Epilogue

“Trystan, I have something to say to you…”

Rissa shook her head. No, that sounded wrong.

“Brother, you know I love you, but…”

Her voice rang foreign in her ears as she paced from one end of the room to the other.

He wasn’t going to be okay with this. With her request. Would he agree to it?

Her heavy steps echoed off the stone floor, and she flattened her palms against the lace bodice of the gown they’d stuffed her in.

She couldn’t breathe.

In. Out.

It was too tight. Her fingers clutched at her chest. How was she supposed to get through this day if she couldn’t breathe?

She stopped near her bed and sat down. When she tried to lean forward to put her head in her hands, the corset squeezed so hard she worried her eyes would pop right out of her head.

Her bright hair, the color of a good wine, had been arranged in spirals that now fell over one shoulder.

The door to her room opened, but she couldn’t look up.

“Rissa.” Willow rushed toward her and kneeled.

“Is she okay?” Alixa asked, entering the room.

Willow took Rissa’s hands between her own. “Princess, calm down. You’re okay.”

Rissa snapped her eyes to the porcelain face in front of her and sucked in a breath. “I’m okay.”

“Of course you are.” Alixa crossed her arms over her chest. “We’re all okay.”

That was a lie and each girl in the room knew it. The war was over, but the earth never forgot. The scars would live on long after those involved ceased to be. And the images… Rissa glanced down at her hands.

She hadn’t been able to make herself use her magic in the months since the final fight. Life was beginning anew for the people of Dreach, no longer split into two kingdoms. Yet, each night, the fight returned.

She saw it in Davion as well.

It was going to take a while.

But this was a start. This day. This new world. She was getting the one thing she’d ever wanted in life.

Alixa stared down at her. “Ri, you don’t have to speak. Blink once if you want to go through with this and twice if you need me to ‘take care’ of Davion for you.”

A laugh broke free of Rissa.

Willow threw a scowl over her shoulder. “You’d kill Davi just so Rissa doesn’t have to marry him.”

Rissa bit her lip to hide her grin.

Alixa shrugged. “I’ve never liked him much.”

Willow scrunched her brow as if she thought Alixa would really do it.

Rissa squeezed Willow’s hand. “Relax. I’m only considering it.” Then she blinked twice. Hard.

Alixa couldn’t control her laughter as it rolled through her and Rissa was grateful for the distraction.

Maybe Alixa had been right. Maybe they all were okay.

“Knock knock,” Lonara called from the doorway.

Lorelai followed her in.

The Tri-Gard had been busy dealing with the final threads of Bearne power in what had been Dreach-Dhoun. They’d made the journey to the palace the week before.

Rissa’s chest loosened, but then she remembered the request she was going to make of Trystan. It meant being even farther from these women.

She stood and Lonara stepped forward to wrap her in a hug. “Your mother would be so proud.”

Rissa laughed roughly. “We’ve just saved two kingdoms and she’d be proud of me for getting married?”

Lona leaned back. “No, she’d be proud of you for being you. Rissa, your worth isn’t wrapped up in your skill with a bow or the tenelach. Marissa would be proud of this.” She pressed her hand over Rissa’s heart.

A tear tracked down Rissa’s face. How could she believe Lonara’s words? She’d done so much wrong. Killed so many people. Almost lost herself.

Lorelai met her eyes in understanding. “You are good.”

Rissa’s tears fell faster as she thought of her first training session with Lorelai when she’d uttered those words. I want to be good.

She nodded and sniffed before releasing Lonara.

“It’s time.”

The women surrounded her in support as they walked toward the great hall. Ramsey met them at the door.

One by one, the women filed through. A single violin lifted its song to the rafters.

Rissa wiped her thumbs under her eyes and slid her arm through her grandfather’s. She’d never seen him looking more regal in black trousers and a black jacket with his Tri-Gard symbol emblazoned on the lapel.

He breathed deeply, his eyes glassing over as he watched her. “I never thought I’d have a place in your life. I only wish your mother could as well.”

She squeezed his arm and prepared to follow the others into the cavernous room. She couldn’t voice her own wishes without breaking down. As a young girl, she’d known she’d have to marry a man of her father’s choosing.

She almost did.

He’d walk her down the aisle and give her away to someone who would then be tied to the kingdom. That was the only hope.

But she liked to think if he were still alive, he’d have eventually seen Davion as the only choice. A prince who no longer had a kingdom. An orphan who had been no orphan.

A Renauld who didn’t bear the Renauld name.

Because he was one of them.

Her eyes found him at the end of the aisle, waiting for her as if he’d been right there her entire life. Trystan stood at his side like he was always meant to.

With her grandfather giving her strength, she stepped forward.

* * *

Music drifted out of every part of the palace as the kingdom danced and feasted.

Rissa peered over her shoulder once more before ducking around the corner and escaping the commotion.

She pushed through the door to the walled garden that had been her sanctuary even when it failed to thrive.

The moment she stepped into it, magic buzzed along her skin. Her feet took her to the familiar tree and she sank to the ground, unconcerned about dirtying her white dress.

