Ultimate Resolve (The Exceptional S. Beaufont Book 12)

by Sarah Noffke

  “Why?” Liv asked again.

  “Because if you used that device, you’d make Alicia check the specs a hundred times and fix things until it all came back the same,” the fairy godmother said.

  “Why?” Liv asked a third time.

  “Because you won’t want to hear what it has to say,” Yosole stated.

  “Why?” Liv asked, sitting up straight.

  “Liv Beaufont, your child will be healthy. She will be intelligent.” Yosole paused with a glint in her eyes.

  “She? What else?” Liv seemed to know that the fairy godmother was holding something back.

  “She will be a fairy,” the woman said and took a step backward.

  “That’s it then?” Liv didn’t look as disappointed as everyone expected. “I would have asked Alicia to check things over again and again if I knew I was having a fairy child?”

  Yosole nodded.

  “That’s how the genie fixed my baby, huh?” Liv questioned.

  Again the fairy godmother nodded.

  “Well, I guess you saved my friend the trouble of troubleshooting her device.” Liv rubbed her stomach. “I’ll love my little fairy girl all the same, either way. How did you know that…” Liv’s words trailed away because Yosole had disappeared when they’d looked away for a moment.

  Liv shrugged and looked up at Sophia. “That was weird, huh?”

  “So weird,” Sophia agreed, hugging her sister. “You’re having a girl. That’s wonderful.”

  Liv hugged her back. “Yeah, I’m grateful that she’ll be healthy, even if she’ll be a fairy. I’ll teach her to be tough anyway.”

  “I’ll teach her to fight,” Sophia offered.

  Alicia added, “I’ll teach her about magitech.”

  “I’ll call her Guinevere.” Liv fondly rubbed her belly. “After our courageous and wonderful mother.”

  Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Two

  Sophia felt like a mermaid in her seafoam bridesmaid dress. Jeremy Bearimy and his assistant, Juergen, had outdone themselves. The dresses that she and Trin wore were enchanting. However, nothing compared to the white dress that Ainsley wore, which was like her—elegant and full of whimsy.

  The elf’s red hair hung in curls, and like the queen that she was, she wore a small crown atop her head.

  The wedding party stood inside the Castle’s entrance, facing the front door with the stained glass window of the angel Sophia had first set eyes upon when she entered this place all that time ago. It felt like a lifetime ago, and for someone who hopefully had many lifetimes to live, it felt like the beginning of an incredible set of stories.

  “I’m afraid I look better than the groom,” Evan said to Trin, standing beside Sophia and Wilder.

  The men were all dressed in a tartan to match the bridesmaid’s dresses. Wilder always looked handsome, but in a kilt, he was dashing.

  Trin giggled and straightened Evan’s tie. “I’m sure you won’t steal too much of Hiker’s glory on his wedding day.”

  “You better not or I’ll shave your head in your sleep,” Ainsley threatened, drawing in a breath.

  “Again?” Evan complained.

  “The music is starting, dears.” Mama Jamba straightened the large hat that she’d promised to wear. She held out her gloved hand to Mahkah, who dutifully took it as he opened the front door to show a crowd to impress.

  Row upon row of guests in white chairs lined the Gullington. They all turned to look as Mahkah Tomahawk led Mother Nature down the aisle, to the front of the ceremony.

  In pure Quiet fashion, he’d outdone himself with decorations. The aisle was lined with winter flowers and a large tent shielded the wedding guests, making it feel both like an indoor and outdoor wedding. In the distance, the snowcapped mountains framed the scene. Fire-lit torches made the space feel warm and cozy although they were on the Expanse that went on for miles. Around the tent, various dragons of every color stood proudly, pillars of strength, guarding the wedding ceremony with their timeless wisdom.

  At the far end of the aisle stood Hiker Wallace, his chin high and beard and hair as neat as Sophia had ever seen it. However, the look in his eyes was what was most different about him. He appeared happy.

  Evan stepped up after Mahkah and Mama Jamba strode down the aisle, offering his arm to Trin. The housekeeper took it, the part of her face with skin, blushing.

