“How did you know that it would work?” she whispered in my ear. “How did you know you could break the spell and heal me and it would all work out okay?”
I let out a laugh and sat up. “I didn’t, I didn’t know anything of the sort.”
Her eyelids fluttered and her mouth dropped open. “But then, why?”
“I couldn’t do it, not even for the world could I be the one to take your life.” I ran a hand over her head, brushing against her shorn hair. “And I trusted that you would fight for me as hard as I fought for you.”
She burst into tears anew and buried her head into my shoulder. “I couldn’t give up on you either.”
“Then why are you crying?” I asked, setting her back from me. “Chaos is gone, you’re here, I’m here, what in the world could possibly be wrong?”
“What if something else happens?” she asked, wiping the tears away. “Do you really think that will be the last evil the world will face?”
I let out a sigh. “No, but I think we can take a break from it all, at least for the weekend. Don’t you? Maybe we could go take those surf lessons. Someone did promise us a free lesson, didn’t he?”
We turned to look at Luke, whose eyebrows were in his hairline. He lifted his hands up in mock surrender. “You’re right, I did promise you lessons.”
A hand on my shoulder turned my head. Bres smiled down at us. “You did it, Quinn.” I put my hand over his.
“No, love conquered, just the way it should.”
Epilogue
The next week was a flurry of activity. Ashling retained her spot as leader of the Fomorii. Gormley had been killed by Bres after she’d tossed me into the throne.
It was a hard adjustment for all of them, Ashling learning to lead and the Fomorii getting used to a leader who wasn’t after power, but instead truly cared about their well-being.
Nuadha stepped down as leader of the Tuatha and Luke stepped into his rightful position. The Council backed Luke completely, giving him the support he needed. He appointed Bres to the Council, which both surprised and pleased me. They may not ever be fast friends, but they worked well together when they had a common goal.
Lir hadn’t been able to rouse any of the old gods, so he’d decided to continue trying to wake them, to make them an active part of the world. Though he’d forgiven me for killing my brother, he’d left shortly after with no promise to return. That had hurt. I’d thought for a brief time that I’d finally have some semblance of a family. Slowly, however, I realized that I already did. Ashling and the boys were all I needed.
I barely saw Luke that week. He spent many hours drafting up an accord with Ashling, one that would bind the Tuatha and Fomorii together, and one that would allow them to come out to the humans. I still wasn’t sure that was a good idea, but it wasn’t up to me.
Of course, all that was after our surf lessons, which were spent more in the water than on the boards. It had been a good day, our laughter chasing away the last of the darkness we’d faced.
I passed on Cora’s message to Darcy, and she left to be with Wil. She’d cried and hugged me, then did the same for Ashling. Ashling forgave her without a second thought, as I knew she would. They promised to stay in touch. I did not, but I held no ill will for my mother. How could I, knowing the truth?
The morning of the eighth day Luke woke me early for a walk with him. I slipped into a calf length dress that floated on the ocean breeze and tied my hair into a loose bun.
“We haven’t had a chance to talk all week,” he said.
“I know, but you’re busy and I don’t really fit in here anymore.”
He frowned.“Don’t say that.”
I shrugged, bent, and picked up a sand dollar, turning the slightly fuzzy disc in my hand. “It’s the truth. I burnt out my powers bringing Ashling back. I’m pretty much a human with some interesting genetics.”
Silence hovered between us, awkward and uncomfortable. Nothing was the way I’d thought it was going to be. Every day that passed, I could feel him drawing further away from me. It hurt, but deep down, I wasn’t surprised. The Council had released the original prophecy that Nuadha had suppressed. It said nothing about the Shining One being with the Chosen one. Only that there would be a union to bind the Fomorii and Tuatha together.
I think it rocked him, realizing that he didn’t have to be with me. That it wasn’t pre-ordained. That what he’d started to feel for someone else was not only okay, but allowed.
We headed towards the water, taking advantage of the fact that the tide was out. “We need to talk about...things,” Luke said.