139. And that’s all that matters
139. And that’s all that matters
ALAESTER
We head back home. Beren promised to come in eight months to sign the peace treaty between our peoples, and in the meantime, we’ll offer them part of our meat and grain trade.
We brought the witch Myrwen with us because we were scared shitless that her spell might not be enough. Yeah, we’re fucking terrified of that possibility. Alice slept the whole way, even grumbling that she wasn’t tired.
The air outside the Fae realm is different, heavy with the scent of forest, earth, and the pulse of our people. My people. I carry Alice in my arms, keeping her close, because I still feel her fragility after the ritual.
Myrwen’s with us, walking beside Norvan, her eyes glinting with a mix of suspicion and curiosity about the newness of our land. I sent the injured warriors straight to the hospital. Matt and Devon are behind us, holding hands, and Kenny’s up front, sniffing the path like he’s expecting an ambush at any moment. The journey back was tense, but now, with Pamyel’s walls in sight, I feel a weight lifting from my chest.
As we cross the forest leading to the city, I glance at Myrwen. The witch is quiet, her black cloak dragging on the ground, but you can tell she’s feeling the weight of being here. Pamyel was her home before my mother fucked everything up. I take a deep breath and slow my pace to walk beside her.
“Myrwen,” I start, and she looks at me with narrowed eyes, like she’s expecting some kind of bullshit from me. “My mother, Elora… she has no power over the crown anymore. I’ve taken over as king, and she’ll be banished. Pamyel is mine now. Mine and Alice’s… and Aemon’s, when he comes back to us. You can stay if you want. This place was your home once, and it can be again.”
She stops, her face expressionless, but I see something flicker in her eyes. Pain, maybe. Or relief. “You’re bold, Lycan king,” she says in a low voice. “To think an offer from you could erase centuries of exile. But…” She pauses, looking at Alice, who’s leaning against me with her eyes still closed. “Your queen has more balls than most men I’ve ever met. I came this far out of respect for your human’s bravery. I’ll consider your offer. But don’t expect me to bow to your crown.”
“I don’t expect a damn thing from you, witch,” I retorted, with a half-smile. “Just want you to know the door’s open if you want to call this place home again.”
She nods, and we keep walking.
Alice squeezes my body, drawing my eyes to her as she wakes up. I see a proud little smile on her pink lips. “You’re getting good at this king thing, you know?” she murmurs, her voice weak. “It 's sexy.”
“Just trying to impress you, my queen,” I say, kissing her forehead. “I know you’d offer her the same.”
When we reach the city center, the people of Pamyel greet us with curious looks and murmurs. Some bow, others just watch as we pass, but I don’t stop to acknowledge them. My head’s in one place: the hospital. Aemon’s there, and I need to see him. I need to know he’s really back and that our nightmare is over.
The Pamyel hospital is a low building made of stone and wood, with windows that let the moonlight stream in. It was built a long time ago, but thanks to Matt, it’s pretty modern. A healer tries to stop us, spouting some bullshit about “protocol” as I quicken my steps, but I growl, and he gets out of the way fast.
We reach Aemon’s room, and my heart stops for a second. He’s there, lying in a bed, pale as fuck, with dark circles under his eyes and messy brown hair falling over his forehead. But he’s awake. His blue eyes, just like mine, are open, a bit unfocused, but alive. He’s alive, damn it.
“Aemon!” Alice jumps out of my arms and runs to him, dropping to her knees beside the bed. She grabs his face, tears streaming down as she laughs and cries at the same time. “You’re here. You’re really here.”
Aemon blinks, confused, but a faint smile spreads across his face. “Alice…” His voice is hoarse, weak, but it’s him. My brother. My blood. “You… brought me back.”
I stand frozen in the doorway, my chest tight, unable to move. Seeing them like this, the bond between them glowing as strong as the one I have with Alice, is so beautiful it reminds me why I fought so hard. For them. For us.
“Little brother,” I say, finally stepping into the room. My voice cracks, and I don’t care. I kneel on the other side of the bed, grabbing his hand. “You scared the shit out of me, you know? I saved your ugly ass, so you can’t call me ‘little brother’ anymore.”
He laughs, a weak but real sound. “Sorry… for making you worry, you jerk.”
Alice laughs, wiping away her tears, and I can’t hold back. I pull both of them into a hug, ignoring the ache in my muscles and the exhaustion that’s killing me.
Myrwen stands in the doorway, arms crossed, watching. “He’ll need time to fully recover. Give him this to drink, and you two as well,” she says, handing us three vials, her voice cold but true to her promise. “The ritual brought him back, but the Aladian poison is still in his system. Take care of him, Lycan. And her.” She points at Alice, who’s nestled against Aemon, still holding his hand.
“Got it,” I say, meeting her gaze. “And you, witch… stay. Pamyel needs you.”
She doesn’t answer, but she doesn’t say no either. That’s enough for now. Matt and Devon step inside, their eyes shining with relief, and Kenny slaps Norvan’s shoulder, who finally relaxes a bit. The room’s full, noisy, and for the first time in weeks, I feel a peace I didn’t think was possible.
I look at Alice, who’s smiling at Aemon, then at me. The bond between the three of us is like a fucking steel cable now, unbreakable. I know we’ve still got shit to face: the Aladians, my mother’s betrayal, Pamyel’s future...
But right now, with my brother alive and my queen by my side, I feel like we can take on anything.
“Welcome back, little brother,” I murmur, squeezing Aemon’s hand. He nods, and Alice leans in, kissing his forehead. We’re home. And that’s all that matters.