrongin you."

"Excuse me, sir," Balthasar said bluntly, "who are you and what are you doing here?"

"Eldon Blaise," the stranger replied with an impatient wave of his hand before he looked back to Rosa. "So, young Wylt, what do they call you?"

"Rosa. I saw you in a dream."

"I sawyouin a dream, Rosa Wylt. Mm, good name." Eldon leaned towards her conspiratorially. "How long do you think it'll take before your boyfriend gets sick of me ignoring him?"

"Not very long at all," came Balthasar's sharp reply. "What's your business here?"

"Family business, I'm afraid."

Balthasar made to reply, but at that moment, Eli appeared at the top of the stairs. Eldon looked up at him, the grin not slipping. Eli's glamor melted as if he wasn't strong enough to hold it.

"Merlin?" he asked with a broken voice.

"How have you been, Father?" the stranger asked. "And what the hell do you know about the snow in Faerie?"

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