Page 102 of Glass Hearts
“Bri, could you be the bestest friend ever and deal with these relentless bastards? Set them up with a room, and Margie, if you could whip up something for all of us… We would really appreciate it.”
“Of course, boys, let me get Alec to bed. We can fix the kingdom tomorrow.” Margie helps Bri wrangle the Mercenaries back to the castle.
I look to all my brothers and my love. Relief that we did it, yet also a sadness that it had come to this ending. I didn’t like killing Harvey & Dawn. They had once been kind to me, had taught me certain things that had helped me become the person I am today. As if sensing my distress, Arabella’s hand guides my cheek to look into her eyes.
“Come back to me, my golden prince.” She kisses me softly, blood and all. “It’s over. It’s over.” I wrap my arms around her and lift her up to carry her. Peace fills my heart as she wraps her legs around my waist, linking her arms around my neck.My Sunshine.
“Since you fuckers made me kill all those people, you can carry Grayer. I am going to carry my Sunshine.” I kiss the top of her head.
Sylas and Archer chuckle as I walk back to the castle with my love in my arms. Her head rests on my shoulder.
“I can walk, Koi,” she whispers.
“No, I need this. I need to hold you, Ella.” I squeeze her close to me as we make the journey slowly back.
“You really killed three people? Are- are you okay?”
“I did. I don’t regret killing Victor; he was just about to deal the killing blow to Sy and Arch. But the council people… it’s weird having to kill people you have known most of your life.”
“I understand. I was going to kill Bernice. But I couldn’t, even after all she put me through. She basically confessed to killing my father, and I still couldn’t. Max had to kill her for me. I know your fear is turning into your father, but you are my golden prince; you protect those you love. It’s the thing I love about you. Your big heart.”
“You love me, Sunshine?”
“I do love you, you big brute.”
I stop to kiss my purpose for living. From the moment I met her, something changed within me. I had always coasted, okay with living in my father’s shadow as long as I could protect Grayer. Yet she makes me—us—want to be better princes. True future kings. With our Queen at our center.
I feel her little mouse friends scurry up onto my shoulders and chitter away as she giggles. I smile at how uniquely perfect she is.
“Yes, yes, you two will get big cheeses and your own little room once we get back. No-I will not make a decree to eliminate all cats.” For the first time since entering the castle this evening, I laugh.
Arabella
Birds bicker in the distance, the sun beaming in, warming my skin as I awake from a heavy, dreamless sleep. Slowly, I sit up, inhaling and breathing out, the memories of the past forty-eight hours crashing back into me.
My heart breaks at the image of Lo’s beautiful strawberry blonde hair in the hands of that vile man, Victor. How traumatic it probably felt for Elora, and how I wasn’t there for her. We had always protected each other, yet I ran when I should have made sure she was with me. Guilt sours my stomach.
But then she wouldn’t have been here to wake my princes, and selfishly, I am so grateful she could help them come back to me.
“Good morning, Duchess,” Gray whispers to my side. Koi is on my other side, his arm still wrapped around me. Archer sleeps on the end, and Sy is next to Gray. The monstrous bed fits us all perfectly.
“Gray!” I twist over to kiss him and check his wound. “Don’t you ever do that again! I-I thought I had lost you.” Tears well up in my eyes.
“Shh, don’t cry, my love. I won’t apologize for getting stabbed in your place. I would do it again in a heartbeat. So get used to it.” He winks as I playfully slap his chest, avoiding the area he was stabbed. I hear Sylas and Archer rustling awake.
“Good morning, Princess,” Archer says sleepily while grabbing my ankle, kissing it tenderly. “I will send for breakfast.”
“No- wait!” Koi wakes with a yawn. All four of my princes look to me expectantly. “I have some things to say.”
“Go ahead, Vixen. We are all ears,” Sylas grins at me. I blow out a breath. Openness has never been my strong suit, but I almost lost the chance already with Grayer, making me realize just how close I was to losing them.
“I love you all. Grayer, you loved me before even knowing me. You believed in us when we were all still fighting our attraction to each other. Fighting for me from the start. Koi, I love your big, kind heart. You have always made sure to brighten my day. Sylas, you have been my steady rock- no pun intended.” He lets out a chuckle, which makes me smile through the tears. “I feel safe when I am with you. Archer, I know I can lean on you and trust that you will always look out for me. I-I just still can’t believe you all loveme. And I hope you all don’t change your minds about being with me… because if so, I might need to sic Max on you.”
“Oh, we will definitely not be getting rid of you, Sunshine.” Koi pulls me in from behind, laying lots of kisses in my hair and on my neck. “If anything, you will beg for us to give you space.”
“We are yours, Vixen. We have been since the day you strutted into the ballroom like the Queen you are. Some of us had just been too blind to see, and we will need to make up for that lost time.”
A knock interrupts us as we all hear Bri through the door.
