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Epilogue
Bree
Bree satin the balcony of the highest tower, staring glumly out at the setting moon. It had been more than a week since the outposters had tried to take control of Taveon’s castle, but she hadn’t been able to celebrate theirwin.
Rafe eased in behind her, settling onto the stone perch that jutted out over the top of the Keep. “I thought I might find youhere.”
Bree hugged her knees to her chest and sighed. “Am I thatpredictable?”
“No. You’re not.” He elbowed her in the side and smiled. “But your emotions are written all over your face, Bree. You misshim.”
Every part of her heart felt broken into pieces. She not only missed him, but she felt betrayed. He was supposed to stay with her, he was supposed to fight by her side. Instead, he’d abandoned her the moment he had the chance to grasp his crown. She remembered having asked him if he wanted to go back home, and he’d saidno.
She felt like an idiot for believinghim.
“Missing him would mean that I actually want to see him again,” Breemuttered.
“He did what he had to do, and you know it,” Rafferty said. “If he didn’t take charge, they would have killed you and then swarmed the gates of the castle. And they probably would have killed half of their own while they were at it. Some of them wanted to crown you Queen for what you did, and some of them wanted to rip you to shreds. It would have only ended inchaos.”
Her heart squeezed tight. “But he didn’t even say goodbye. He just left. He didn’t even cast a glance over his shoulder when he walkedaway.”
“Probably because he could not bear to see the look on your face,” Rafe said with a sigh. “Listen, Bree. Eurig is not my favorite fae in this realm. We have had our differences, do not forget. All that said, there is no denying that he would do anything for Taveon. And, I daresay, anything for you. He did not take the crown because he wants power. He took it because he saw no otherway.”
“Maybe. Maybe not.” Tears sprung into her eyes and then leaked out onto her cheeks. “Either way, I’ll never get to see himagain.”
Rafferty gave her a sad smile. “Then, I suppose you are just stuck withme.”
Bree caught his glance, and the hardness around her heart softened. She could not be sad with Rafe by her side. Yes, she would always miss Eurig. They had shared something between them that she would never forget, no matter if he ruled the outposts ornot.
“I brought something for you,” he said, reaching into a rucksack that Bree had not noticed until now. With a soft smile, he pulled her old fighting leathers out of the bag. Bree’s eyes widened. How had he managed that? They’d been torn to shreds. She’d left the pieces of them behind on the rollinghills.
Bree reached out and fingered the soft material. Those were her leathers through and through. “How?”
“Taveon told me what happened and how upset you were about losing them, so I found the scraps and asked one of our best seamstresses to mend them for you,” Rafe said, pressing his lips together into a thin line. “I know they’re important to you. They’re your link back to yourhome.”
Bree glanced up and smiled at him, the sadness in her heart being replaced with someone else. Love. “Thank you for this, Rafe, but you know what? Why don’t you hold on to them fornow?”
Confusion rippled across his handsome features. “I don’tunderstand.”
“This is my home now, Rafe. Here with you and Taveon. I don’t need my old fighting leathers to remind me of who I once was anymore.” She rested her hand on top of his and squeezed tight. “Besides, I have new fighting leathers now. Ones that I have to admit fit me much better than the old ones everdid.”
And she had Rafe. Her sexy, smart, strong, and kindhearted Rafe. Smiling, she leaned into him and pressed her lips tight against his. Everything would be okay as long as she hadRafe.
* * *
Back in her quarters,she began to pack her things together. She would move back into Rafe’s rooms now. He and Taveon had told her that they had redecorated it somehow, and she couldn’t wait to see what they’d been up to. It was good timing. After Eurig’s retreat, she did not want to sleep alone anymore. It only reminded her that he’dleft.
But things were looking up. The Court was finally starting to go back to normal, and Taveon had begun to rule his people with the kindness and thoughtfulness he’d always promised. And, Bree had to admit, he looked damn good on the throne. Like he belongedthere.
A knock sounded on the door, and she turned toward it with a smile, expecting Rafe orTaveon.
Instead, it wasFillan.
Her stomach dropped. She’d forgotten all about the assassin and his demand that she find out Taveon’ssecret.
Now that she knew it, she wanted to do nothing butrun.
“Get out,” she said in a sharp voice. “You’re not welcomehere.”
