“Yes!” Arwen agreed.
“Totally,” Kailani chipped in.
I nodded with a smile but a thought struck me. Should we invite any future heirs of Nightfall? The queen was dead and her more sensible son Callen had taken over and was due to be married soon. But the machines that had been destroyed could be rebuilt. Having all of the children of the realm together each year for a retreat would ensure a lasting peace.
“Yes, and we should extend a standing invitation to the future heirs of Nightfall,” I added.
All three women went still, seeming to think it over.
“Yes! I love that,” Madelynn said as she popped another piece of fruit into her mouth.
Finally, Kailani nodded her agreement. “Agreed. You’re so sensible, Zara.”
I laughed and Arwen raised her glass of juice to me. “Zara is right. The future of Avalier depends on all realms getting along. Nightfall included.”
“Especially them,” Madelynn added, raising her glass.
We all clinked and then Arwen sighed. “Should we invite the heirs of Necromere?”
“Don’t get crazy,” Madelynn told the dragon queen and that caused us all to erupt into fits of laughter.
We then talked for another hour about the war and how well things were doing now. When the sun started to go down, Arwen stood with a gleeful smile and ran over to her bag in the corner.
Reaching down, she pulled out a brand-new blue tin box and set it on the coffee table.
“What’s that?” Kailani asked.
Arwen grinned. “I thought the boys’ little memory box was a cute idea. I think we should all write ourselves letters and then open them in twenty years when our kids are grown.”
“Yes!” I shot up from where I sat and grabbed a piece of parchment and an ink quill. The others did the same and we all rushed to separate corners of the room.
I plopped down with the parchment in front of me and began to write.
Dear Future Zara,
In twenty years, you and Axil will probably have a dozen children and they will all be fighting their way up the pack to the most dominant position. Your life was hard in the early years, losing your parents so young, losing Axil at fifteen, having to raise Oslo like a son when you were barely grown yourself. And then losing Cyrus almost broke you. But I hope you can look back on this and smile, because things can only go up from here. You’re a mother to a beautiful little boy, you’re a mate to a man who loves you more than life, and most of all, you’re strong. You’ve learned that no matter what life throws at you, you can do hard things. So on the off chance life does throw you some curveballs in the next twenty years, I just want to say … don’t worry. You got this.
You’re the strongest woman I know.
Love,
Z
I looked up from the letter, happy to see my girlfriends smiling as well as they wrote their own, then I scribbled a last line.
Oh, and don’t ever forget … Life is better when it’s shared with friends. Cherish them.
Something that had been empty inside of me since my parents died was filled in that moment. I had everything I could have ever wanted. I had family, friends, a kingdom, a child. I felt so happy and complete and I knew that no matter what life threw my way, I could get through it.
The End
What’s next from Leia:
If you liked this series you will love book one in a hot new fantasy romance by Leia Stone. If Wednesday Addams went to Hogwarts and found herself in the middle of a love triangle. =）
House of Ash and Bone.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Always a big thank you to my amazing readers! I truly could not do this without you. It still amazes me that I get to be creative and do this for a living and someone actually wants to read what I write. Thank you to my Wolf Pack who is so supportive. To Cat and the entire team at HQ, I am so grateful for this partnership and your editing expertise. And always to my husband and children for sharing me with my art. <3