Page 116 of A Hunter for Luna

It was a complete opposite of the mansions I’d lived in all my life.

Best of all, it was far enough from Kalion that it was difficult for people to reach us with political schemes. Even though the emperor had officially declared Benedetto his heir.

"What are you thinking about, my love?" Benedetto asked, sitting down beside me and placing a gentle hand on my belly.

"Just how surreal and wonderful this all is." I leaned into his touch. "To finally have a true home together, after everything."

He smiled, that brilliant smile that made my heart flutter the more because it was so rare. "You're my home. Wherever you are."

I reached up to stroke his cheek, the stubble rough under my fingers. "And you're mine. Beloved."

"My vixen," he said as he pulled me close and pressed a tender kiss to my forehead.

I nestled into his embrace. This man who had once seemed an untouchable enigma was now my partner, my equal, my love.

This is what happiness felt like, I realized, a lump forming in my throat. True happiness, after a lifetime of fear and secrets and sorrow. With all the power in me, I would do anything to protect this. To protect our future.

My hand drifted down to rest on my belly once more. Please, let our child know only love and laughter within these walls. Shield them from the pain and persecution that has haunted our pasts.

In that perfect, sunlit moment, it was as if anything were possible.

Pip let out a contented chirp, drawing my attention back to the present. The little drake had grown plump and glossy in recent months.

"He's not the only one who's been indulging," Benedetto said with a playful gleam in his eye, his fingers grazing my roundedbelly. "I think our little one inherited a sweet tooth from someone."

Sofia glanced over from her perch by the window, one eyebrow arched. "Bold of you to assume the craving for sweets comes from your wife, Lord d’Alvarez."

The smile in her voice gladdened my heart. Benedetto’s agreement to undertake training with Soulrider once our children were grown had satisfied the Sorcerer, who’d taken Moonshifter as a credit on our account. I suspected Sofia had made a separate agreement to speed their arrival, but she wouldn’t talk about it.

She’d always been quiet, but her silences had a pained quality now.

Rose giggled, her face alight with mischief. "Maybe we should start hiding the sweets from both of them," she stage-whispered to Lorenzo and Palma, who’d come to visit.

"I heard that," I said, throwing a cushion at my sister. She caught it deftly, putting her nose in the air.

I marveled, my heart swelling with pride. Now look at her. Teasing and laughing like any other young woman. Like the carefree child she always should have been.

Lorenzo chuckled, shaking his head at our antics. "Careful now. We wouldn't want to accidentally summon any rogue desserts. I've heard tales of Sorcerers conjuring entire cakes out of thin air."

"Wouldn't that be a sight," Palma said. "An army of pastries marching through the halls, demanding to be eaten."

The image was so absurd, so utterly ridiculous, that I couldn't help but dissolve into laughter. Benedetto joined in, his rich baritone mingling with my giggles.

This is what I fought for. These precious moments of levity and love. The chance to build a life brimming with laughter, even after all the pain we’d endured.

I leaned my head against Benedetto's shoulder, savoring the solid warmth of him. “Never leave.”

He turned, cupping my face with one gentle hand. The depths of his brown eyes held a tenderness that still made my heart flutter, even after all this time. "You saved me. In more ways than I can count. Everything I am, everything I have, it's all because of you."

Tears prickled, but for once, they were tears of joy, not sorrow. I closed the remaining distance between us, capturing his lips in a soft, sweet kiss.

Let the world turn outside our doors, I prayed. Let the schemers scheme and the politicians plot. In here, in this perfect pocket of sunlight and laughter, we were untouchable.

And for one blissful, shining afternoon, it almost felt true.

The conversation shifted as Lorenzo leaned forward, his expression growing somber. "I wanted to tell you that while Vivaldo's withdrawal was unexpected, his supporters haven’t given up yet," he said, sipping his wine thoughtfully. "For now, it's quiet. But it won't last forever. We’re here to help you prepare for whatever comes next."

He was right. We couldn't afford to let our guard down completely, even now. The power vacuum left by Vivaldo'sretreat had caused a ripple of uncertainty among the aristocracy, and I knew all too well how quickly the tides could turn in the treacherous waters of Dimare’s politics.

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