In response, she threw her arms around him, crushing the hand with the ring box between them. She was laughing and maybe crying, and he felt a little like crying himself as he held her. This life, this woman, this moment, all his, and his eagle screamed in triumph.
“Yes, yes,” Ros managed. “Oh God, how long have you been planning this?”
“A while, actually. We got this trip planned, and I figured, beautiful country, exotic cryptids, pretty girl, why not? It’s only been killing me a little, waiting until we got out here.”
Ros grinned at him, knuckling a few stray tears out of her eyes.
“I don’t want anything killing you even a little. I want to have a good long life with myhusband.”
Just hearing her say the word made him feel a little lightheaded, and he decided he couldn’t wait another moment to get his ring on her finger.
“Here, give me your hand.”
“How did you–”
He removed it from the box and slid the ring onto her finger. Seeing it there made him want to take her in his arms immediately.
“Measured your finger in your sleep. There, what do you think?”
It was a narrow platinum band, and at the center, flanked by a pair of tiny white diamonds, there was a gorgeous oval citrine, sparkling gold and almost as brilliant as her eyes.
“Oh, Teagan,” she whispered, and he knew she understood why he had chosen the citrine, which flashed like a fire condor in flight.
Then Ros was in his arms, his true mate, the woman who held his heart and always would, and overhead, the fire condors flew.