Ash and I had an eternity to be together, and it was at the ceremony when that had first hit home properly. A bubble had swelled inside my chest, one of disbelieving happiness that still hadn’t dissipated…and I wondered if it ever would.
“We’re husband and wife,” I murmured eventually, coming back to the present and stating the fact with astonishment. I felt like I was dreaming; the scenery, the quiet time with Ash with no danger lurking in the distance…it all felt so unreal.
“We are,” he breathed, running his lips softly down my neck. His arms closed around me, and I felt my insides melt.
Before we could go any further, and I was carried away in a haze, I refocused.
“Ash, there are some things I need to tell you,” I began, speaking slowly so I could find the right words.
“That doesn’t sound good.”
The kissing of my neck paused, and I turned toward him in alarm.
“No! It is good news, I’m just trying to get this out properly—and I guess I’m not. I wanted to talk about Nevertide, about us going back.”
He was silent for a few moments, and then he sighed against me.
“I don’t want to talk about that. Not now. I just want to be with you. Let’s enjoy the time we have.”
I half-laughed. I was making such a mess of this.
“That’s what I mean. I want us to start our life in Nevertide. It doesn’t mean never returning to The Shade. I’d like to come and go when we want to, but to have Nevertide as our home.”
“Do you mean that?” he replied in a broken tone.
“Of course.”
I looked him deep in the eyes. I wanted him to know how serious I was about this—that living in Nevertide was no hardship if he was there.
“What about GASP… your life in The Shade?” he questioned.
“We’ll still be members of GASP. We’ll just live in Nevertide, like many dragons live in The Hearthlands. And my life in The Shade would be nothing without you, Ash. You’re my husband. How could I not live by your side? Leaving you to rebuild Nevertide on your own? I want that to be something we do together.”
Ash drew his thumb down the side of my face, his eyes searching mine in wonderment.
“You’re incredible, you know that?”
“You keep telling me,” I whispered in reply.
He kissed me, long and lingering, his hands snaking up into my hair and then pulling my backside closer toward him. My body felt like it was on fire—I wanted him so much. Not just in my mind, but in the pure, physical sense.
“Wait.” I pulled back. “There’s more. And we should talk about it, before…”
“I know what this is about.” He smiled gently at me. “And we don’t have to do a thing. I like our unique way of being intimate. Nothing else matters.”
I shook my head. It mattered to me.
“I want to do this properly, Ash. I want us to make love as husband and wife. I spoke to Corrine and Mona about…this at length.” I blushed. That had been a seriously awkward conversation that I never wanted to repeat. “And they say I should still be able to turn into a vampire even if I become a sentry—become a hybrid. And the offer is always open to you too, whenever you want it.”
“You’re willing to become a sentry?” he asked hoarsely. “Part ghoul? To deal with the hunger and everything that Hazel went through?”
“It’s not that different to turning into a vampire, and I know you’ll help me through it. I’ve got friends and family around me who will support my decision as well, so it’s going to be a different experience to the one that Hazel had.”
His caresses became firmer, his hands moving up my waist and then running across my stomach and hips.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked again, his voice growing huskier.
“I’m one hundred percent sure…” Draping my arms around his neck, I pressed my cheek against his and whispered in his ear, “Take me to bed?”
He gulped, lifting me up as he stood out of the chair. He put me in a fireman’s carry, and I laughed, banging on his back for him to put me down. Ignoring me, he walked through to the bedroom. There, he laid me down on the low bed. The sheets were a cool silk, the perfect counterpart to my flaming skin.
He untied my dressing gown, kissing my bare skin.
“My wife,” he breathed, branding me with his lips before shedding his clothes and lowering himself on top of me.
I felt the moment, clearly, when I was about to transform. My breath hitched, a strangled cry of bliss burning my throat.
I love you.
The thought rang as clear as a bell, and I felt my soul lifting from my body. I was weightless, and in that moment of neither belonging to my body or my mind, my husband’s soul entwined with mine. I sank back into myself, feeling like I was falling deeper and deeper into the warmth of the earth. When I opened my eyes, I saw Ash gazing back—his gorgeous brown eyes hooded with desire, his hair mussed and lips flushed, sweat beading on his taut muscles—and I knew that from that moment on, he would forever be a part of me.
Hazel
We lay entangled in the sheets of our four-poster bed. Outside, despite it only just being the end of summer, winds whipped at the window panes, the craggy Scottish landscape making our room seem all the more comforting and cozy. A roaring fire was dancing away in the hearth, sending flickers of light across the stone walls and the elaborate tapestries that hung from the walls.
Tejus’s fingers idly ran up and down the curve of my bare waist, sending shivers running through to my toes. We had arrived hours ago, and not left from the bed since Tejus had whisked me to it. I had high hopes that we wouldn’t need to for many more hours to come.
“When did we leave Nevertide?” he asked lazily, a note of laughter in his voice.
“Two weeks ago,” I replied.
“And you’re already missing castles and stone walls?”
