Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
“King Alvo.” Aengus took a knee.
“Prince Aengus.” The king had silver-white hair, both his eyes were a crystal blue covered in white, and a gold and silver crown weaved around his head with a black gemstone holding both pieces together. “I trust you’ve brought everyone for this judgment?”
Someone stepped out next to him; she was regal in standing, beautiful, with long flowing dark hair that fell to her waist and a similar crown. She turned, and I couldn’t stop the tears.
“Mom!” I yelled. “MOM! Is that you?”
“Clever girl.” Mom winked. “You did well.”
I started to move.
The King held up his elegant hand. “Wait.”
I stopped in my tracks, chest heaving while my mom stared at me, eyes beaming with joy and love, plus what felt like regret.
“Would you do it again, my prince?” The King asked.
Frowning, I turned to Aengus. But he said nothing.
A quiet voice whispered. “Every time.”
“Are you apologetic, young prince?” The King asked again.
“Only that I had to wait for this moment and hurt the people that I love, my King.”
The king was quiet, his face impassive. “You will have a long road ahead of you despite the curse that was broken in order to become heir to the throne.”
“I’m aware.”
“Then come, Prince of the Spring, and meet your bride.”
My ability to breathe was completely shot when someone walked out from behind the throne in black leather pants, a black shirt, dark green hair, amber eyes, and braids hidden within that gorgeous hair.
“BEN!” I yelled.
His smile could have cleared the room as we ran toward each other. He picked me up and kissed me so hard that I lost my breath.
“How?” I said between heated kisses. “How?”
“Your mom.” Our foreheads touched. “I came back to heal, and she was the first person there to help me. She said, while cursed, destiny still existed.”
Tears poured down my face. “Now what?”
“We take our son and newly adopted daughter and teach them the ways… and try not to get cursed again.”
Aengus snorted by my side. “Sureee, like you guys can stay out of trouble.”
“Oh…” I laughed. “There will be trouble, so much,” I kissed Ben harder. “Trouble.”
He pulled me in for a hug, giving me a chance to look up at my mom. I mouthed. “Thank you.”
And my mom, my no longer sick-looking, very regal mom, bowed her head, winked, then whispered. “I loved this version of you too much to have you fail.”
I had so many questions that needed to be answered, but first, I needed my prince; I wanted to see what I’d been missing all of this time.
Mom nodded to me. “Later, we can talk later.”
After all, we were magic, weren’t we?
“Promise?”
“I won’t be going anywhere this time.” Her answer was enough that when I turned into Ben’s arms, I knew it was true, that this was true, and the curse that had compelled us for so long was gone.
“Let me show you around.” His smile was as addicting as ever. I didn’t care that people were staring or that this may not be protocol to the royal court. I let him tug me out of the room, leaving everyone to Aengus, trusting him the way I knew I could trust Ben.
We went through a series of different hallways, pieces of green ivy intertwined over the ceiling meeting to create beautiful flowers with each door we passed. Everything was alive, enchanted, like the castle from Beauty and The Beast. I’d never been to this part; at least, my memories told me I hadn’t. My cape flew behind me as he rushed me down the hallway laughing.
I was suddenly back in that forest with him, back in the barn, staring up at him and wondering how I could possibly ever live without him—willing to die for our love for thousands of years.
Benjamin’s long green hair was braided on the sides and lay down his back; he was wearing his court apparel, that of the Spring Court, and his tall brown boots slammed against the marble floor. He looked over his shoulder again, winked, and suddenly stopped catching me in his arms.
I could probably stay there forever.
He whispered in my ear, his lips nipping the edge. He waved his hand in front of me, flicked his fingers, then snapped a flame and sent it to the door in front of us.
It creaked open to a huge room that looked like it belonged in a tree house; branches crawled up the walls only to meet in the middle of the ceiling, descend down and create a gorgeous chandelier. Flowers were growing out of every corner, and actual soft grass was beneath my feet. I almost felt bad walking on it. And in the very middle of the room was a King sized bed, facing a head-to-toe-sized window at least seven feet wide that faced the Kingdoms.