“Do not be afraid, Evie . . . I am still me,” he said gently, taking one of my hands in his. “I love you.”
“You’re . . . you’re a vampire! A whole one!” I rasped in disbelief, seeing more vampires appearing out of the ground in the distance. Shock, relief, and sorrow washed through me all at once.
“Yes. My father had no choice . . . Eteryn needs a ruler. It is what I wanted,” he said softly. “My father never forgave himself for not being able to save my mother when our kingdom was attacked when I was a child. This was his way of redeeming himself.”
Before I could respond, King Marstyn and Emeley interrupted us. He marched up and extended his hand to Eythan.
“I offer peace,” he said, meaning every word. Eythan would know for sure whether or not he was being honest.
Emeley looked at Eythan who placed his hand over Marstyn’s.
“I accept,” Eythan said with his eyes on mine.
“As do I,” Emeley said, placing her hand on top of theirs, a huge smile on her face.
I was not sure what was really happening until all three of them looked at me. I did not fully understand what they wanted me to do. Eythan nodded at me and then I understood.
“Peace.” I repeated as I laid my hand on top of all of theirs. I remembered Emeley’s words of Marstyn’s vision. He had been right . . . four monarchs were left standing at the end of the battle. The realization of what that meant for me solidified. I looked into Eythan’s soulful green eyes and he smiled at me.
About an hour went by as King Eythan and King Marstyn conversed before both sides began to clear out and head home. There would be much needed cleanup and recovery in the days to come, but for now, I was exhausted. Dr. Lachman himself stitched up my arm before Eythan would allow him to tend to the soldiers. I wanted to help but I had no energy left. I walked back towards the line and saw Sir William. I hugged him spontaneously, which he briefly returned and stepped back, glancing at our new king, who gave him a sidelong glance.
“Sir William! I am so happy to see you are alive. Thank you for keeping me safe.”
“You are one tough human to keep track of,” he said with a half-smile.
“Where is Sir Leonard?” I asked, still looking around.
Sir William looked down, shaking his head. I understood and felt a pang of guilt. He was a good man.
“Come, the king is leading us home,” he said as he led me towards Eythan’s beautiful white horse.
Eythan lifted my exhausted body up onto the stallion and mounted him after me. I had a fleeting memory of my tarot card reading from the Faire before I came to this world. I had pulled the death card; a skeleton clad in armor riding a white horse. Death and rebirth; a new beginning. It could not have been more accurate. The horse galloped furiously back towards Eteryn, but I could no longer keep my eyes open. I leaned back and let my eyes close, safe in the arms of a vampire king.
Chapter 32
Three months later . . .
“Stop fidgeting, my lady!” Madame Elise scolded me as she tended to my gown.
My Lady. That is what everyone called me since the end of the war. No matter how much I heard it, I could not get used to hearing it. These past few months have been a whirlwind. The first month was both joyous and sad. King Edreyan Claymore’s armor was buried in place of his body in a farewell ceremony and funeral befitting what the mighty and benevolent vampire deserved. It broke my heart to stand by Eythan and Emeley as they honored their father, weeping during a ceremony that they most likely never believed they would ever witness. Vampires bury their children and not the other way around.
The rest of the month was spent reorganizing the kingdom and recovering from the loss of the war with Shadowlea under the direction of Hadreah. Eythan took great pains to remove anyone that he could not trust or was a threat to me. His innate lie detector seemed amplified since his transition into a complete vampire. I think he could even sense the truth instead of just hearing it. His ability never served him wrong.
I spent my time with Sam attending to the wounded as best I could, although I was not allowed to exhaust myself. I still had healing of my own to do. Our work, however, was nothing compared to what King Marstyn of Shadowlea faced. At the close of the month, he deemed it safe enough for Emeley to join him there. My heart struggled with emotions as I helped her pack up and prepare to leave. She and Sam were my closest friends as she had supported me from the beginning. I felt heavy-hearted to watch her go . . . and yet I was happy for her to finally to have been reunited with her true love.
As the grief over the loss of King Edreyan settled in the kingdom, the following month Eteryn transitioned as it prepared for Eythan’s coronation as king. My spirits lifted as Silverstone was decorated and prepared to welcome our new king. Madame Elise dressed me in a beautiful black silk gown embroidered with silver threads, the official colors of Eteryn . . . the colors Emeley used to wear. Even the most formal occasion I had ever witnessed in my world could not hold a candle to the regal elegance of watching a real coronation ceremony. Princess Emeley and King Marstyn attended the ceremony and stood by my side.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I observed Eythan dressed in the finest of garments, cape, and scepter of a king as he walked tall and proud through the cathedral to take the oath. Everyone rejoiced as he knelt and his father’s crown was placed on his head. The majesty of it all took my breath away. A few days later Emeley and King Marstyn returned to Shadowlea. The following week I stood up as Samantha’s maid of honor as she wed Sir William in an elegant, but simple ceremony. I loved seeing the happiness emanate from them both and for their unborn child.