“I wanted to give you a taste of home,” I whispered, leaning in to kiss his neck. “I know you’re not planning to go back… I thought you might miss it.”
“I love it here,” he replied, dragging my body closer to his, “but the best thing about Nevertide was you. Don’t worry about me missing it. You’re my home.”
I buried my head in his chest, embarrassed to show him how deeply his words affected me. I felt like my heart was going to burst into a million pieces. I recalled the first time I realized I had feelings for Tejus—how a moment like this would have been completely unbelievable to me then. How the future we were just about to embark on, and the promises we’d just made to one another, would have seemed impossible.
I had thought that I would overcome my feelings for him somehow. They had been so fragile and dangerous that I’d tried my best to ignore them. In his arms now, I could look back at them with a different perspective, relishing each moment where he had sparked something inside me, made my heart beat that little bit faster, or wounded me so deeply that I felt I couldn’t breathe. All the pain, the joy, the awkward in-betweens, it had been worth it. They had created what we were now.
Memories like his fierce hug at the arena after he had destroyed the disk came flooding back to me, his disapproving look when he caught me talking to Nikolay before the honesty trials, the first time I had seen him naked in the labyrinth—and how my body had flooded with white-hot heat. The feeling of his body brushing against mine as he found me in the forest, blindfolded and bound. Our first kiss. Our first night together.
“You’re my home too,” I murmured against his skin.
“Are you thinking about when we first met?” he asked curiously.
I laughed. “Yes, can you tell?”
“It’s coming through your energy…I can see images in my mind that don’t belong to me,” he replied.
“We’re mind-melding?” I questioned. I hadn’t been aware that we were doing it.
“No, I don’t think so.” He frowned. “I think as we get closer, it’s easier to pick up your emotions and thoug
hts…interesting.”
“Helpful,” I corrected. “You’ll know when you’re in trouble.”
“I doubt I need mind-melding skills for that,” he replied dryly.
The mention of the sentry abilities reminded me of a question that I’d wanted to ask him.
“Does it bother you that you’re a ghoul hybrid?” I asked. The subject had never really come up, and I’d just assumed that he was fine with it—that it was unavoidable, and therefore tolerated.
“Not really.” He sighed. “I think it explains why they were always able to wound us so badly—when they clawed or bit us, they must have passed across something that reacted to our own genetic make-up. That ghoul wound I received at the ridge took so long to heal.”
“I remember,” I replied, tracing the scar on his chest. It joined with the one Ash had given him on his pectoral—the symbol of the commander of the six armies. To me, they were both evidence of his bravery and sacrifice.
“I keep thinking how things might have turned out differently if the Oracle had come down from her mountaintop,” I continued. “You would have known about the ghouls, known about the entity. More would have lived.”
“Perhaps,” he agreed. “But there’s no point in looking to the past. What’s done is done. I don’t have many complaints about the way it’s turned out…”
“I know,” I agreed, “you’re right. Forward looking only.”
I grinned up at him, but his eyebrows were raised in an expectant look.
“So what will it be?”
“The future?” I frowned, sitting up.
“Our future.”
I chewed on my lip, considering his question. There were so many things I wanted Tejus and I to experience, I hardly knew where to start.
“Well,” I began hesitantly, looking over at the fire. Beyond living in The Shade and becoming fully-fledged members of GASP, we hadn’t really discussed what we might want from our personal lives.
“Children. That would be good, at some point,” I replied softly. He was silent, and I risked glancing up at his face. There was so much tenderness there that, for a moment, my heart felt like it had stopped.
“Of course,” he replied. “At least seven.”
What?
“I’m joking, two is fine.”
“Not funny,” I gasped.
“It was if you saw your expression. But yes, I want children with you. Of course I do. You’ll make an amazing mother… I just hope they turn out like you.”
“And not you?” I replied. “My opinion is very different.”
“What else?” he asked wryly, swiftly changing the subject.
“Regular vacations like this?” I laughed. “Days spent curled up in bed…no food, no water…”
He growled. “You need to eat.”
I nodded. I was starting to feel light-headed; rather than draining the energy of my husband, it would be a good idea to get some sustenance in me.
“I’ll find us some,” he replied quickly, moving to get up.
“You can just call them—on the telephone thing I told you about,” I replied, sinking back into the pillow that he’d just vacated.
“I’m growing to like this world,” he mused, moving across the room.
I lay back, thinking about the kind of children that Tejus and I might have. My hand briefly fluttered over my stomach, and my mind was drawn back to the Oracle’s actions earlier…what had she been doing?
Benedict
Ash, Ruby and Jenney were getting ready to leave The Shade. The couple had returned from their honeymoon a few days ago, and spent most of their remaining time with Ruby’s family. I was sad to see them go. I couldn’t understand how Ruby was willing to return to Nevertide… and that decision had pretty much put me off love forever. She had clearly gone insane. Who in their right mind would return to the ripped skies, the earthquake-destroyed kingdoms and the home of the Impartial Ministers? Not only that, but she’d also voluntarily become a sentry—a half-ghoul! Yeah. Ruby was a head case, and all because she’d fallen in love.
