Once more, Kira could see the good in the man, and she couldn’t help but smile back at him. Knowing that Blake would never allow her to fall, she removed one arm from around his neck and reached out to place her hand on Farro’s shoulder.
“I forgive you,” she assured him before replacing her arm around Blake’s neck. Farro’s head whipped up, and the shock written on his face suggested he’d never expected her to accept his apology. He bowed his head once more, as if in acceptance.
“Good luck,” Drake said to Menion, and then he was gone, diving up into the air with his wings spread proudly. Menion called back his thanks at the comment before turning to Kira and staring deep into her eyes as he said, “I promise I will return as soon as I’m able.”
Kira had absolutely no doubt that he would. She’d seen as much in her visions. Although she was slightly disappointed at the fact the books had lied about her losing her powers if she lost her virginity, she was relieved at the fact she could see that everything would turn out alright. She was also eager to know just how it would feel when all her visions came to fruition.
“I will see you again,” she said firmly, willing him to believe her with her eyes. Then Blake dipped his head in farewell to the prince and dived up into the air to meet his brother, who hovered above them.
Everything was silent, save for the cawing of seagulls and the splashing of the waves below, and the looks on both her mates’ faces told Kira that they were too busy concentrating on their flight home to speak. She didn’t speak either, unwilling to put either of them off. Instead, she glanced over Blake’s shoulder, watching Menion’s ship slowly melt away on the horizon. Her heart ached at seeing him go, but at least she had her visions, and she knew his feelings for her. There was no doubt in her mind that she had made the right decision to allow her mates into her life. A part of her was sure that even if she’d not been an oracle and she’d tried to fight their advances, it would’ve always ended up this way. She could feel it in her very bones; nothing could’ve changed the fact that they would find each other. This was always meant to be.
Epilogue - Kira
2 years later
“Where the hell is he?” Blake demanded. He paced up and down Kira’s chamber at the top of the tower, looking no older than the day she’d first met him. Yet he certainly looked better than he had then in his silver and white clothing, sporting a crownlet of silver that looked like interwoven vines. Drake sat much more patiently on the vanity table stool, wearing similar clothing in the orange and black of his own kingdom. The golden crown upon his head was similar to his brother’s, though a little larger.
“He will be here,” Kira assured him as Drake opened his mouth, looking like he was about to snap at his brother and tell him to calm down. Kira had learned by now that if she didn’t intervene at such stressful times, the twins would likely begin to argue, and she was certainly not in the mood for that today. Today was the day that, after two long years, she would finally see Menion again. Word had arrived from the docks the night before that his ship had been spotted on the horizon, and she knew he would arrive any minute. Though her visions had become few and far between since their lives became more settled, she’d seen enough to know that Menion was well. Yet, she couldn’t wait to see it with her own eyes.
“He’d better be!” Blake snapped. “We’ve all waited long enough for this ceremony.”
“It wouldn’t have been right to have done it without him,” Drake pointed out, and Kira was relieved she hadn’t interjected again before he could speak. She was glad to know at least one of the twins had come to terms with the fact that they had to share her with a third mate. The two of them had been her only bedfellows for so long, she’d begun to worry that they might not accept Menion back into the fold. Yet it seemed that Blake was as eager for his return as she was. Even if it was only because he wanted to get things under way. All that mattered was that he had allowed them to wait in the first place.
For the first time since they’d arrived, Kira glanced at the priestess, who’d been standing silently beside the door, awaiting the final participant in the ceremony she’d been hired to perform. Gazing at her, Kira couldn’t quite tell how the woman might feel about what she’d come here to do. She was well aware that it wasn’t exactly traditional, even by fae standards, and yet there was no way of working around it. When Blake and Drake had announced to their kingdoms that they’d been chosen by Fate to share a mate, there’d been uproar, and many had asked how they could possibly share a queen. This plan had been their solution. They had to make things official somehow, if only to put the public’s mind at ease. Kira had no need for such things. She’d seen the future, and knew that she would be happy with her three mates, no matter what life chose to throw at them in between. But she knew well enough the kings had a higher responsibility, and she would do whatever it took to make sure their subjects felt secure.
