“I’ve also been thinking that with this new addition, maybe we should have Cyril and Arie stick around,” I let out a huge sigh unsure of what Athen’s response might be.
Athen erupted into laughter, as I tackled him to the grass, pinning him down.
“Free babysitters, right?” I chuckled.
“You know it,” Athen replied.
“Everything happens for a reason, doesn’t it?” I murmured.
“It sure does, my angel. Every moment and every encounter was for something neither of us could ever have dreamed up on our own.”
Off in the distance, I heard Matilda barking. Everyone was on their way to meet us. Our life of us two, was about to forever change.
“Are you ready yet?” he asked again.
“Since the last time you asked? Nope, still not ready. How much time do you think we have?” I chided.
“I’d say a solid four or five minutes,” he replied, grinning.
“The last four minutes of freedom,” I sighed playfully.
“I didn’t think my love for you could grow anymore,” Athen whispered, “but it did.”
The voices were getting closer, and we both realized there were more people than we were thinking. I strained to try to distinguish the voices from one another and besides Cyril and Arie, I couldn’t tell who it was.
“Do you think she’ll remember us?” Athen’s voice unsure.
“Only time will tell,” I replied. “Lots more people than I thought are coming. Wonder who they all are?”
Matilda made her way over to us first, panting and snorting, completely out of breath. It was too much exertion for our little bully. She immediately rolled over on her back, begging for a belly rub. Slowly rolling off of Athen, I did my best to make myself look presentable for the unknown visitors.
Matilda was fully enjoying her massage, and I’m sure she felt that far too much time had passed since the last one. I was so thrilled to have Matilda back with us. My nerves started to begin making their appearance. I couldn’t believe our little girl, Lilly Noa, was about to come over the hill.
The chatter was getting closer, but then a squeal echoed above it all. The delightful squeal of Lilly rang through the air. I looked over at Athen who couldn’t hide the grin on his face. It said everything it needed to say. We were ready.
Seeing Lilly Noa running through the grass towards Athen was all I ever needed to see. Everything seemed right again in our world and not just right, better than it ever could have been, if we hadn’t gone through it all.
Athen bent down and Lilly Noa ran into his arms, holding the teddy bear Arie had gotten her. Matilda begged for me to pick her up as well, which I couldn’t resist. Cyril and Arie were finally in view hollering and waving. My poor cheek muscles began aching with the amount of smiling I was doing.
“Hey girl! Go get her,” I placed Matilda back on the ground so she could go run to greet Arie.
Looking behind her and Cyril, it looked as if it might be Becky and Tom, but I wasn’t sure.
“Is that Becky and Tom?” I asked Athen, squinting to see.
“It looks like it is, sweetie,” he replied.
“Huh! Wonder what brings them here?” I asked. I thought they were just dropping Lilly off with Cyril and Arie.
Arie ran over and hugged me tightly, bounding up and down. The Arie I knew and loved was completely back.
“Tom and Becky have a message for us!” Arie exclaimed.
“Really? It works both ways, huh? I thought it was a one way channel.” I grinned, having no idea what they wanted to tell us.
Becky reached us first. Hugging her for a few moments, I finally stepped back. The tears began to surface.
“Thank you for taking care of Lilly Noa while we had to attend to everything,” I said softly.
“Our pleasure!” Becky clapped her hands together. “She’s a joy.”
Tom reached the top of the hill, putting his two cents in too. “She sure is.”
Becky grabbed my hand, squeezing it hard.
“I knew you could do it,” she said. “I had no doubt.”
“Well, that makes one of us.” I smiled.
“I know the decisions you faced were hard, but you did it! You overcame your own agenda and ego. You saw the good where there was no good left. Your choices have forever changed the way mortals and immortals will live together,” Becky finished, releasing my hand.
“Well, thank you. But it was all of us. It wasn’t me that did it. There was a lot of sacrifice involved,” my voice flat, thinking of Noah.
“I know, dear.”
“The size of the white demon army has grown exponentially, thanks to Azazel. I doubt he ever figured it out completely. It makes me sad so many mortals were taken, but I feel a little better knowing we tried to get them a better life, filled with hope. But the loss is still crushing at times. There were still quite a few we couldn’t save.”