  Sophia turned to Ainsley and Quiet, who had the honor of walking her down the aisle and giving her away. “Are you ready?”

  “I was born ready for this, S. Beaufont,” Ainsley replied with a sincere smile.

  So happy for her friend, Sophia faced Wilder and took his arm as he led her to the front. Along the way, Sophia saw many familiar faces in the crowd—the Gullington opened for all on that day.

  Of course, all of the dragonriders were there, both Dragon Elite and Rogue Riders, sitting side by side, all intermingled. Others were present who had helped them get to where they were: Bermuda Laurens, alongside her son Rory and his fiancée Maddy. Beside them, Jeremy Bearimy and Juergen were in attendance, proudly looking at the formal dresses they’d made. It might have been weird for some to see a giant tarantula in the wedding audience, but that was normal at the Gullington, and Sophia loved it.

  Sitting next to Liv and Stefan was King Rudolf Sweetwater with Serena and the Captains, all five dressed perfectly in matching sweater dresses. Rudolf’s sweater dress fit him pretty well because Sophia had to admit, he had nice legs.

  Also in the crowd, Sophia recognized Ramy Vance sitting next to Bep, and she said a silent prayer that today wasn’t one where he died. Paul sat next to Cat and Lee, who had delivered a breathtaking cake. It was so pretty that Ainsley said she wasn’t going to allow anyone to eat it.

  Making an unlikely pair were Subner the Protector of Weapons, sitting next to Mortimer, the Brownies’ leader who was rarely seen—but things were changing for all, not only dragonriders. Beside them was someone who Sophia was most grateful to—her fairy godmother Mae Ling. They had an important job, fairy godmothers. If it wasn’t for Mae Ling, Sophia wasn’t sure she’d be holding the man’s arm next to her.

  She looked up at Wilder with a tender expression when he led her to the front and kissed her softly on the cheek before taking their respective places.

  Everyone stood when Ainsley and Captain McAfee “Quiet” Gullington stepped out of the Castle and proceeded down the aisle. Sophia’s heart felt close to bursting, knowing that they’d all come so far. More than anything, she was grateful for where they were going.

  Yes, there would always be a villain to fight, a war to extinguish, and a problem to solve. Sophia knew there were no happy endings. Only happy resolutions followed by more adventures and hopefully happier resolutions. Because when they knew better, they did better. As they’d learned from the history of the dragonriders and learned to live in peace and celebrate their differences, rather than let it divide them.

  It only took a few hundred years, but as long as they made progress, time didn’t matter. Sophia hoped that this happy resolution to this chapter of the dragonriders meant that they would go on to have a very, very long history.

  Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Three

  “Remember not to stay up too late,” Hiker warned, patting his pants as though checking to ensure he had his keys…although he didn’t have keys. There was no need for them at the Gullington.

  “Yes, Dad,” Evan joked and slapped Wilder on the shoulder. “We’re throwing the biggest party when our parents are out of town.”

  Hiker shot him a look of warning. “You better not.”

  Sophia laughed. Hiker, Ainsley, Mahkah, Evan, Wilder, and Mama Jamba all stood on the front steps of the Castle. It was a sunny day in Scotland, albeit cold. The first spring flowers would surface soon on the Expanse, but at Sophia’s new home in Beverly Hills, everything was already blooming since Los Angeles only had one season.

  “We’ll train and keep an eye on the reports that come in, sir,” Mahkah stat
ed.

  Hiker sighed. “I’m glad I can at least count on you, Mahkah.”

  “Suck up,” Evan spat.

  “Well, we better be off, or we’ll miss our reservations.” Ainsley tugged on Hiker’s arm.

  He didn’t look ready to leave on their honeymoon. The leader of the Dragon Elite hadn’t taken a vacation…well, ever. However, Ainsley had convinced him that he needed this. That they needed it. And that the guys could watch things in his absence.

  “You’ll check in on things?” Hiker asked Sophia, looking at her sternly.

  “Of course,” she confirmed. “I’m only ever a portal away from here. Quiet was nice enough to create one inside the Castle for me to the Rogue Riders’ Mansion, so getting here is as easy as walking next door.”

