She did, the smooth, flowing fabric of the skirt swirling.
Krey blinked. Shook his head. Gaped. Licked his lips. And finally, spoke. “Damn, Nora.”
“You like it?”
“You could say that.” His hands came to her waist. He pulled her close and spoke into her ear, his voice warm and tantalizing. “I thought about proposing today.”
She pulled back, eyes wide. “You did?”
“Yeah. But we’ve both been known to be . . . impulsive.”
“Speak for yourself.” She grinned. “I wasn’t considering proposing to you until tomorrow.”
He returned her smile. “We keep saying we need to act like adults and take things slow while we settle into our new lives. But, Nora . . .” He sighed, shaking his head. “You’re making it hard to wait. I should probably tell you, unless you kick me out of this place, you’re not getting rid of me. Ever.” He watched her for a long moment. “Say something.”
“Kiss me, you impulsive fool.”
He let out a low laugh and gave her a kiss worth remembering. Then he stepped back and took her hands, his eyes tracking a lazy path down her body.
“Krey?” Nora said. He returned his gaze to hers. “We met a year ago today. We’ve been through more than most people go through in a decade. Along the way, you became the best friend I’ve ever had. I’m as sure about this as you are.” She stepped close, sliding her hands up his chest and bringing them behind his neck, playing with the hair there. “I want you to ask me. Don’t make me wait too long.”
His mouth broadened in a slow grin. “How could I say no to a command from my queen?”
Nora stood back as Dani opened the gate in the fence outside the palace residence. Directly before them was the rear of a stage. Royal guards stood on either side, facing outward. “Ready?” Dani asked.
Nora had been acting as queen for weeks. Why was her heart beating hard enough to send the bodice of her dress fluttering?
“You are ready,” Dani said.
Nora let out her breath. She was allowed to choose who crowned her. Several of her new ministers had lobbied for the privilege, and Nora had angered them all by choosing her aunt. Seeing Dani’s encouraging smile, she couldn’t regret the choice. They walked up a flight of wooden steps and emerged onto the stage.
Nora gasped. Thousands of supporters had crammed onto the palace grounds. They stood wherever they could fit—on the banks of the pond, in front of the stables, and extending all the way to the gate. Throughout the crowd, she knew, were some of her fiercest rebels, hired by Hatlin to protect her today.
Dani took Nora’s hand and led her forward, then spoke to the people. The crowd hushed, though there was no way they could all hear her.
As her aunt spoke of the history of Anyari and Cellerin, Nora let her gaze wander over the people at the very front of the crowd.
First was Sarza, who gave Nora a hesitant smile when their gazes met.
Beside her stood Zeisha, holding hands with Kebi. Most of the color had returned to Zeisha’s skin. They’d moved back to Deroga, but Nora had sent a dragon to pick them up this morning.
Eira was next to Kebi, sunlight reflecting off the elderly trog’s long, white braid. She gave Nora a somber, respectful nod—the gesture of an ally. An equal.
Next was Ovrun, who flashed Nora an encouraging smile. Joli stood with him. Nora’s eyes dropped to their clasped hands, and when she tried to hold back her huge grin, she failed miserably.
Ovrun had visited Nora and Krey at the palace a few times. The first time, he’d barely made it through the gate, flashbacks of his imprisonment turning him clammy and skittish. But he kept coming, determined to form new memories there. Each subsequent visit had proven less traumatic.
Once Joli’s family farm was rebuilt, Ovrun would apprentice with them, learning what it took to administrate such a business. Before that, he’d undergo surgery on his hand to repair the damage Ulmin had done.
Finally, there was Krey. Nora had saved him for last, knowing that once she started staring at him, she wouldn’t want to stop. By the sky, she loved him—his soft lips, his brilliant mind, his—
Focus, Nora. You’re about to drool on your dress. She pulled her eyes from him, but her gaze immediately halted again. Aunt Min and Aunt Evie stood next to him, both beaming at Nora. She returned their smile, her eyes wide with confusion. She hadn’t expected them to travel so far for a ceremony. When she looked at Krey again, he winked, then looked to the sky.
