He reached out and took my hand in his, lovingly staring at it for a few seconds. Chills trickled down my spine, as frost emerged from beneath and formed a ring around my finger. I felt my breath leave me, my chest contracting and my blood rushing to my head.
It was a stunning piece. It looked as though it had been carved straight out of a diamond. Only it was made of Dhaxanian frost, the kind that would never melt. The wall torch lights flickered across its many fine facets.
My stomach tightened, as I instantly understood what this was. What it meant.
“I have to do it now, Elonora. I cannot wait another minute,” Nevis said, his blue eyes glowing and setting my soul on fire. “I’ve spoken to your parents already. I’ve asked for your hand in marriage. They laughed and said that I should ask you.”
My vision got blurry. Tears were gathering in my eyes. He was so adorable when socially awkward. I could only imagine the roaring laughter coming out of my mom and dad when Nevis asked them… Good grief, I love this guy so much.
Gasps erupted from around the table, as the others, too, realized what was happening.
“Nevis…” I managed, staring at the ring for a few moments. “Is this…”
“I love you, Elonora. More than I thought possible. My people love you. My kingdom needs a queen. I need a queen. And you’re it for me, my darling. You’re incredible. More than I could’ve ever hoped for. It would be an honor if you became my queen, and I… your king. Soulmates, forever,” he said, his voice shaky with emotion.
It had taken a lot of courage for him to say all this. I could tell. His nerves were frayed. His heart was tiny and agitated, beating beyond its capabilities, as he finally asked what I knew he was going to ask, now.
“Will you marry me, Elonora?”
To say that I was floored would’ve been an absolute understatement. My brain just switched off. My heart swelled, instead, and love flowed through me like an endless river. I lost myself in his eyes for the millionth time, wondering why I hadn’t noticed his angst before—he’d been working up to this moment for some time, now. I could tell.
Nevis was, in fact, a very good sentry. He’d learned quickly, and he’d seamlessly incorporated his new abilities into everything he did. It made him a better leader, if anyone asked me. He’d also learned to hide certain emotions from me. Not that I mind. He can still surprise me. Obviously.
But I had to take a moment to ask myself. Did I really want this? Us? Forever?
Hell yes.
I nodded feverishly, as my heart kickstarted itself back into motion and took my consciousness for a wild spin. It was enough to make his aura explode, as if two stars had just collided inside him.
“Yes… Yes, Nevis. I will marry you,” I whispered, no longer able to hold it together.
Someone sniffed next to me. Someone was crying. I only looked for a second and spotted Varga, all teary-eyed, his lower lip quivering. I wanted to laugh so hard, but Nevis pulled me up from my chair and took me in his arms and… everything just went so deliciously blank and white.
“I’m the luckiest creature in this universe and the next,” he murmured in my ear, then kissed me. I abandoned reality altogether and deepened that kiss, putting everything I had into it.
All the love. The hope. The joy. The fears. The dreams. Everything that made us who we were, every particle that labored to keep us upright and functioning in that instant. People clapped and cheered around us, but I couldn’t tear myself from Nevis’s arms, or his kiss.
It was, after all, the most important of kisses. It sealed the deal between us. The promise that we’d be together until death… no, maybe until the end of time, instead. Yes. Until the end of time.
“I love you,” I said, my lips brushing against his.
“I adore you,” he replied.
It was our favorite line. Whenever he said it, my heart sang.
And it wasn’t going to be the last time I’d hear it, either.
Amelia
It took me years to get myself into gear, to figure out what I really wanted to do with my life. At first, I thought I’d do something in education, like my mom, who was still one of the most liked and respected teachers in the Vale. I even worked there for a while, teaching science and biology—well, for about twenty years, until the Eritopia incident unfolded, and we realized we’d lived through two decades more than Serena and her crew. That revelation had really put things into perspective for me, in particular.
My years teaching didn’t feel wasted, but they did give me a sense of incompletion. So, shortly after life in Eritopia regained its balance, I decided to make the best of my education. I joined GASP and learned a few things along the way, to the point where I became a trusted team member in the Intelligence Department. It was something that I was really good at, all modesty aside.
I wasn’t much for a social life, anyway. I was shy and more partial to books than to guys and parties. On top of that, despite the curiosity of seeing what’s out there, I rarely left The Shade. Instead, I hid behind the screens, providing remote support to our teams—most of them dispatched throughout the In-Between. Needless to say, after Neraka, my workload pretty much doubled. My mom and dad were happy with me staying close. My mom, in particular.
Not that I could blame her. Almost everyone on the Hudson side of our family had died before I was even born. There was trauma passed along our bloodline, and it kind of stuck with me, too. I feared death, and my mom was terrified of losing me, so for years, I didn’t leave her side, without even realizing what it was doing to me—until Strava and the possibility that the whole world might come to an end. Something clicked in me, then, so, shortly after the Blackout, I applied for a field agent position in GASP.
What the hell, right?
I quickly understood that I couldn’t live an eternity fearing death. I’d turned vampire at the age of twenty specifically to prolong my life, to be a part of The Shade and my ever-growing family forever, if possible. As a human, I would’ve been well within my rights to be more concerned for my personal safety, but, as a vampire, I had some leeway. It was time to use it.
I didn’t want another Ta’Zan-like situation to come along, another end-of-days scenario to teach me that I hadn’t lived enough. So, I forged ahead, and, within the year, I was a full-fledged GASP agent. Needless to say, Mom and Dad weren’t all that happy about my decision at first, but, after a couple of dinners with Derek and Sofia, they changed their minds. They, too, realized that it was just a tiny bit ridiculous.
“We’re vampires, dammit. What’s the point of living if we spend our days fearing death, right?” Dad had concluded at the time.
Of course, just because I’d become a GASP agent didn’t mean I’d changed, myself. Nope. I was still the shy dork who hyperventilated at the mere thought of talking to a good-looking guy, of which there were plenty in The Shade and beyond. It made social outings just a tad awkward, but I had a couple of breathing exercises up my sleeve to help me, if needed.
As part of my “new me” routine, I decided to peel myself away from the permanent pile of books in my Shadian redwood treehouse and join my parents on Calliope for a relaxing weekend away before Harper and Caspian’s wedding. I’d been doing this Shade-Calliope trip more frequently over the past couple of weeks, and I considered each outing to be good practice prior to Harper’s wedding. It got easier to leave the comfort of my treehouse and be in a room full of people.
Baby steps for me, of course, but still necessary if I was going to be a field agent.
“Are you ready?” Mom asked when we met outside the portal connecting The Shade to Luceria’s throne room. She and Dad looked amazing, clad in casual white cotton from top to bottom and carrying only leather hand luggage.
It made my three-day travel trunk look… over the top.
Dad was the first to notice it behind me. It wasn’t huge, but it wasn’t small, either. I liked the fact that it had wheels, and that they were relatively silent. It had gotten some curious looks along the way, but hey, peeling myself away from the pile of books in my treehouse didn’t mean I couldn’t take a few with me. And by a few I meant a dozen. I was a fast reader. And old-school, too. Hazel had recommended I get an e-reader, as she was a huge fan of the things, but I couldn’t get used to not having a real book in my hand. I’d tried. The next day, I returned the device. Not my cup of tea.
“You haven’t packed much, I see,” Dad said with his usual sardonic flair as he nodded at my trunk.
