Page 124 of The Demon King's Destiny

Epilogue

Theron watched Evelyn dance with her new husband. She was glowing with happiness and something else she hadn’t yet shared. Perhaps she didn’t know.

Nora’s small bump could no longer be hidden, though she wasn’t much further along than Evelyn. Wolves gestated rather quickly.

Eden’s belly was obviously round with child, the first of her sisters to become pregnant. He wondered how Viktor would react when he found out his mate was carrying twins.

Three sisters would be birthing four babes in the coming year. Four tiny, but powerful younglings to lead Imperium into its golden age. It was imperative there were four to herald the new era.

“You’ve been meddling, Theron,” the musically accented voice accused him from behind.

And you haven’t?he wanted to reply. Wisely, he held his tongue.

Lowering his head, he turned towards the Goddess and bowed. He’d never been physically able to look at her directly. No being had ever described her face because they couldn’t.

He’d only ever seen the flowing silver material of her dress and the cream color of the skin on her hands. When he pictured her, he imaged a female with the combined attributes of Edward’s daughters.

“Nothing to say to that?” she asked.

“What can I say? There’s no denying it.”

The Goddess kept her attention on the smiling couple as they twirled around the garden at their small wedding feast.

“You’ll have to die for the marks to be transferred,” she warned.

“I know.”

“Do you intend to?”

“Die?”

“Marktheir youngas heirs.”

“We’ll see how things progress, the choices they make as they grow.”

They stood shoulder to shoulder, watching the wedding party. It was all that was good in this life.

“You could always give them the choice,” she suggested.

“Yes, and that turned out so well these last thousand years.”

“Careful, priest. The Sephtis Kenelm were meant to be the custodians of Imperium, to reign in those who would topple the others, to ensure peace and balance. It is a heavy burden to choose who lives and who dies for the sake of all. I refused to force it upon them so I gave them a choice.”

“You do so love your free will. Tell me, what happened to the first worthy souls you offered to mark?”

“They refused.”

“Interesting.”As well asunsurprising.Such beingswould never hunger forpower or assume they should control Imperium’s future. Only the easily corrupted would crave the position.

She shrugged. “I still think you should give them the choice.”

Theron scratched at the skin over his heart where four lines of black swirling script now existed.

“I’m curious, priest, how did you get them—all of them—to make you their heir?”

Theron was one of her few blind spots. He had to be if he was to control the power of Sanctus Femina and wield it freely. Even she had rules she had to follow.

“I didn’t. Not directly. I found their heirs andrequestedthese heirstake a blood oath to make me second in line. Then I ensured I was first in line immediately after the pledge was sealed with our powers. As soon as Mara, Bogdan, Agatha, and Dmitri each took their last breaths, the marks appeared, one by one.”

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