Speaking of Cross, she hadn’t seen him at all since he came to help them free Zhobghadi. He didn’t even show up for her wedding and coronation, or to visit Caspar, but she understood he was busy. She kept his coin with her, though she hadn’t been tempted to use it. She knew that he would come and visit her, when he was ready.
“Ah, here they are.” Karim cocked his head toward the other end of the balcony. Sure enough, the three men were already in the heat of their sparring session. Ramin was in the middle in a defensive position, Jacob on his left, and Delacroix on his right. The hybrid threw a fireball at the young man, which he dodged easily. However, he left his right side open and Delacroix came in and tackled him to the ground.
“His absence will really be a great loss to us,” Karim said. “He’s not only a great fighter, but his skills are unparalleled.”
Delacroix remained tightlipped about how he could … well, do what he did. Whenever anyone asked him, he changed the subject. However, having experienced it herself, she had a suspicion. But it wasn’t her business, especially if the man didn’t want to tell anyone.
“Jacob will probably follow him home too.” The two had become great friends, after all. “I know he’s probably missing his family and New York a lot. But surely you can wait until after breakfast to tell them?” The last few days had been hectic and she just needed one morning of peace.
“I’ll break the news this afternoon. I will be sorry to see them go. But that is life, is it not?” Karim gestured to the breakfast table, where Amaya was already seated. “Come, habibti. Let’s sit and enjoy the morning before we go about our day.”
Karim ate his breakfast with Amaya, and they continued to watch the three men spar. When they finished, the combatants sat down and joined them. Deedee couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness, knowing that her two guards—no, they were more than that; they were her friends—would be leaving soon. But she knew why they had to go, and really, there was a bigger world out there.
When they finished, Ramin took Amaya back into the palace, while Jacob and Delacroix excused themselves.
“You have a long day ahead—”
“Wait,” Karim touched her arm as she stood up. “I’m not ready to leave you and my son yet.” He took Caspar into his arms and gestured for her to follow him to the edge of the balcony.
“What are you doing?”
“I think it’s time I tell my son a story.”
“A story?” She wrinkled her nose. “What story?”
Karim lifted up Caspar. “Once upon a time—”
“Oh Lord.” She rolled her eyes. “Are you going to tell him a fairy tale? You know I don’t believe in them.”
He looked at Caspar with an exasperated sigh. “She still doesn’t believe in fairy tales? What am I to do? Tsk, tsk. Well, if she doesn’t enjoy my tale, maybe you will.” He caressed the infant’s cheeks. “Anyway. Once upon a time, there was a prince. This prince had everything he could want in the world. Wealth. Command. A land he ruled. He even had the power to turn into a mighty dragon that could smite his enemies.”
She chortled, and when he smirked at her, she flashed him an innocent look.
“Despite all this, the prince was sad. He was lonely, and desperate to fill in something in him that was missing. One day, he met a beautiful woman.”
“Ahem.” She raised a brow at him.
“Excuse me,” he chuckled. “A beautiful and smart woman. She was also very special because she was like him. Only she turned into a gorgeous and magnificent wolf.”
At that sentence, her inner she-wolf preened. Ugh, ever since Karim started paying attention to you, your head’s blown up a hundred sizes.
It answered her with a smug yip.
“But that was not the only thing special about her.”
“It wasn’t?”
Karim’s smile lit up his face. “No. Because when he looked into her eyes, he saw it. His dragon saw it, too, maybe even before he did.”
She held her breath. “What did he see?”
His blue eyes burned like brilliant sapphires. “He finally saw that which was missing in him.” He paused for two heartbeats. “His soul.”
Her mouth opened, but nothing came out. But maybe no words were needed. Karim kissed his son’s forehead, moved him to one arm, and then wrapped his other arm around her to pull her close.
Yes, she’d never believed in fairy tales. However, as she felt the heat of the glorious desert sun on her face, and basked in the love of not one, but two Prince Charmings, she could, just now, believe in happy ever afters.
Dear Reader,
Thanks for coming on this journey with me.
It’s been a long one, coming to this point with Karim and Deedee.
If you want to read more, turn the page for a special bonus scene in my author’s note.
As always, if I have extra bonus scenes from this and other books on my Goodies page, which you can get by joining my newsletter!