“All for a worthy cause, my dear,” Tom stepped in.
“It’s hard to believe it’s finally over,” I said, looking at Tom. He wanted to say something, but he kept stopping himself.
“Your father’s no longer in the other realm,” Tom finally said, looking at me and attempting to gauge my reaction. “Remiel’s been released. All of your fathers have been freed, actually.”
“Wow, that’s incredible!” I exclaimed, looking over at Athen for support. “They really are free?”
“They sure are honey,” Becky offered.
“In fact, why we came to you was to offer you a choice,” Tom began.
“What kind of choice?” I asked, as Athen came to stand next to me, Lilly Noa still in his arms.
“You are no longer bound to earth. You are free to go wherever you choose,” Becky continued.
Looking at Arie, Cyril, and Athen, I wondered what they were thinking. They showed no emotion whatsoever. Letting a few minutes pass before I began, I looked over at Matilda and Lilly Noa. We had a new beginning we needed to start. The last century or so was filled with far too much turmoil to end on.
“I don’t understand why this battle offered up these changes for us? It’s not like we completely eradicated evil from the world,” I ventured.
“You made choices that no one has ever made before. Your decisions were based on trying to do the right thing, time and time again. That has never happened before,” Tom said.
“So what do you think? Do you need time to decide if you would like to leave earth and begin again?” Becky asked.
The thought of leaving earth and the mortals was almost panic inducing. We weren’t done yet. Times were changing, and we just got settled.
“I really think this is our home.” I looked at Athen. “What do you think?”
“It absolutely is.” He nodded in agreement.
“I don’t want to stop you guys from going where you need to,” I spoke to Cyril and Arie. “You don’t have to stay on account of us.”
My heart was pounding at the thought that Arie and Cyril might not be up for the same path as us.
“Are you kidding? And miss all of the action or lack of action? No way!” Arie squealed. “We’re a unit! Especially with the little one to watch over! You guys are going to need all of the help you can get.”
Both Becky and Tom looked over at me excitedly.
“We were hoping you would say that!” Becky laughed. “We’re glad you’re here to stay.”
“I wouldn’t want it any other way,” I said.
Athen, still holding Lilly, came over to me, and he wrapped his arm around my waist.
“This is our home. We’ve finally started to get good at this. Don’t want to leave now!” His smile producing the same electricity it had for thousands of years.
Putting Lilly down on the grass, she ran off to chase Matilda, with Arie and Cyril quickly following her. Becky and Tom both followed suit. As I began the chase, Athen stopped me, and he pulled me close to him.
“You are the most amazing woman ever, my angel. You made t
he right decision. I can’t imagine leaving all of this.” He pointed to the beautiful maples, gracing the land, and the boulders exposing their millennia old history.
“It seems like this is where we’re meant to be.” My head was nestled into his chest.
“I couldn’t imagine my life without you. You truly are my everything.” His beautiful green eyes glistening as he held me close. I knew he was thinking back to Noah.
The laughter from our daughter interrupted our most intimate thoughts, bringing us back to the reality that was slowly dawning on us. I don’t think we truly grasped how our life was about to change.
“I bet she’ll take after you and see the good and beauty in everyone and everything.” His eyes twinkling.
“Don’t count on it!” I swatted him lightly.
“I love you Athen.” I reached my arms around his neck, bringing my lips close to his. “You are mine for all eternity.”
“And evermore,” he whispered, before bringing the softness of his lips down to mine.
THE END
LONELY SOULS
Book 1 of The WITCH AVENUE SERIES
COMING 2012
It's two weeks before Triss turns 18, and her world is about to change into the most magical one imaginable as she readies herself to enter The Witch Avenue Order... that is until her mother's disappearance.
Determined to find out what happened to her mother, Triss uncovers cryptic messages that lead her to the dark side of magic that she never wanted to believe existed. Forced on a journey that may not give her the answers she was hoping for, it's up to Triss to not fall victim to the realm of Lonely Souls.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Karice Bolton lives in the Pacific Northwest with her awesome husband and two wonderfully cute English Bulldogs. She enjoys the fact that it rains quite a bit in Washington and can then have an excuse to stay indoors and type away. She loves anything to do with the snow and seeks out the stuff whenever she can.
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