Taking the hint, Nora reached out to Osmius. Did you carry more than a dress back from Tirra yesterday?
Surprise, Your Majesty, he replied. Krey did not know of it until today either. His aunts arranged it.
Nora turned to Dani, just in time to hear the end of the blessedly short speech.
It’s time, Dani mouthed.
Heart suddenly racing, Nora lowered herself into a kneeling position.
Dani stepped behind her, and the golden band settled on Nora’s brow. It was a perfect fit.
Movement caught her eye, and she looked up. Three dragons—one deep purplish red; one golden, and one with scales of iridescent gray, circled overhead. The crowd gasped as the beasts blew great streams of yellow fire across the pale-orange afternoon sky.
A cheer went up, loud enough to hurt Nora’s ears. She stood, held out her hands, and bowed to her people.
The rest of the day was a dream. They’d given out three hundred tickets for a grand, outdoor dinner and ball. During dinner, the sounds of raucous celebrations in the street drifted in through the gates. Nora wished she could join in.
After dinner, she fulfilled her duties by dancing with ministers and supporters, but as soon as she could, she sought out Krey. He held her close, eyes only on her, making her laugh when he skillfully swept her away from would-be interlopers.
Tomorrow, she’d make decisions about money and projects and people. She’d visit her father and remind herself to eat. She’d have meetings where she’d make half the people angry and the other half happy. Tomorrow, she’d act like a queen.
But tonight? Tonight, she’d revel in being a woman. Nothing more, nothing less.
Tomorrow, she’d rule.
Tonight, she’d dance.
Epilogue
Two Years Later
Nora held tightly to Krey’s shoulders as they soared through the crisp autumn air. He made a sharp turn, and she grinned, relishing the thrill of flying on his back. They’d come to an agreement over a year ago: she’d fly with him at least once a month, and he’d ride on Osmius just as often. Gradually, both of them had conquered their fears.
Neither of them could afford to take today off. Nora had a list of top-priority items that would carry her into next year, and Krey had been working late each night preparing for the grand opening of Cellerin’s first public library. But Nora had insisted that if they didn’t get a break, their brains would cease functioning. Krey had been hesitant until she’d reminded him how much he loved enveloping her in his magic and flying with her. He’d quickly relented.
At last, they arrived on a flat shelf of rock on the face of Cellerin Mountain. Krey landed, and a huge, gray head emerged from a large cave.
Nora ran up to Osmius and held her arms out. He lowered his neck for her to hug it.
When she let go, she asked Osmius, “Ready to take us on a flight?” Her brows rose, and she turned to Krey. “Osmius said he wants to show us something in his den.”
Inside the cave, Osmius walked to a large bed of furs and used his claws to carefully remove one at a time, setting each to the side. Come see, he said.
Nora took Krey’s hand and led him closer.
Osmius had uncovered something, but it was swathed in shadows from the cave itself and the furs still around it. He opened his mouth, revealing a ball of white flame that illuminated the space.
As Nora and Krey knelt on the furs, she gasped. Osmius had uncovered an egg. It was as large as her head and was covered in black scales i
n a basket-weave pattern. “Osmius,” she breathed, “how?”
Taima laid it when you were in Deroga. She did not tell me of it until she was dying.
When Nora had repeated his words, Krey asked, “Why hasn’t it hatched?”
A few moments later, Nora replied, “He says it doesn’t usually take years, but . . .” She pressed her lips together, then swallowed and continued, her voice strained. “The baby can sense its parents’ emotions. Excess sadness or anger will keep it inside its shell. That’s why this one has waited.”
All at once, the egg trembled. It was so slight, Nora thought she’d imagined it, until it happened again.
It senses my peace, Osmius said. It shall hatch soon.
Nora relayed the message to Krey, then turned to the dragon with a smile of awe. “Are we about to watch a dragon’s birth?”
Osmius began covering the egg again and replied, Not for weeks. Breaking an egg requires a great deal of strength and time. Once Nora had passed that on to Krey, Osmius’s voice entered her head again. I shall be a father soon, Nora-human.