A few weeks later, my king and I traveled to Shadowlea to attend the marriage of Emeley and Marstyn. It felt weird to be back there after my night raid to steal a grimoire, but it seemed nothing like it was then. Gone were the hideous gargoyles and other signs of satanic worship. Princess Emeley surprised me when she named me as one of her bridesmaids. I felt a sense of pride as I marched down the aisle along with Lady Aryn, who was now a mother to a beautiful baby girl. I could not help but notice the reverent stares that the people of Shadowlea held for me. I even heard the words “Destroyer of Magic,” whispered around me. Eythan proudly walked his sister down the cathedral aisle in her beautiful deep blue wedding gown and gave her away to King Marstyn. It was such a beautiful symbolic action that elicited tears from my eyes. The reception that followed impressed me to no end in terms of beauty and royalty. With the marriage of these two royals, Eteryn and Shadowlea were now officially allies.
That was one month ago, and now I stand in Madame Elise’s studio with the grand vampire putting the finishing touches on my own wedding gown. After everything I had been through, I shouldn’t be nervous, but I was. My maid of honor, Sam, fussed over me, blotting the sweat off of my brow as she helped coil my hair into an elegantly braided bun at the back of my head. I wanted Eythan more than anything. He planned my coronation as queen to be held a month after the wedding. Madame Elise had really outdone herself on my vision of the gown. I chose white not only for its symbolism, but also because it was customary from my world. Instead of fighting me on my choice, as this was not anywhere near the traditional color for a royal bride in Eteryn, or this age for that matter, Madame Elise embraced it declaring it a fresh new style.
“You are breathtaking, Evie,” a familiar voice said entering the room.
I wanted to hop down off of my platform and run to her, but instead I remained where I was and said, “thank you,” to Queen Emeley, who graciously agreed to be one of my bridesmaids. I never imagined I would have a queen attend me on my wedding day. I held still as Sam and Madame Elise curtsied and stepped aside.
“Are you ready to marry my brother?” she asked lightly.
“I am,” I replied with a huge smile; a reflection of how I felt inside.
“Good, because I have just come from his chambers and he is practically carving a trench in the stone from all of the pacing he is d
oing. Your erratic heartbeat is driving him insane with worry and believe me, there is not a door in this kingdom that could keep him away from you. I had to stop him from coming down here twice.”
“He can hear my heart all the way up in his chambers?” I was astonished.
“He has been tuned into it since the day he rode home from the first war. If the two of you do not make it official soon I shall have to resort to extreme measures,” she said humorously.
I laughed, letting the happy emotion soothe my nerves.
“I have something for you,” she said on a more serious note, waving one of her attendants over. She took an ornate metal chest from the servant and held it facing me. “This once belonged to my mother and was passed down to me. I am no longer a princess of Eteryn and it is with great pride that I pass this to you.”
Emeley opened the chest and revealed an exquisite bejeweled gold and silver tiara fashioned in the Eteryn style, reminiscent of Eythan’s crown.
“My father had this commissioned for my mother. She was the sun to his moon,” Emeley explained, pointing to the gold and silverwork that intertwined to symbolize her human mother and vampire father. “My mother would have been so proud of you. I would be pleased if you would honor her and I by accepting our symbol of sovereignty and wear it today as you become the new female monarch of Eteryn.”
“I would be honored, Emeley. I will wear it with great pride, respect, and love,” I replied, doing my best not to cry and mess up the makeup that Sam had carefully applied.
She nodded and smiled, lifting the tiara out of its beautiful box and handing it to Madame Elise who worked with Sam to adorn it on my head beneath my sheer white veil. My heart flooded with emotions at the symbolism of this moment. My heart was full of fear and sadness when I arrived in this world and now after all that has happened I felt a sense of calm, love, and acceptance. I stepped down off of my platform and embraced my soon to be sister-in-law.
“By the way,” she said offhandedly when I released her, “I love your white dress!”
I looked down at my full white silk gown shining in the candlelight, tastefully embroidered and embellished by Madame Elise.
“It is stunning if I do say so myself,” the Madame cut in. “I would not be surprised if every bride in Eteryn tries to replicate it for the next few years,” she said proudly.
“Thank you, it is a tradition to wear white where I come from,” I explained.
“I think you may indeed start a trend,” Emeley returned with a smile.
“Oh, this is just the beginning,” I said with a laugh. “I have all sorts of ideas planned for my future wardrobe . . . starting with doing away with these corsets!”
