by Erin Rhew
Wil grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him. His heart pounded to the rhythm of her name. With a trembling hand, he reached out to cup her cheek. His lips ached to touch hers, and his arms yearned to wrap around her. But first, he had to speak the words he’d been dying to say. “Layla, I love you. I’ve always loved you.” He placed a light kiss on her cheek then stroked the spot with his finger. “I want to be with you. You’re all I’ve ever wanted.”
She closed the space between them and pressed her lips to his. He wrapped his arms around her, relishing the feeling. When she slid her arms around his neck, Wil moaned in pleasure. He’d waited so long to hold her like this again, free of guilt.
“I love you too, Wil.”
Wil pulled back slightly so he could see all of her face. “Will you marry me?”
She smiled. “I thought you’d never ask.”
As their lips crashed together, Wil knew nothing would ever come between them again.
Epilogue
Layla
Layla scanned the audience chamber and smiled at all the familiar faces. For the first time since The Day of Peace celebration three years ago, her whole family had come together to attend today’s festivities. She glanced over at her husband, who cradled their newborn son in his arms. Happiness bloomed from within her, watered by the love of family.
She bent over and kissed her son’s cheek. “I’m happier than I ever dreamed I could be, Wil.”
He smiled. “So am I.”
Nash and Zarina, holding their own newborn son, joined Wil and Layla. The Vanguard king and queen beamed with joy. As she observed them, Layla realized the restlessness she’d come to associate with Nash had vanished. As the king of Vanguard, with Zarina by his side, he’d found what he’d always been searching for—a place to belong.
While Nash, Wil, and Zarina began to discuss the next round of potential laws, Layla lifted her son out of Wil’s arms and wandered over to her adoptive mother, Lia.
Lia smiled and wrapped Layla and the baby up in a warm hug. “I’ve missed you, Layla girl.” She kissed the baby’s tuft of blond hair. “And how is my grandson?”
“He’s doing well. I’ve missed you too, Mother.”
Tears glistened in Lia’s eyes. “I can’t tell you how much it means to us that you named your son Samson.”
Layla swallowed the lump in her throat. “I miss him every day.”
Lia nodded. “Me too.”
Layla cleared her throat and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “Where’s Father? Don’t tell me he boycotts Day of Peace celebrations too.”
Lia laughed. “No, he’s actually over there with Holt.” She pointed to a corner of the room where the two men chatted. “He only avoided the Day of Dawning festivals because they reminded him of his brother. I’m so glad they’re working together now. We’ve had a lot of success helping the Prophecy Candidates return to normal lives. I believe your father and I will be able to return to Vanguard permanently within the next year.”
Layla smiled. “I’ll enjoy having you closer.”
Lia hugged Layla and kissed the baby once more. “Grant’s waving me over. I better go see what he needs.”
Layla’s heart ached just a little as she watched her mother join Grant and Vespa, and she wondered if she’d ever grow accustomed to not having Samson around.
A peel of laughter rang out from across the room. Reina ran toward Layla, with Rex close behind.
The former king chuckled. “If I catch you, I’ll tickle you.”
“No, Papa Rex.” Reina laughed and hid behind Layla’s skirts.
Rex bent over and panted. “All this peace has made me weak. I needed the fighting to stay sharp.”
Sansolena swept up behind him. “It’s called getting old, darling.”
Rex righted himself, a look of horror on his face. “I’ll never be old.” He encircled her waist, pulled her toward him, and planted a big kiss on her lips. When he released her, she gasped and fanned herself.
Out of the corner of her eye, Layla watched Holt approach the group. Rex and Sansolena greeted him before taking off to chase Reina again. Holt returned their salutation, but his gaze never left the bundle in Layla’s arms.
“Is this my grandson?” He touched the child’s head with a trembling hand.
Layla smiled down at her son. “Yes. Meet Samson Holt.”
“Samson Holt?” His voice caught, but his face glowed with pride.
“He has Wil’s hair, but his eyes change like an Outlander.” Layla pulled back the side of the baby’s blanket. “If you let him grip your finger though, you’ll know he’s part Vanguard.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t be here when he was born.”