  Hiker nodded, looking relieved. “Okay, well you lot, well, you…”

  “You’re not dying,” Evan teased. “You’re going to the Canary Islands.”

  “Not if we don’t get a move on,” Ainsley complained, again tugging on Hiker’s arm.

  “I better get going too.” Mama Jamba checked her watch. “I’ll miss my bus if I don’t get a move on.”

  “You do realize how strange that sounds coming from you, right?” Wilder asked with a sideways smile.

  “Which part?” she asked, quite seriously.

  He waved her off. “Never mind.”

  “Mama, you won’t be gone too long, right?” Hiker asked her.

  “I’ll be gone as long as I’m gone,” she sang and lifted onto her tiptoes. Hiker leaned over to receive a kiss on his cheek from the old woman. She patted his face afterward. “No, son. I dare say that I’ll miss this place as soon as I’m gone. Let me go and see my world and return with a sense of wholeness. You two do the same. The world will manage in our absence. Your men are more than competent.”

  Hiker nodded and turned to Ainsley, who didn’t look in the mood for a long goodbye. “We’ll see you soon,” she said to the guys. “Evan, don’t eat all the raw cookie dough. Wilder, don’t drink all the whiskey. Mahkah, keep being perfect.”

  Ainsley glanced at Sophia. “You, well, you’ll be missed.”

  “The rest of us are chopped liver,” Evan complained.

  “That you are,” Ainsley stated.

  With that, Hiker and Ainsley Wallace turned and strode for the Barrier, where they portaled off to relax and recharge and celebrate finally having a life together.

  Mama Jamba glanced around at the men. Then her eyes settled on Sophia. “You know, I always knew the one who brought me out of hiding would change this world. What I didn’t know is that she’d change me. I ran from my world for a long time, Sophia, and now I can’t imagine not being here. Thank you for that. Thank you for stirring things up and making us all the better for it.”

  Sophia didn’t know what to say, but the tear that fell from her eye was probably enough to show how she felt.

  “Well, I have a bus to catch and a world to see,” Mama Jamba sang, turning at once and striding after Hiker and Ainsley, heading for the Barrier.

  The guys all turned their attention to Sophia. “I’m not gone,” she argued, reading the looks in their eyes. “I’m through the closet door in the first hallway.”

  “But you’re leaving that way.” Evan pointed at the Barrier, suddenly sounding sad.

  He indicated where Lunis stood waiting for her.

  “I have to take my ride to the new place,” she stated. “He doesn’t fit through the closet portal so well.”

  “Sounds like he needs to go on a diet,” Evan teased.

  “I heard that, Jerk Face,” Lunis called across the Expanse.

  “Take care, Sophia.” Mahkah stepped forward and hugged her.

  “Thank you.” She patted his back.

  “Yeah, Pink Princess, don’t let those Rogue Riders push you around,” Evan stated. “I know how weak you are. Remember all those times I bested you sparring.”

  “Not really,” she answered, straight-faced.

  “Yeah, well, my time will come.” He winked.

  Sophia shook her head and laughed, grabbed Wilder’s hand, and strode away from the Castle, waving at the guys behind her.

  They walked in silence for a long moment. Then Wilder finally said, “I love you, Sophia. Wherever you are, is where I want to be.”

  She paused and looked up at him. “But you’re here. And I’m in LA.”

  He shrugged. “As you said, the commute is fairly easy. I can always sleep in LA and be here in time for breakfast at the Gullington.”

  “But the time zones…”

  “Some people are worth being on a crazy schedule for.” Wilder pushed her hair out of her face.

  “Well, then I guess I’ll see you at the Rogue Riders’ Mansion in a while?” she asked, her heart suddenly fuller than she ever expected.

  He grinned at her, his blue eyes sparkling. “I’ll go pack a bag and probably beat you there.”

  Sophia lifted onto her tiptoes and kissed him, grateful that she got it all. She got the job, the friends, the dragon, the family, and the guy. Who said you couldn’t have it all?

  “You know I was never going to let you go,” Wilder said, pushing her hair back behind her ear and staring into her eyes. “Familia Est Sempiternum. You are and will always be my family.”

