Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 129912 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129912 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
“I have gone to war for you and believe me, I’d do it again and again if it meant saving you. I haven’t felt joy like this in so long, not since I was a boy, and it’s my goal to always feel this with you in this life and whatever life comes after. It’s my goal to paint a smile on your face, even when I’m stubborn and you’re angry. I love you more than all the universes combined, Willow Woman. The words I’m using now aren’t nearly enough to describe the affections I carry in my heart for you. Thank you for being the one to cure my pain. Thank you for making me the happiest man in this universe.”
She hiccups a sob and I step closer, cupping the back of her head and kissing her forehead. When the wedding bands are brought forward and settled on both our fingers, Simpson clasps his hands together and pronounces us husband and wife.
Our loved ones cheer, but we can’t look anywhere else but at each other.
“My wife,” I rasp on her lips.
And then I kiss her. I wrap my arms around her waist as she drapes hers around my neck, and the sound of fireworks pops around us.
She pulls back, breathless as she watches red sparks ignite the sky. My fireworks boom and fizzle for her. Another gift she deserves.
Her forehead presses to mine. “I love you, Caspian Harlow.”
“My love for you knows no bounds, Mrs. Harlow.”
I bring her close and kiss her again.
I don’t know what will come of this life we share, but as long as I have her—as long as I can feel her skin on mine and listen to her heart beat every single night—it’s more than enough.
Even if all these powers were stripped from us right now but our mind and bodies remained, I wouldn’t care. She’s worth more than the power, the energy, and the status.
She will always be mine, and that alone makes me the strongest, luckiest man in every realm.
Epilogue
WILLOW
A YEAR AND A FEW MONTHS LATER
I can’t remember the last time I’ve gotten a full night’s sleep. In fact, my sleep became interrupted around my seventh month of pregnancy.
Now that I’m eight months postpartum, sleep is unbelievably sparse.
I feel a tiny knee drop on my head and groan.
Iris.
Her knee slips, and my eight-month-old daughter careens over the edge of the bed. I catch her with a magic grasp and raise her in the air.
When I turn onto my stomach, she’s floating right above me, giggling like she wasn’t about to just bump her head.
Silvera barks, and I eye her. “You were supposed to be watching her.”
Silvera rests her chin on the edge of the bed as she looks from me to Iris, forever the protector. Ever since Iris was born, Silvera has been right at her side, guarding her crib and looking out for sharp corners when she started crawling. Nudging her to safety whenever there is even a sign of her getting hurt.
“Iris, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’re trying to fall on purpose,” I say, lowering her to my chest.
“She is.” Caz’s voice fills the room as he emerges from the bathroom. “By the way, War broke the tub. It’s literally in ruins.”
Our son Warren floats out of the bathroom without either of our help, his body radiating with gold light. Cerberus dashes past, muzzle pointed up as he keeps an eye on our floating baby.
Caz catches Warren before he can drift out the open balcony doors and closes them behind him before collapsing on the bed.
“These kids are going to drive us crazy one day, aren’t they? He says, lying right next to me.
“Aren’t they already doing that?” I laugh.
Twins. Who would’ve known?
All this time I thought there was only one baby in there. We never sensed two heartbeats, yet here they are. Iris and Warren, our adorable, trouble-making twins.
Hassha said the same happened to her with Minka and Maia. She expected only one but got two. She believes it happened to create an even split of energy. So that one tiny person doesn’t hold so much power.
Iris couldn’t look more like her father. Her skin is lighter than War’s, her black hair thick, coily, and streaked with white. Just like Caz, her eyes are icy blue while War’s are light brown.
War has looser curls and dark brown hair, no streaks. If you saw him in public, you’d assume he was a regular commoner’s baby. Caz believes that’s a good thing, says it’ll make War a good spy if he ever needs one.
Iris’s fists spark to life as she grabs War, gnawing on his cheek while he suckles on his fingers. Both of them are teething. We learned early on during crying spells or stubbornness that Iris’s radiance is pink.