But our story is not quite done yet!
A year has passed and the mages are getting stronger.
What’s happening back in New York?
And who is Marc Delacroix?
Find out in the next book:
Shadow Wolf
Pre-order now at 2.99 (goes up to 3.99)!
Releases February 18, 2020
Now, turn the page for author’s notes and a special bonus scene!
Author’s Note
Written on Nov 28, 2019
I really can’t quite believe that this book is done. I feel like I’ve had Karim and Deedee living in my head for so long that I almost feel like I have empty next syndrome now that they have their book written down.
Before you think I’m crazy, let me start from the beginning. When I first wrote Taming the Beast (Sebastian and Jade’s story), I had meant to explain how Sebastian was turned into a dragon. However, I just couldn’t find a place for it, and no one at the time really questioned it so I thought I would save the story for later.
Well, not quite anyone. My good friend L asked me after doing a beta read, “But how did Sebastian turn into a dragon?” And I immediately said, “You’ll find out in their kid’s book” (I hadn’t named Deedee yet).
Little did I know it would take me more than two years to get to this point. I wrote another series I had in my head (The Blackstone Mountain Series) as I needed a break from the True Mates world.
But now it’s done! I’m still feeling a little sad (I had a cry when I typed “The End”) but also so happy. This story turned out so much better than I had thought and I hope you loved it as much I did and thought it was an epic ending to this trilogy of the True Mates Generations Series.
If you noticed, Witch in Time, Highland Wolf, and this book all happened outside New York, but as I draw the series to a close with the last trilogy, I’m bringing us home.
Thanks for sticking with me on this journey.
Love,
Alicia
P.S. Go to the next page for a special bonus scene that explains a few things in the book!
Special Bonus Scene
Sometime after I finished True Mates, I was challenged by my readers to write extra bonus scenes and snippets for their favorite character.
One reader asked me to write something about Daric seeing the future of one of the kids, so I thought since I’d been dying to get something down on paper about Deedee, I would do this.
Enjoy!
Written on June 2017
Happens about 30 years before the events of Daughter of the Dragon, a few hours after the epilogue of Taming the Beast
“C’mon, baby, it’ll be good practice, for when we have the baby,” Meredith whined. “Please?”
Daric sighed and looked at the pink bundle in his wife’s arms. “Fine, give her here.”
Meredith squealed and handed the baby to Daric. Jade and Sebastian’s daughter was only a few hours old, but the couple couldn’t wait to show her off to their friends. Everyone had a
turn holding the newborn, except Daric. He knew he eventually had to hold the child, but he had been putting it off. He had seen some of the child’s future when he touched Jade, and if he were honest, he had been reluctant to see any more. Knowing the future was a burden, one that he was hoping he wouldn’t have to bear, especially now that he had Meredith.
As he took the bundle from Meredith, he held his breath and waited for the vision.
The vision was much like he had seen, but now he actually held the child, it was much more vivid. A beautiful, tall woman with long brown hair and light green eyes, standing on a balcony, dressed regally. A sea of people below her, chanting her name. And then above her, a large creature blocked out the sun, casting a shadow over the entire area. The sunlight hit its silver scales, creating a dazzling show for the people below and they cheered even harder.
“Daric? Are you okay?”
Meredith’s voice shook him out of his vision. He looked down at the tiny bundle in his arms. Had he been anyone else, he wouldn’t have guessed a destiny for such a small creature. The daughter of the dragon.
“I’m good,” he said, handing the child back to his wife with a smile. “Have you thought of a name?” he asked Jade and Sebastian.
“Well, I was thinking Desiree for my grandmother,” Sebastian said. “It’s my momma’s middle name, too.”
“And Mary for my grandmother,” Jade answered. “Her name was Mary Desmond and she was a suffragette from here in New York, you know.”
“Sounds like a good name,” Daric said thoughtfully. “Desiree Desmond.”
“Hmmm…” Jade’s eyes narrowed. “I was thinking Mary Desiree, but I like it.”
“You can call her DeeDee for short!” Meredith said. The baby girl in her arms let out a gurgle. “Oh, I think she likes it! Don’t you, Dee?”
“All right then,” Sebastian said. “Desiree Desmond Creed. Sounds like a strong name.”
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