  “Familia Est Sempiternum.” Sophia squeezed his hand and let it go. “See you soon.”

  “Very soon.” Wilder turned and headed for the Castle.

  Sophia hurried for Lunis not too far in the distance, wanting to hug her dragon and tell him how everything worked out perfectly.

  However, she knew by the look on his face that he already knew when she neared.

  “You remember when we stepped across the Barrier for the first time and saw the Gullington?” he asked as they neared the Barrier.

  “I remember thinking I’d never seen a place so magical,” she answered.

  “Coming from you, that’s saying a lot.”

  At the Barrier, both dragon and rider turned to look back at the Castle. “It’s still as magical as the first time I saw it.”

  “Because it’s the people in this world who create the real magic in life,” Lunis stated. “And the Gullington is full of the best people there are.”

  “The very best,” Sophia agreed, looking fondly at the blue dragon. “Are you ready for our next adventure, Lunis?”

  “As long as you’re by my side and enduring my bad jokes, I’m ready for anything, Sophia Beaufont.”

  “Forever and always.” Sophia stepped up onto her dragon and slid into the saddle as she grabbed the reins.

  The majestic dragon took off at once, lifting into the air and flying over the snowy mountains of Scotland, which was safe once more and hopefully for always.

  Sophia glanced back over her shoulder to take one last look at the Gullington. She spied the groundskeeper, Quiet, waving from the Expanse, sending her off in his style. Sophia waved back.

  Then she faced forward, the cold winds sweeping through her hair, reminding her of all the adventures to come as she made her way to where she would lead the Rogue Riders—creating peace for the world she loved so very much.

  The End

  To continue the adventure, check out the next installment in the Beaufont universe. Turn the page for a sneak peek and to preorder your copy of the Inscrutable Paris Beaufont.

  Fairy Godmother College

  Chapter One

  If love was what made the Earth go round, then it was about to freeze on its axis. Few people knew the repercussions of love being created or, more importantly, of love being lost.

  A fairy godmother knew. It was her job to ensure matches were made and love achieved. The problem was fairy godmothers weren’t what they used to be, and it was creating a domino effect across the globe.

  Marylou Goodwin stood behind a concrete pillar in the London Underground. She wore a long blue gown with a hood over her gray curls to keep the cold chill off her shoulders and head. She wore
it like that for practical reasons, but also to keep her cover. It was always better if fairy godmothers weren’t spotted by those they were spelling.

  The old fairy godmother had been patiently waiting for her “Cinderella” to arrive on the platform. Hopefully, the woman, a Miss Amelia Rose, would show soon, or the timing of matching with her Prince Charming would be off. Also, Marylou’s feet were throbbing from standing for so long. She wasn’t as young as she used to be, and she felt her age more with every case.

  “I’m getting too old for this,” she muttered under her breath, willing the blood in her feet to circulate as she toggled her weight between them.

  The truth was that Marylou had been old when she became a fairy godmother. Most were and after a few centuries of matchmaking, this tired fairy godmother was out of stamina. There were bigger issues as well, and they were about to become very apparent for the rest of the world.

  “Oh, about time,” Marylou said as she caught sight of Amelia Rose striding down the walkway to where her train would be stopping in five minutes.

  The Cinderella was on her cellphone chatting with Bryce Tyler, the man who had been pining for her affection since they graduated from college last year. Her long blonde hair was pulled back in a braid, and she had only a small bit of makeup adorning her face.

  Amelia forced a smile, which on her elegantly beautiful face still lit up her large brown eyes even though it was absent of any joy. Her words could hardly be heard over the clacking of her smart high heels or the rush of the other trains on neighboring platforms.

  “Yeah, I’ll talk to you soon,” she replied after a slight pause to the guy on the other side of the line. The smile on her pink lips disappeared. “I miss you too.”

  She didn’t. Marylou knew that much. Bryce Tyler’s mother missed him. The friend he’d had since preschool missed him. His sister who worried he’d never get married missed him. But Amelia Rose had never missed the redheaded financial advisor, even though she appreciated his friendship.