Page 77 of Myths and Manuscripts
“Might have?” The woman exclaimed. “He threw us in a sack and dropped us off at the edge of town!”
Another kidnapping then. Great. This didn’t look good for peaceful relations. Before I could say something, the guy in front spoke up again.
“We’re glad though.” He nodded at Dain. “We’d been wanting to apologize for a while, but didn’t know how. He seemed to know that and gave us the push we needed.” He bowed to Leo. “We’re sorry for failing you. We’re the hero’s party and we should have stood by your side no matter what. We should have fought the King with you, created peace with you, and finished this whole mess together.”
The others nodded and Leo’s eyes widened. “That’s why you’re here? To apologize?”
“Why else would they be?” Dain asked. “I wouldn’t have bothered if they were going to be rude again.”
A smile finally cracked Leo’s hard expression, and he nodded. “Thanks, Dain.” Then he turned to his party. “Let’s go somewhere quiet and talk. Bunny Brews makes the best coffee.”
“And has bunnies?” The guy in front’s eyes lit up. “Sounds perfect.”
Leo turned to me. “Is it okay if they stay for a while?”
They all held their breath like I was still the great villain they’d spent so much time hunting. I dropped my shadows. “It’s fine, but they arenotstaying at the castle. I’ve already got enough of you roaming around, and I don’t need any more.”
“That’s fair.” Leo grinned, his shoulders loosening. “Come on guys, let’s go.”
“You’re in charge of them!” I called out after him. “If they get into trouble, you’ll be cleaning it up.”
He held a hand up in the air, waving like he agreed. A tightness in my chest loosened. Seeing him with his party felt right, like the last piece of the story that needed mending. Dain glanced at Willow with a questioning look, and when she nodded, he trailed after the group quietly. It was like they’d had a whole silent conversation.
“Since when did you two get so familiar?” I asked.
“Jealous?” She grinned, looping her arm through mine. “Let’s head to that bakery you mentioned, and I’ll get a littlefamiliarwith you too.”
Her wink sent sparks through me. Why was I wasting time on Dain and Leo when Willow and I were finally alone together? We walked in happy silence, just watching the curious new additions to the town, until we found our way to the Destroyer’s Bakery. The sound of a massive cleaver thunking into the counter and the sweet smell of apple pie filled the air. Willow inhaled slowly, her eyes closed, and a smile on her face.
She was beautiful, content just being in a cozy little place like this. It reminded me of how she’d looked in the apothecary gardens and gave me an idea.
“Have you ever thought of writing cozy fantasy?” I asked, nodding at Miri and Noki as we sat down. “I think you’d be really good at it. You’ve got a peaceful vibe to you and even managed to bring that into our book. I bet more people would enjoy storieslike that.”
Her eyes sparkled. “I was actually thinking the same thing.” She pulled a notebook out of her bag, showing me dozens of pages of notes about a cozy fantasy she’d been planning. “Being with you made me realize that if I really care about something, it’s worth risking a little pain for the ending I want.”
Warmth spread through my chest. “Are you talking about us or the book?”
“Both?” She grinned and scooted her chair over to my side of the table so we could look at her notes together. Her arm pressed against mine and her fingers toyed with my shadows like they were hers.
I’d never dreamed of having a moment like this, but now? I wouldn’t give it up for anything.
She’d claimed my story and my heart, so if she wanted my shadows too, they were already hers.
Because I was her Demon Lord, and she was my consort.
Epilogue
Willow
One Year Later
Sunlight reflected softly off the jars in the apothecary shop and the mossmews batted at them playfully. Thorne smiled, bending to pet a moss kitten fondly. He used to only do that in secret, but he was far past pretending he didn’t find them adorable. They even joined us in bed half the time, curled up at the end like our own little guardians.
Thorne finished filling the last bottle of sleeping tonic and handed it to me to label.
I grinned. “You should really work on your handwriting skills.”
“Baby steps, okay?” He glanced back at the bin that used to be full of his failures. “At least I’m not setting anything on fire anymore.”