She kept telling us all—mainly me, Hazel and Julian, who were the ones who questioned her decision the most—that she would return regularly and that she and Ash would put Nevertide back together, piece by piece.
I knew that my grandpa and Ben were pleased about the decision. Having sentry allies was going to be a big help to GASP—some of their skills, like True Sight and the barrier-building, were particularly helpful.
“Have you got everything?” Claudia asked Ruby for the millionth time.
“I’ve got everything, Mom.” She smiled wearily. “Don’t worry—honestly, we’ll be back before you even have time to miss us.”
“I miss you already, sweetheart,” Claudia moaned.
Pretty much the whole of GASP were gathered to watch them go. We stood, waiting to get our own goodbyes in while Claudia fussed around her daughter.
“She’s going to be all right,” Yuri said, gently squeezing his wife’s shoulder. “We can go and visit them too, you know.”
“I know,” Claudia sighed, her eyes red-rimmed.
“Hey, you.” Ruby gave me a fierce hug while her mom and dad were distracted. “I’m going to miss you a whole lot. I’ve gotten used to having you around—Nevertide won’t be the same without you.”
I laughed loudly. “Yeah, sure, what’s Nevertide without a possessed kid, right?”
“Exactly.” She grinned.
Ash came up behind her, holding out his hand to me. “You’re welcome anytime. It’s your home too.”
I shook his hand, privately thinking that I never wanted Nevertide to be described as my ‘home’.
“Thanks, Ash,” I replied instead with a smile.
They said their goodbyes to Julian, who looked slightly red-cheeked as Ruby gave him another fierce hug. She knocked his glasses askew, so when the two finally broke apart, Julian looked rumpled and flustered.
“What’s with you?” I asked.
“Nothing,” he hissed.
Jenney said her goodbyes next, and I realized that I’d probably miss her as much as I would Ruby. I hoped she would return to The Shade one day—her almost blowing up the Sanctuary had been cool. When she went to hug Julian goodbye, he blushed an even darker shade of red than before. I rolled my eyes.
“Wish you were all coming as a clean-up crew,” Ash remarked to some of the witches behind me. I smiled to myself. I bet he did—they were going to have a massive job on their hands.
“Actually, that’s not a bad idea…I’ve got a couple of creatures in need of a bit of community service.” My grandma Sofia smiled to herself. “I’ll be back in a moment, don’t leave.”
She dashed off in the direction of the Black Heights. I shrugged, turning back to Jenney.
“Have you seen Yelena?” she asked. “I said goodbye to her earlier, but I thought she’d be here for the send-off.”
“I haven’t, sorry.” But I guessed where she’d be. Mom had finally tracked down her address, and she was meant to be leaving this afternoon. Yelena would no doubt be hiding somewhere, trying to postpone the inevitable, like she’d been doing since the moment she got here. I didn’t know why she was missing this send-off though, she’d only be annoyed later when she discovered they’d gone.
“What’s your grandma got?” Ash murmured, looking back in the direction of The Shade.
I grinned, instantly recognizing the host of brownies who had been jailed in the caves. Julian and I had found out about them a week ago, and heard the whole ‘Minotaur’ mystery story from Corrine.
“I think you just found your clean-up team.” I laughed. The brownies looked seriously displeased.
“Brownies,” announced my grandma. “You’ll need to keep a close eye on them, but I’m hoping that after some honest labor they’ll improve. If not, feel free to send them back.” She glared down at the ring-leader, who sniffed angrily and kicked a pebble with her foot.
“I hope there’s better food
there than there is here,” the brownie grumbled.
I laughed out loud at that.
Dream on!
Shayla and a group of other witches were also sent along to help with the clean-up. I hoped for Ruby’s sake that with the witches’ magic, things would be resolved quickly. I hoped that she and Ash did create the changes in Nevertide that they were hoping for. Ash had major plans to abolish the kingdoms, and have one central, truly democratic government—it would mean he would abdicate his throne, but he was insistent that it would be worth it. I wasn’t sure I’d want to give up being emperor of an entire land, even if it was just Nevertide.
Eventually, with witches and brownies in tow, the three sentries left The Shade.
“This sucks.” Julian sighed.
“I know,” I agreed.
I needed to go and look for Yelena. My mom would start panicking soon, and then Yelena might never be allowed to visit again—and that would make Yelena so upset, it wasn’t worth the drama and tears.
“I need to hunt down Yelena,” I told Julian.
“Want help?”
“No, I’m okay,” I replied quickly. She was so stubborn, if she had an audience it would only make her act out more.
It took me absolutely ages to find her. My legs and arms had been shredded by the undergrowth in the forests, but my initial hunch had been right. Sitting on a branch of a low-hanging tree on the outskirts of the treehouse residences was Yelena.