“Such as?” He gave me a quizzical stare.
I eyed him with suspicion. He was never normally so curious about what I was doing with my life.
“The stone will be given to the Coven of Shadows and there’s a new witch that needs passage to them.”
I was certain Gabrielle wasn’t going to find what lay ahead for her easy. I had great respect for the coven but I preferred to keep dealings with them to a minimum. I was willing to bet that chances were they didn’t know about her. Anyone that powerful, or precious enough, to have two guardians would have been secured within their fold.
Jupe was able to come through the veil once the spell had been lifted and filled me in on how she was. Once the threat to her was gone, the guardians returned her. But she was very shaken.
“I see. And of the two of you?” He looked down at my hand holding Ariyah’s. Though it wasn’t with the disapproval I expected.
“We will see where our path takes us.” I glanced at Ariyah who turned to face me.
“Very well. I don’t need to remind you that your path may lead you right back here Prince Eric.” Father warned. “Humans don’t tend to do well, with all the changes.”
“I’ll be fine.” Ariyah spoke up, before I could. “I’ll be fine. I’m adaptable to change. I’ve lived in different homes.”
Father looked like he liked that answer. I did too.
“We’ll see you soon.” It was time to go. Time to get back to normal life.
“Not soon as in the next two hundred years?” Aurora asked from behind us.
I didn’t hear her come in.
“No, not that long.”
If it was one thing I learned from this experience it was I’d been away for too long and you couldn’t run away from home forever.
There was a new adventure that awaited me and I suspected I had many questions to answer.
Epilogue
Ariyah
***
Three days later...
I sat down next to Eric in his sitting room.
I’d stayed with Gabrielle for the last few days because we thought she needed me more. She did. She’d decided she wanted to go to the Coven of Shadows and would be leaving tomorrow.
I thought it would be a good time to see Eric.
I missed him.
He was just changing the dressing on his wound and looked a lot more like his old self.
He pulled me unto his lap and I slipped my arms around his neck.
“Sorry, I meant to get here earlier. Gabrielle was really upset after talking to her mom.” She’d aimed to tell her mom what happened but didn’t. She told me she wanted to find out everything first then decide.
“You sure you want to stay here tonight? Sounds like she still needs you.”
I sighed. “I need you. I needed to see you.” I did. I’d taken over the role of the shoulder to cry on and the supporter, but really I was just as torn and shaken by all that happened.
“You got me.”
Loving the sound of that I kissed the top of his nose. “Can I do anything for you?”
“You’re already doing what I want just by being here.”
“Hey, I’m not sure that’s enough since I really want to see you. See how are you are.”
“I’m okay. Wounds healing. I know we have a lot to talk about and you’re eager.”
Maybe he could sense I was eager with all sorts of questions.
“You mentioned something about forever, so I can wait.” I chuckled.
He smiled up at me. “You’re extraordinary Ariyah. You... look at me the same.”
“Aren’t you the same?”
“Yes, but now you know what I am. Now you know I’m kind of a few hundred years old and on a bad day I could change into a dragon and literally breathe fire.”
I laughed. I guess I really was taking this better than I thought, but it was him I wanted. “I like older men. I also happen to love dragons, and your fire is pretty.”
“Doesn’t it scare you?”
This was the first chance that we’d really had to sit down and talk properly.
“Maybe. You don’t scare me, I just don’t know what to do now. There’s this whole world I don’t know. Worlds, realms creatures.”
“And you’re not sure about it?” he held my gaze.
“It’s daunting.”
“Ariyah, I’ve always given you the choice. I love you. That will never change, no matter what you decide.”
“I want to be with you. Whatever that means. I want that. I don’t care about anything else. Like I told your very scary father, I’m adaptable.” I’d never met a normal king let alone the king of a realm before, so yes his father freaked me out. Not enough to make me run the other way though.
Eric smiled. “Okay, let’s try this for size on how adaptable you are.”
“Try me.”
“What if instead of that overnight bag you just got a truck and moved your stuff in, here?”
“Hmmm.” I pretended to think. “Most men would freak out about that.”
“I’m not most men.”
“I’d like that idea.”
“Really?”
I nodded. “You have a really big mirror in the bedroom.
“It’s yours.”
“Thank you.” I gave him a quick kiss. He slipped his arm around my waist.
“Also, seeing as you’re the only person who can see my soul, there’s something I have to ask you.”
“Is that what I’m seeing? Your soul.” Now that was fascinating.
“Yes. It’s my soul. The only people who can see a dragon shifters soul are soul mates.”
I cupped his face. “What?”
“I don’t know how but it’s true. I know it’s true now because of you. So, in the not too distant future when we think enough time has passed I’m going to ask you to be my soul mate, my fated mate forever.”
I chuckled. “How can you ask me that if I already am?”
“Officially.” He amended.
“Officially? Can you be more specific, I don’t want to assume and get my hopes up too high and then find out you want me to help you pick out a toaster or something.” I joked.
He laughed a deep hearty laugh I loved. “A toaster, Ariyah?”
“Or something.”
“Okay, here’s me being specific. I’m going to ask you to marry me.”
My heart soared into the sky and the backs of my eyes stung from the tears of happiness that pulled at them. “I’m going to say yes Eric.”
A tear ran down my cheek which he caught.
“Yeah?”
“Absolutely.”
As he held me I finally, finally felt like I belonged.
I belonged with him.
His True Love Page 10