Page 157 of Exitus
I smiled as I saw all five of them walking out of the main building. Pops smacked Mom on the butt, and Grumpy put him in a headlock. Dad smiled in approval as Poppa took the opportunity to tuck Mom under his arm.
Life was damn near perfect.
We spent part of the year here at Emberhold, living in the house the academy built for us. (Honestly, I loved it more than the massive structure the ancestors willed to me.) For the rest of the year, we’re either at the castle, dealing with the politics of my position, or on Earth, working on strengthening our relationship with humans. I loved Aurathia, but I was born on Earth, andthat helped me relate to their concerns. Jet had also been a tremendous plus in that endeavor.
The spy planted in Aurathia turned out to be one of his friends from basic training, Nathan Sterlings, who had tested positive asa passive. So far, he hadn’t found his Faction and liked to fuck with my men, pretending he was my potential. He screwed with Nathan the most, calling him an imposter and a placeholder for the much more superior Nathan.
MyNathan hated his guts.
Chloe and I had a bet on how long it would take all of them to realize that Nathan Sterling batted for the other team.
Avery's laughter echoed across the green. Emery was right behind her, shadows curling around her shoulders. Blaze and Bennet weren’t far behind—more like older brothers than cousins.
My parents, my bestie, and my men are all nearby. The battle is won, but we know better than most how quickly things can change. Pantar, Mira, and Kharox have taken it upon themselves to travel between Earth and Aurathia, ensuring the DF never rises again.
This—this—is what winning looks like.
And the future?
It’s already here.
One resting gently in my belly, the others:
Barefoot.
Laughing.
Guarded closely.
Answering to the names?—
Avery.
Emery.
As I sat surrounded by my men, mytwosweet babies’ laughter ringing in the air, I knew it was all worth it. Every bit of the pain and suffering we’d endured. This life was worth fightingfor, and the Ancestors better take mercy on anyone who tried to take it from me—because I would not.