She grinned and turned to Krey. “I don’t know if you can see it in his face, but Osmius is enormously proud that he’s becoming a father.”
Krey chuckled and rubbed Nora’s back. They exchanged a glance and a smile before he pulled her closer and looked up at Osmius. “We couldn’t be happier for you. And . . .” His hand settled on Nora’s abdomen, pressing her loose shirt against the slight roundness there. “You’re not the only one.”
Osmius lifted his face and breathed flames into the blackness above them. Nora had never seen such fire come from his mouth—glorious flares of pink, orange, yellow, and white that filled the cave with ebullient warmth.
Then he brought his head down, and Nora embraced his neck. When she let go, she was laughing. “Osmius says this is why he insisted we take our journey today. Soon, he’ll have new responsibilities.”
“So will we,” Krey said with a smile. “Let’s go.”
Contentment washed over Nora as she and Krey soared through the air on Osmius’s back. With their families expanding, she didn’t know how often they’d get moments like this. She soaked up every sensation: Osmius’s spicy, musky scent; the smoothness of his scales and the way the light reflected off their iridescent gray; the crack as he flapped his wings; the taste of the cool air.
Two and a half years ago, Osmius had promised that once she committed her life to someone, they could tour Cellerin’s most spectacular scenery, including places where magic still lived. Krey had now been her husband for over a year, but responsibilities had made such a trip difficult to plan. Thank the sky Osmius had convinced her to do it today.
They soared over the Kamina Forest. The unicorns they’d seen on Nora’s first tour were hidden, by trees or by magic. They continued to the nearby mountains and picnicked at the base of a majestic, hidden waterfall.
After viewing more wonders, they landed in the Therro Desert near a pond with incredibly clear, green water. “What’s this?” Krey asked as they knelt by it.
A hundred times, Nora had been tempted to tell him about this place. She’d resisted, wanting him to experience it with no expectations. “Magical water. Drink some.”
He raised a skeptical eyebrow but dipped out a handful and slurped it up.
Just as she’d done on her earlier visit, he jumped up and gleefully ran across the sand, spinning and taking great, bouncing jumps. Watching him, Nora laughed until her stomach hurt.
You looked just as foolish when you partook of the water, Nora-human, Osmius said.
I bet you did too. No wonder you wouldn’t drink it in front of me.
Krey finally slowed, but he wasn’t done. He knelt by Nora. Eyes full of mischievous life, he embraced her, then leaned back onto the sand, pulling her on top of him, kissing her like he hadn’t seen her in months.
When his hands started wandering, she rolled off him, laughing. “We’re not alone, Krey.”
He gave her a feral grin, sat up, and began running again.
When Krey’s magical energy abated, he sat by Nora. “That water is the greatest stuff ever. Can we have Zeisha do this to the pond at the palace?”
“You’re a smart man, but that’s a terrible idea.”
Krey laughed.
They mounted Osmius again. The day had gotten cooler, so Krey draped himself over Nora to keep her warm. After a long, peaceful flight, they passed over Cellerin City, then continued toward the palace.
As they flew over the forested area where Nora’s rebels had hidden two years before, she sent a message to Osmius. Stop, please!
He halted, hovering over the trees, his wings slowly beating the air. What is it, Nora-human?
Give me a minute. She thought she’d seen a flash of something metallic, though it may have been the setting sun reflecting off a stream. She squinted. Can you drop closer to the trees? Above that little clearing to the left?
He complied, and she drew in a sharp breath. Six silver unicorns stood in the clearing, all gazing up, their sharp, white horns pointed at her like arrows. For perhaps a minute, they stood unmoving. Then one of them dipped its head—more of a nod than a bow—before again raising its faceted blue eyes to her. It was the one who’d helped her; she was certain of it.
She took one of her hands off Osmius and reached out, as if she could bridge the gap between them. Thank you, she thought, hoping the creature understood.
All six unicorns disappeared.
