Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
The others nodded solemnly, clearly knowing all too well what that was like.
“We’ll need a rundown of how that was able to happen,” Nyfain said. “Come to our apartment later tonight. We’ll have a bite and drink too much wine. Well . . .” His golden eyes came to rest on me. “Most of us will.”
Calia stepped forward. “You used your fairy magic perfectly, and without training! I see great things for you. I have a formal invite written up, requesting that you and your true mate join me in the fairy kingdom.” She made a show of looking sideways at Nyfain. “Just as soon as things are wrapped up in negotiations.”
“That isn’t my fault,” Nyfain mumbled.
“Aurelia.” Finley stepped forward. “You were cool under pressure and made a sticky situation easy to manage. Good work. I know you’re not ready yet, but soon you are going to make an incredible co-beta in our kingdom.” She put her hand on my arm. “You don’t need to bring food tonight. Go back and rest.”
“No, I will. I think cooking will help relax me.”
She put her hands in the air. “I’m not going to argue. I should—the proper thing to do is definitely argue—but I’m not going to.”
“Can I come?” Hadriel and Vemar said together.
“Aurelia, if I may.” Hannon stepped up to us, his focus acute. “I made sure it was instantaneous.” He paused, and I knew what he was referring to. “She wouldn’t have felt any pain. I thought that’s what you would’ve wanted. We don’t choose who we love, but I thought maybe you’d want to choose how you said goodbye.”
My eyes filled with tears, and I hugged him. “Thank you,” I said, pulling back and wiping my eyes. He nodded and stepped back, his hands clasped behind him.
I ended up cooking far more than was necessary. I finished one dish and moved right on to the next, locked in my memories, allowing the pain. This was my goodbye. After today, I would not write Granny into my journal. I would not put in any effort to keep her memory alive. I would not honor her like I did my mom.
After today, I would officially close the chapter on the life I lived in Granny’s shadow. It was time to start my new journey.
Epilogue - Aurelia
“Iam not trying to hurry you, but come the fuck on, will you?” Hadriel motioned me out of the bedroom in our new apartment.
“How is that not hurrying me?” I laughed, attempting to walk forward and mostly just waddling. I was due any day, and Weston wanted to take me on an outing before the baby came.
“That is literally hurrying her,” Leala groused. Everyone decided she would stay and be my lady’s maid until the baby was born. There was someone in line to take her place, though I hadn’t met her yet. It was a fairy—a concession in the negotiations.
“Eat rocks,” Hadriel sang.
“Fuck a cactus,” Leala sang back.
I hadn’t gotten the chance to visit the fairy kingdom yet. By the time the negotiations were signed, I had been too far along to travel. We’d visit after the birth with the baby, and the royals—who had decided a trip was long overdue—would come too. I did get a fairy trainer, though. Three, actually: two of them were Emoters, and one specialized in training fairies to use magic. My training was mostly about moods and focus and things I was picking up on very easily, because I used those sorts of practices in the mundane portions of my job . . .
Which was now on fire.
We had ten work sheds now. We had continual garden expansion. We had a line of Moonfire Lilies growing in between the edges of the Everlass, the two plants co-existing quite happily. We had orders out of our asses. Most of those came from the medicinal stuff we were selling to people who needed a little help and didn’t know it had existed in the market.
Granny’s operations mostly died with her. Someone tried to put out product a few months after her demise, but it didn’t get far. It wasn’t good, it was dangerous, and I produced better. We’d killed the threat while keeping me working and our kingdom thriving. Despite how it had come to pass and the bittersweet memories along the way, it had all worked out for the best.
“Grab the . . .” Hadriel shook his finger at the painting he’d insisted I give to Finley and Nyfain. “Grab the thing. Leala! Grab the thing!”
“Gods help me, Hadriel.” Leala shook her head as she finished packing me a picnic, then rounded on him. “If you don’t calm down, I’m going to fuck you with the handle of my whip. Remember how much you hate that? Your guardian of your asshole will not protect you from me.”