Page 346 of Dirty Hit

An eerie shiver broke over Faythe’s skin.

Just then, a body dropped down behind her, and Faythe, still on edge from the battle, whirled with her heart in her throat. Herfright quickly changed to shock as her eyes landed on Kyleer, who tucked in his black feathered wings.

“I’ve had enough of legends and prophesies,” Kyleer mumbled in response to Rhiannon’s words.

Faythe almost fell into the demand to hug him, but his memories…

Kyleer smiled brightly. His arms opened. “Don’t keep me waiting after the Nether we survived.”

Faythe drew in a shallow gasp.He remembers.She whimpered as she jogged the few strides, and he lifted her off her feet in their embrace.

When he set her down, Faythe scanned him from head to toe. He was so changed, yet unchanged. His wings were beautiful, but he would have to carry them for the rest of his life against his choosing.

“Where’s Zaiana?” Faythe asked, surveying the land and sky for her. She’d been there at the end to help kill Dakodas.

“I’m not sure. She took off after you got rid of Dakodas. Maverick…he’s dead. Killed by Mordecai in the end.”

“Mordecai is still alive?” Faythe breathed. Renewed panic of war and battle and bloodshed filled her chest, and she struggled to breathe.

Reylan’s arms took her out of Kyleer’s, and he soothed her senses through their bond.

“He has no armies. There are many dark fae who are loyal to Zaiana now—we just need to find her and hope she’ll take her place as the Queen of Valgard. Mordecai is nothing without the Spirits, and they’re gone thanks to you.”

She tried to relax, but in the wake of their great war, it was like it was still reaching dark hands to everything she wanted to begin rebuilding.

Reylan took her face in his hands, and she met his sapphire eyes, glittering with such promise against the break of a newdawn. “We choose us now. We choose our happiness. We rebuild our kingdom and help rebuild the world from the war. There is nothing that can stop us.”

Faythe’s eyes flooded, and she nodded.

She repeated in a promise sealed between their souls. “We choose us.”

CHAPTER NINETY-ONE

Nik

Nik stood on the balcony of his rooms, staring out over the kingdom of High Farrow with a fresh breath of perception. There was so much he wanted to achieve in his reign, and now he finally felt the freedom to begin to dream.

Tauria crept up, circling her arms around him from behind. He drew her around to his side, kissing the top of her head as she joined him in a silent moment of reflection and hope for their future.

“There’s a lot to rebuild,” Tauria said. “More so in Fenstead.”

“We’ll dedicate our time and forces to both kingdoms accordingly. The world knows we are the king and queen of both now.”

“The path of healing will be long.”

“So will be our reign.”

Nik kissed her in promise, feeling the light of their future expanding in his chest. Asari rubbed herself around their legs as if she wanted to be included in their plans in either kingdom.Though she wasn’t a beast native to either, he’d come to be glad for her unexpected, loyal companionship.

When a short knock came on their door, Nik called for them to enter. He warmed at sight of Nerida and Tarly, who joined them on the balcony.

Nerida slipped away from Tarly, talking off to the side with Tauria. Nik looked at them fondly, still in disbelief that they were sisters. But as they smiled and laughed, reaching for each other, it was a precious sight, and he couldn’t be more delighted they’d found each other.

Katori nuzzled Asari in greeting—another uncanny sister bond.

Nik met Tarly’s eye, and he was hit with a whirlwind of emotions he’d never gotten to express in the midst of all the war and chaos.

“Thank you,” Nik said with all the sincerity he could, but it didn’t feel like nearly enough. “You saved Tauria’s life, and I can’t ever repay you for that.”

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