Nora shook her head slowly. She was riding a dragon who spoke to her. The unicorn who’d saved her life had just revealed itself. And soon, she’d be back at her palace, taking on the burdens and joys of her country. By the stone . . . how had she gotten here?
She was still pondering that when Krey’s hand found her leg, giving it a gentle squeeze.
With a smile, she reached back. He laced his fingers with hers. She closed her eyes, drew crisp air deep into her lungs, and lost herself in the warm magic of his touch.
THE END
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Acknowledgements
Well, here we are . . . The Magic Eaters Trilogy is complete! I’m thankful to all my readers, but I’d like to give extra thanks to those who helped me create the final book of this series.
My alpha readers are intrepid explorers, venturing into my rough draft to find whatever’s golden in it . . . and to tell me how to make it better. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to these alpha readers: Becky Brickman, Kim Decker, Brenda Elliott, Brooke Hunger, Becki Norris, Nikki Tuggy, and DeDe Pollnow.
My beta readers for this book blew me away with their suggestions and their ability to find plot holes. My sincere thanks to all these readers: Eli Anderson, Eileen Curley Hammond, Kim Decker, Elizabeth, Robin Gonzales, Sarah Joy Green-Hart, Caroline Hannam, Lisa Henson of Capital Editing Services, Robin Higham, C.M. Irving, R. Mark Jones, Kathryn Lee, Tracy Magouirk, April Mcdermitt, Becki Norris (the best twin sister ever, my better half, she who completes me*), MarjorieS, Sarah Rothman, Adelyn Tackett, and Nikki Tuggy. This book is far better due to your advice.
*That’s what I get for asking my twin sister how she wanted to be listed in the Acknowledgements.
Special thanks to sensitivity reader Louise Willingham, for her excellent feedback on scenes with Zeisha and Sarza. (Check out her novel, Not Quite Out.)
Big gratitude goes out to my A
RC readers who found lingering typos before publication, and I’m giving an extra shout-out to Tracy Mercer, who won the typo-hunting contest.
It can be hard to come up with unique fantasy names! Many of the character and location names in The Stone Eater came from creative people besides me. Here are the contributors, with the names they suggested in parentheses: Ana Anderson (Zeisha, Lerenor, & Cerinus), Beth Harris (Cruine; Eksel, changed spelling to Eskel), Jamie Brown (Isle, changed spelling to Isla), Julie Simmons (Fayla, changed to Faylie), Kristina Adams (Kebi, Eira and Taima), Marie-Eve Mailhot (Evie), Melissa (Wallace, changed spelling to Wallis), Molly Norris (Kamina), Melissa Dials (Girro), Megan Koehnlein (Sarza), Julie Simmons (Phip), Elizabeth Belt (Osk), Heather (Pryn), Penny Brinker (Dera and Kadar), Janice Paiano (Lott), Shanna Johnson (Loryn), Bobbie Gladitsch (Kaulder), Patty Noonan (Varia), Emyth Brenn (Tiam), Lester Banks (Etal), Deborah Munro (Kadin), and Karen Heys (Quin, Reymi).
Mariah Sinclair (mariahsinclair.com and thecovervault.com), this cover is ah-ma-zing. Thank you!
Thank you to BMR Williams creating the map.
Thank you to all my Twitter friends who make me feel “un-alone” in this writing journey.
My thanks and my love go to God and my family.
Dear reader, thank you for giving your eyes and your heart to this series!
-Carol Beth Anderson
Leander, Texas
2021
About the Author
Carol Beth Anderson is a native of Arizona and now lives in Leander, TX, outside Austin. She has a husband, two kids, a miniature schnauzer, and more fish than anyone knows what to do with. Besides writing, she loves baking sourdough bread, knitting, eating cookies-and-cream ice cream, and spending way too much time on Twitter. Beth is the author of the Sun-Blessed Trilogy, The Magic Eaters Trilogy, The Curio Cabinet: A Collection of Miniature Stories, and Early Readers Catch the Worms: How Alpha, Beta, and ARC Readers Can Help You Write a Better Novel.
The Stone Eater (The Magic Eaters Trilogy Book 3) Page 41