“Well, it’s about time!” Blake snapped as soon as the door swung open behind Kira. she barely had time to breathe as she whipped around and threw herself into the arms of the man who stepped into the room. Feeling the tension in his body, Kira, for a moment, feared that she’d thrown herself into the arms of a guard. Then she felt the arms that were flung around her begin to relax, and heard someone inhaling her scent as their nose was nuzzled into her hair.
“Menion!” she exclaimed, pulling back just enough to be able to look into his glowing, moss-green eyes. He smiled down at her with such joy, she could feel it as though he’d pumped it right into her veins.
“Kira,” he breathed out as if it was the first time he’d taken a breath since their separation two years earlier. Kira was surprised when she felt Blake and Drake stepping up behind her. A hand landed upon the small of her back, and another upon her buttock. For one wild moment, Kira feared they were about to become possessive. Then she felt them pressing in around her as if they knew exactly what she needed in that very moment.
“It’s good to finally have the gang back together,” Drake commented, and Kira breathed in the collective scents of them all as Menion kissed her forehead and the twins kissed her cheeks.
Almost as if she feared they’d forgotten she was present, the priestess across the room cleared her throat. Kira’s cheeks instantly grew hot with embarrassment as she realized if the woman hadn’t done so, she might well have forgotten her entirely. As soon as her mates had surrounded her, she’d felt consumed by them, unable to think of anything else.
“Are you ready to become the queen of three kingdoms?” Menion chuckled, as if he saw the embarrassment on her face. He pulled back and took her hands in his, gazing at her as he added, “You certainly look like it.”
Kira glanced sideways at the mirror across the room and was stunned once more by her appearance. After living alone in that cabin for so long, wearing nothing but rags, she was still growing used to all the fine things she had now. The white gown she wore had been overlaid with sheer fabric that contained a pearlescent sheen of silver, blue, yellow and orange to represent each one of her mates, a symbol of their connection. In her hair, she wore a crown of interwoven, gold, silver and bronze, and a similar pendant hung around her petite throat.
Taking one final look at herself, Kira nodded and sucked in a deep breath to steady herself, hoping to calm her racing heart.
“And you’re sure you want to do it this way?” Blake asked, gesturing around the bedroom.
“Yes,” Kira stated. She knew she didn’t need to tell her mates again why she wished for it to be a simple ceremony. The thought of being bombarded by hundreds of guests on her wedding day made her feel nauseous. She could only imagine how overwhelmed she would be by visions. It was bad enough attending court with the twins without the subjects of three entire kingdoms all coming out to witness their binding ceremony. “This is where we all came together the first time. This is where we should promise ourselves to each other.”
All three of her mates began to nod their agreement.
“There must be witnesses,” the priestess spoke up for the first time. Her voice trembled slightly, as if she was scared to speak against not one, but three kings. Almost as though he’d read the priestess’s mind, Menion was on his way to the door.
With a brilliant smile, he announced, “I have that covered,” before he yanked open the door and gestured to whomever was in the hallway inside.
“Balerion! Farro!” Kira exclaimed in surprise. Although Balerion had returned from the Forgotten Isle shortly after escorting Menion home two years ago, Kira hadn’t seen Farro since they said their farewells on the ship. Yet, she knew from Menion’s letters over the past two years that he’d been a great friend and advisor to him during his father’s final hours, and in the time since, become the captain of Menion’s household guard.
“My lady,” Farro greeted her with a sweeping gesture of his hand over his chest and a deep bow, in which he ended up on his knee. “I heard that you were in need of an extra witness.”
“Yes, Farro, please stand,” Kira insisted. It was still taking some getting used to, having people bow or curtsey to her. Part of her thought she might never grow used to it. She glanced from one captain to the other, and added, “We are pleased to have you both.”
“Neither of us would miss this for the world, my lady,” Balerion announced with a bow of his own.