She let the power flow into her but released none of it. She hadn’t been able to let it free without flashes of the battle returning to her.

But there, in that place, she wanted nothing else.

Crossing her legs in front of her, she concentrated on the grass surrounding her. A moment later, yellow flowers shone bright in the darkness of the night.

A smile crept across her face, and she breathed in the scents. The flowers weren’t real, but they still gave a sense of peace.

She leaned forward to run her hands along the smooth bark of the tree. How was she supposed to say goodbye?

Footsteps alerted her to someone else’s presence, and she knew who it was without turning.

“Ri.” The voice grew closer. “Rissa, what are you doing?”

She smiled and laid back to watch the stars shining overhead. “Just thinking of the man my family made me marry.”

The day she'd realized she loved Davi under that tree felt like a lifetime ago. She’d only just found out about her impending marriage to Royce Eisner.

Davi lowered himself to the ground beside her. “Yeah? Is he a horrible brute?”

“The worst.” She turned onto her side. “He abandoned everyone at our wedding ball to meet some girl in the garden. Terribly rude of him.”

Davi turned his head and grinned. “I’m really glad you aren’t my sister.”

A laugh burst out of her. “Don’t make me laugh. It’s already hard enough to breathe in this dress.”

“I can help you with that.”

He reached over to play with the laces on her dress, and she swatted his hand away. “I am a princess, good sir.”

“Well, I am a prince.”

“Oh good. I wouldn’t be seen with you any other way.”

He rolled toward her and pinned her to the ground. “We have guests inside the palace.”

She shrugged. “That’s why we gave them so much wine.”

“Are you saying you got the entire palace drunk so you could take advantage of me?” He smirked.

She laughed.

A third voice entered their peace. “Not looking. Not looking. Ow!”

Rissa jerked her head toward the sound. Trystan held a hand over his eyes and had just tripped over a bench.

Davi rolled off her, waves of laughter vibrating through him. “Trystan, you can open your eyes.”

“No,” he said. “No way. I know you guys have to kiss and stuff, but I don’t want to see it. Not my sister.”

Rissa climbed to her feet and crossed to him before pulling his hand away from his eyes. “See. No kissing. Yet.”

A grimace flashed across his face, and she laughed.

“You two left me at that ball,” he said. “I hate these things.”

Rissa smirked. “I’m sorry we left you with the ice queen.” She laughed at their old nickname for Alixa.

“She still refuses to set a wedding date?” Davi asked.

Trystan sighed. “She won’t talk to me about it. Until today she’s been too sick and irritable to leave her rooms. She says it’s all my fault she’s sick, whatever that means.”

Rissa bit back a smile. “You are adorably oblivious, brother.”

Davi and Trystan exchanged a confused look.

“Ri,” Davi said gently. “What’s wrong with Alixa?”

“Other than the fact that she’s engaged to Trystan?” She toyed with them. “It’s not my place to tell you if you aren’t smart enough to figure it out.”

“Come on, Rissa.” Trystan met her gaze pleadingly. “Help me out. Alixa is… difficult.”

“She’s not difficult, she’s pregnant.” Rissa slapped a hand over her mouth.

Trystan stumbled back. “Preg—" He shook his head. “But… we… she can’t be pregnant.”

“Do I need to explain how these things work?” Rissa asked.

Davi grinned. “Seems like Trystan knows very well how they work.”

Rissa smacked his arm before pinning her brother with an unforgiving stare. “If you tell her you know before she’s ready to tell you herself… she won’t be the only lady around here who wants to kick you right where it hurts most.”

“I’m going to make that woman queen,” Trystan said as if affirming himself. Awe coated his words. “And I’m going to be a…father?”

“Yes, you are.” Davi laughed.

Rissa met Davi’s eye in silent communication. It was time. He nodded. Trystan’s life was changing just as theirs was.

“Brother,” she started. “Davi and I have made a decision. We can’t stay in the palace. Not anymore.”

Trystan glanced from Rissa to Davi, still not quite recovered from his news. “You’re going to Sona, aren’t you?”

Rissa nodded. “It was untouched by the war, but many of the refugees have decided to stay there. Lady Destan says she could use our help. It’s a fresh start for us and we’re needed.”

Trystan swung an arm over her shoulders and pulled her to him. “I understand.”

“You do?” His shirt muffled her words.

“I do.”

Davi blew out a breath. “Thank the earth. I was worried you’d give me some lecture about being your second.”

Trystan reached out with his free hand and clamped it on Davi’s shoulder. “Your duty is no longer to me, Dav. Wren can handle being my second for now since he’s not returning to Isenore. But you…” He looked to Rissa. “It’s time you had something other than duty.”

Davi placed his hand over Trystan’s.

The last time they were in that place, Rissa had thought it couldn’t be just the three of them forever.

Now, as she stood wedged between them, she knew she’d been wrong.

If this war taught them one thing it was no matter where they were, who they were, what they did they’d always find each other.

The Tri-Gard’s power lay in their connection by magic.

The Renauld’s power lay in their connection by love.

And Rissa didn’t know which held more strength.

* * *