Page 65 of A Storm of Fire and Ice

We followed her advice and stepped back cautiously, ready to defend ourselves should things not go as expected.

“Let’s begin.” She raised her hands.

The wind whipped around us as she summoned her Cosmic powers. The Black Rose Brooch floated into the air before her, glinting ominously in the pale winter light. We all watched with bated breath as her eyes focused intently on its ominously intricate design.

A wave of violet energy emanated from her hands, and the brooch trembled and cracked. I flinched, half expecting some eruption of dark energy. But the fractured brooch simply hung there, inert and powerless, devoid of the evil power it once held.

My breath caught in my throat as the sound of shattering glass filled the air. The brooch splintered into hundreds of tiny pieces all at once.

As Headmaster Moira kept her hands pointed toward the floating shards of black glass, countless small portals began appearing all around us, swirling vortexes of light suspended against the gloomy sky.

“To the deepest oceans, the highest mountains, the driest deserts, the densest forests, and across the farthest reaches of the Enchanted Realm,” the headmaster spoke solemnly. “May you find your final resting places, never to be found again.”

With a flick of her wrist, an invisible force drew every fragment into a portal until they had all disappeared out of sight.

As the last portal closed, Headmaster Moira surveyed each of us, her gaze soft yet stern. “Thanks to all of you, the fragments of the Black Rose Brooch are now scattered across the realm, and Obsidia will never threaten us again. You have shown yourselves worthy of becoming the future leaders of your kingdoms.”

“Thank you, Headmaster,” we murmured with reverence.

A spark of hope and anticipation surged through me as I gazed upon Helena, Fannar, and Brontes. The four of us represented half of all the kingdoms. Together, we would usher in a new era of peace and unity for the Enchanted Realm.

Helena and Fannar exchanged tender glances and intertwined their hands. My eyes drifted up to Brontes, who had been a pillar of strength throughout this ordeal. Through everything, he resisted Obsidia’s dark temptations of unparalleled power and conquest of the entire realm. He demonstrated that his unwavering love and goodness was a light that could not be extinguished.

I linked my arm with his, leaning into him with tears of joy pricking at my eyes. A deep contentment infused my bones. Here, wrapped up in Brontes’s embrace, was my happy place. No kingdom or crown could ever mean more to me than this man’s love.

“You’re thinking too loudly,” Brontes murmured, his lips brushing my hair. “What’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?”

I smiled, tilting my face up to meet his gaze. “Just realizing how lucky I am to have found you.”

His eyes softened, filled with a tenderness that made my heart ache with joy. “Without you, I would have become the tyrant that Obsidia knew. I’m the lucky one, my snowflake.”

A tear spilled down my cheek, and he reached up to brush it away, his thumb caressing my skin with an almost reverent touch that sent a delightful tremble through me.

This was all I ever wanted—a love to stand the ages.

“Promise you’ll never stop loving me,” I whispered.

“I would sooner stop breathing.” He pressed a soft kiss to my lips. “You are mine always, and I am yours.”

I sighed, enveloped in bliss and the security of his vow. The sun peeked out from behind the clouds, shining as brightly as the future Brontes and I would forge together. Always and forever, against all odds, our love would endure.

Chapter Twenty-One

Gwyneira

Three months later

“Youmaynowkissthe bride!” The officiant’s words resonated through the air.

Adorned in his black military uniform, the medals and gold buttons gleaming like stars, Brontes looked every bit the regal king he was destined to be. His heavy gold crown rested upon his head, a testament to his responsibility and unwavering strength. As he pulled me close, the warmth radiating from his body enveloped me in a cocoon of profound love.

The depths of his navy blue eyes captivated me, like gazing into a star-strewn midnight ocean. Deep, boundless blue. Everything else faded away, leaving just the two of us standing there, lost in each other’s presence. He was all I could see in that moment, and I wanted that moment to last forever.

Our lips met in a tender, passionate kiss, sealing our union beneath the moonlit glow. I lost myself in the sensation, my heart swelling with unbridled joy and affection for this man who had stolen my heart and awakened my soul. My fingers gripped against the rough fabric of his uniform, a stark contrast to the tenderness of his embrace.

As Brontes pulled away from our long, loving kiss, the applause and cheers of our audience filled my ears, bringing me back to reality.

That’s right. We have an audience.

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