Everyone enjoyed a laugh over my comment except Madame Elise, who simply displayed a confused expression.
“We’ll see about that,” she huffed. “More importantly, I cannot wait to dress all of the future royal babies!” she exclaimed, looking expectantly at me and Emeley. Everyone enjoyed a good laugh again.
“It is time,” a guard posted at the door announced.
Emeley, Sam, and I rode to the great cathedral entrance as the sun began to set in a fine gilded carriage surrounded by countless guards. People from all of the villages had come to witness my marriage to the king. I felt calm until we approached the cathedral and then I started to fidget again. Sam put a hand on mine.
“It’s okay to be nervous, Evie; all brides are. Take some deep breaths,” she said encouragingly.
I did as she suggested but it did not help. Deep down, I had a feeling that something was going to happen. I peered out the windows vigilantly at the cheering crowd, doing my best to smile and wave. The carriage slowed to a stop at the base of the steps into the cathedral. Surrounded by guards, the three of us exited the carriage. Gasps of awe erupted from the massive crowd as I carefully emerged. I had to remind myself that these people had never seen a white wedding gown like this. I stood in my elaborate dress as the crowd cheered even louder while Emeley and Sam smoothed out the long train and veil. Pausing like I had been instructed to as the carriage drove away, I started my ascent up the steps, slowly and deliberately. So far so good. My heart hammered in my chest. I was halfway up the steps when I heard it. The ringing sound so familiar I could recognize it anywhere. It was the portal . . . my portal!
I stopped on the steps and turned my head towards the sound off in the distance. It resonated deep inside me. Sam recognized it and did the same. She could hear it too. Emeley paused behind me and gave me a knowing look, but nobody said anything. My veil billowed around me from the wind in a beautiful sunset as I fought with myself. This was not the night of the twilight star. The portal had opened again for me; I knew it. I had believed I would never get the chance to go home after the war, but here it was and nobody would try to stop me. Even the crowd fell silent.
I turned my head back and looked up to the doors of the cathedral to find King Eythan standing there staring at me with a worried expression on his face. King Marstyn and Sir William stood patiently by his side. My breath hitched as I beheld him. Eythan slowly raised his hand out, palm up, and began to descend the stairs to me. My love for him consumed me and I calmly began to ascend the steps towards him. More cheers exploded from the crowd and he smiled happily at me as I took his hand.
“You are home, Evie,” he said softly to me.
I had no relative to walk me down the aisle . . . I was supposed to walk alone so his actions were highly unheard of for a monarch. However, I could not be more content with how flexible my king would be regarding the rules for me. He would hear out and support any reasonable ideas from me and my futuristic other-worldly modern mind. He was a lot like his father, ahead of his time, and for that I was grateful.
I glanced back towards the portal off in the distance. I had hardly noticed that its call had all but disappeared. I looked back up to Eythan, who gave me a reassuring smile as we reached the entrance to the cathedral. It was a simple act that calmed my nerves and I returned the smile, falling into step with him and our destiny together.
My instincts tell me that I will never hear the call of the portal again. I know not what my future holds, however I do know that I am loved and that I made the right decision to stay in Eteryn with Eythan. Together we will dance in the elegant garden during twilight just as his mother and father once did. He is now immortal and I am not. Will I ask him to sire me into a vampire so that we can be together always? Maybe . . . . . . someday.
Acknowledgements
How I loved writing The Twilight Star! I wondered what it would be like for someone to cope with suddenly being thrown back not only into medieval times, but also a fantasy world. I thought it would be fun to create a story where vampires turned out to be the heroes and the main character, as a human, was more powerful than all of them simply because she held to her beliefs and used her mind to outsmart and persevere against her enemies.
I would like to give thanks to my husband, family, and friends for their continued support and encouragement of my writing. I am blessed to have all of you in my life.
I would also like to thank you, my reader, for taking time out of your busy schedule to read my novel. I hope that it has transported and entertained you!
Now that you have completed The Twilight Star, please consider leaving me a review on Amazon; even two words can make a difference. I am an emerging author on Amazon and it is through your comments and feedback that I evolve as an author. I read each and every review that is posted for me and I look forward to receiving your feedback. I hope that you enjoyed reading my story as much as I did writing it.
If you would like to read more of my work, I have a trilogy available on Amazon:
The Solar Wind
The Solar Flare
The Solar Storm
Until the next time . . . wishing you all the best,
Laura
About the Author
Laura E. Collins is the author of The Solar Wind series. She writes parano
rmal/fantasy romance with unexpected twists. She loves planting flowers in the spring, listening to electronic dance music, and trying new recipes. Laura lives in Illinois with her husband and family.
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