“I didn’t expect you to be. You have your duties in Volton. Speaking of which, how did you manage to get away for the festival?”
“Your husband wrote to the Volton Council and requested my presence today for diplomatic discussions.”
Layla’s heart swelled. Wil had known how much she’d been longing to see her father. Love—fast, furious, and warm—radiated from within her. As if he sensed her heart’s call, Wil glanced her way and smiled. She blew him a kiss.
Vespa moved to the middle of the room and clapped her hands. “I believe we’re ready to officially begin the festivities.” She gestured to Grant who stood by her side. “My husband has been teaching me how to shuck corn on our farm in Vanguard, so I decided to add corn shucking to today’s activities. I bet I’m faster at it than any Ethereal here.” She giggled. Everyone chuckled along with her.
As his sister spoke, Wil joined Layla and Holt. Rex and Sansolena brought Reina to stand with her father.
Reina tugged on Wil’s arm. “Is it time for the celebration, Daddy?”
He knelt down in front of her and kissed the tip of her nose. “Yes, it is.” He stood and took baby Samson into his arms. “Are you ready for your first celebration, son?”
The baby’s eyes shifted from purple to blue as he gurgled.
Wil took Reina’s hand and walked with Layla out into the courtyard. Yellow flags hung on the walls to symbolize the peace between the three nations.
Layla pointed to the decorations as they passed by. “Reina, do you know why those flags are yellow?”
“Because the soldiers of peace tied yellow ribbons on their swords when they fought in the Final Battle.”
Layla laughed. “So, you have been listening to my stories.”
Reina’s curls bounced as she nodded. “I remember all of them—about Uncle Samson, my Mommy, and the war.” She bit her lip.
“And the ones about how much your Daddy and I love you.”
Reina blushed. “And those.”
As Wil led Reina down the hill toward the crowd and festivities, Layla paused, watching them go. Her husband held their son in one arm and his daughter’s hand in the other. She couldn’t imagine a more beautiful image. Her heart overflowed with love for Wil, their children, and all the people waiting down near the river to celebrate the long-awaited peace.
When Elder Werrick selected her from the crowd on the Day of Dawning all those years ago, she would never have imagined this moment. She had been afraid of her responsibilities then, afraid of what the future held, but not anymore. Layla proudly accepted her role—her fate—as Queen of Etherea, Wil’s wife, Samson and Reina’s mother, and the Fulfillment.
Acknowledgements
First and foremost, I’d like to thank my fans. I would be nowhere without your love and support.
This book would never have come about without my Dream Team—Dawn Ward, Danielle Craver, Kim Sharp, and Ginny Hunsberger. They gave freely of their time, attention, and creativity, and I am forever grateful.
And to my Deek: I will forever be grateful for writing because it led me to you. What started out as a critique partnership grew into a life partnership. You are my inspiration, my ideal reader, my best friend, and my soul’s perfect match. Thank you for the late night revisions, with pop
corn in one hand and Diet Pepsi in the other. You adopted Layla and the crew and talked with me about them like they’re real (and you understand that to me, they are). Thank you for your constant support and love. But most of all, thank you for being you. I love you #always!
About The Author
Erin Rhew is an editor, operations manager for a small press, and the author of The Fulfillment Series. Since she picked up Morris the Moose Goes to School at age four, she has been infatuated with the written word. She went on to work as a grammar and writing tutor in college and is still teased by her family and friends for being a member of the "Grammar Police."
A Southern girl by blood and birth, Erin spent years in a rainy pocket of the Pacific Northwest before returning to her roots in the land of hushpuppies, sweet tea, and pig pickin’. She’s married to fellow author, the amazingly talented (and totally handsome) Deek Rhew, and spends her time writing side-by-side with him under the watchful eye of their patient-as-a-saint writing assistant, a tabby cat named Trinity. Erin and Deek enjoy taking long walks, drinking coffee, lifting, boxing, eating pizza, staying up late into the night talking, and adventuring together.
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Find Erin online:
Website: http://www.erinrhewbooks.com/
Blog: blog.erinrhewbooks.com
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