Page 163 of Enchanted Shadows

“Yeah,” Kessara called back at me. “Do contain yourself, Commander.”

“That’s it, no more chit-chatting.” I kicked it into a faster pace. Annoyed with all of them. Every last one. “MOVE!”

“And just like that, he’s back,” Pippa deadpanned.

By the time we made it to the rock and back, we were alllaughing and smiling, half of us happy to be back to training, half of us happy to be done running.

We still had a lot of work left. Training this team up to be the most formidable team, male or female, the realm had ever seen. Tensions in Agria to continue to smooth over. Bram’s trial.

But that was the thing about life. It was jagged, the highs cutting to the lows, tucked in together, and with very little warning between. It was a barbed sort of beautiful. We’d keep fighting for peace, fighting for one another. Every single day.

And like a dream I hadn’t dared to hope for, Kessara was going to be there with me through it all. My resting place among the battles of life.

As night fell and we headed back to the castle, back to our room, I felt that exhaustion seep back in along my joints and muscles. It had been a long day. My first day since the bonding without a nap. I hadn’t even tried it, sure I’d never hear the end of it from the women if they found out.

This training session would be entirely different as I had just as much or more to learn as the team did. I would be sore and tired as my body adjusted and made room for my new powers, both in the strength of bond with my wife and the shadows she gifted me. Add my already boisterous ego to the mix, and I was nearly bursting at the seams with it all.

Still, I wouldn’t let sleep take me until I took the time to kiss my wife. Took the time to trail my fingers along her skin and listen to her comments from the day.

Our life wouldn’t be flashy, we would never rule as a king and queen. And yet, I knew our life would be far from ordinary.

It was enough. She was more than enough.

“Give me something real,” she whispered as she curled into me.

“Well, I think I’d like to formally change my stance on happy endings,” I told her as I fought off a yawn. Fought off sleep for justa few moments more. My exhausted reality sweeter than any dream I’d find in sleep.

“Oh?” She brushed a quiet kiss to my lips. “And what is your stance on them now?”

“They’re pretty damn great.”

The End