A smile slowly spread across her face. “No mortal heals that fast.”
Harrison blinked, his mouth opening slowly, but no sound came out.
Charlie crowed. “Are you saying he’s immortal?”
Harrison just stared at her and she began to laugh. She took Harrison’s hands in hers and squeezed them. “The stone activated your royal blood. It wanted you, therefore it changed you.”
“But…but why?”
Deep in her head she heard the cheering change to chanting. Queen Ilaria. King Harrison. Queen Ilaria. King Harrison.
Harrison’s face flashed with harsh denial and she knew he heard it, too. “This is ridiculous. I’m not…” His expression turned into a mass of confusion, his hands squeezing hers as if he needed to hold on to something solid. “How do they know my name? How do they know any of this?”
“There are aspects of the Esri mind that are connected. You’re part of that connection, now. The race felt you come into your power. They felt your transformation. Just as all know the names of both the dead and the killer if one of us dies, all know the names of those raised to power, to lead.”
Harrison stared at her, clearly stunned.
“What are you talking about?” Charlie demanded.
“Queen Ilaria. King Harrison,” Findris said quietly, a smile blooming on his face. “The land has spoken.”
“No way,” Charlie muttered. Tarrys joined him, already smiling.
Harrison shook his head. “This isn’t possible.”
“Want me to cut you to see if you heal again?” Charlie’s eyes sparkled with mischief even as they glowed with happiness. And pride. “My brother, the freaking immortal King of Esria.”
Harrison stared at his brother. “Immortal.” He breathed the word, as if hearing it for the first time. Slowly, his gaze swung back to her, a light igniting in his eyes of such sweetness it made her chest ache. “Immortal. Like you.”
“Yes.”
“Forever. Like you.” He lifted his hand, stroking her cheek with his knuckles. “You’re mine. Forever, you’re mine.”
Her chest felt as if it might burst from the wealth of happiness inside. “Yes, if you want me.”
His arms slid around her waist, pulling her close as a fierce love lit his face. “I want you. Forever.”
She swallowed, joy reducing her to tears as adversity never did. “I’ve waited for you for such a long time.”
Charlie laughed. “My brother, the freakin’ computer geek, is king.”
His gaze still locked with hers, Harrison slugged Charlie lightly in the arm with a grin.
His eyes gleaming with mirth, Charlie hooked his other arm around Tarrys’s shoulders. “And all you wanted, big bro, was for things to get back to normal.”
Harrison’s grin turned wry. “I’d say you don’t always get what you wish for, but I think I just got more than I’d ever dreamed of.” His gaze bore into Ilaria’s, melding with hers, heart to heart. “My soul mate, mine for eternity.” He lifted his fingers to trace her cheekbone as if enchanted by her.
Never had she felt so treasured. So…loved. Never had she imagined feeling such love in return. But there was still a question unanswered. The land had chosen him. But he’d yet to give his pledge in return.
“Will you stay?” she asked softly.
His brows drew together. “My kids…”
Ilaria squeezed his hand. “You’ll visit often. We both will. And I’ll find a way to heal whatever Baleris did to Stephie.” She turned to Charlie. “If you or those you love get ill, I’ll come.”
The younger Rand smiled. “Thanks, Princess. Or do I call you Your Majesty or Your Highness, or something, now? Queen Ilaria?”
Ilaria smiled, a bubble of joyous laughter finding its way loose. “Just Ilaria will do.”
But her gaze returned to Harrison as she waited for his answer. “Will you stay?”
Pained indecision in his eyes, he turned to Charlie. “I can’t live without her. But my kids…”
Charlie clasped his brother’s shoulder. “Your kids have their mother. And, hell, you only saw them every other weekend when things were good. Now you’ll be able to spend a month at a time. And I’ll keep a close eye on them in between your visits, I promise.” His eyes turned serious. “Think about it, Harrison. You and Ilaria will rule the Esri. What better way to not only protect your kids, but our entire world?”
Ilaria felt the tension ease from Harrison’s shoulders as the indecision cleared from his face. “You’re right. About all of it.” He turned back to her, joy sparkling in his eyes. Joy that slid sideways, his brows crinkling again.
Ilaria pressed her palm to his cheek with a smile. “What are you worrying about this time?”
“I just realized I’m not going to grow old.”
She laughed. “Is that a problem?”
“No.” He began to grin, and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her hips against his as he held her captive in the loving warmth of his eyes. “Even forever won’t be long enough to love you.” In his face, she saw the truth of his words and heard it echo in her heart. He loved her completely, body and soul.
As she loved him.
Epilogue
Three months later
Harrison looked around him with a wonder that refused to dim. He stood within the Fair Court of Esria, Ilaria at his side. The open hall was filled with Esri in their jeweled gowns and tunics, and humans in their suits and dresses. The hall shimmered like a rainbow of silks and flowers, brimming with music and laughter. And love.
Jack and Larsen were on the dance floor, Kade and Autumn sipping champagne. Charlie and Tarrys had their heads bowed together as they shared private laughter.
His marriage to Ilaria, the love of his now-immortal life, was less than an hour old. His heart threatened to burst with joy.
Stephie’s sweet laughter rang through the open air as his kids ran through the throng, already hopelessly spoiled by the Esri to whom children were a rare and precious treat. As she’d promised, at the first full moon after her rise to power, Ilaria had returned with him to the human realm to heal his little daughter, bringing her back, whole and perfect, from wherever it was her mind had retreated. Stephie hadn’t remembered Baleris or anything after.
While he and Ilaria were in the United States, meeting with the Sitheen, and reclaiming the captured Esri, Tarrys, who was no longer enslaved thanks to Ilaria and her draggon stone, had led Charlie and Findris safely through the Forest of Nightmares as only a Marceillian priestess could. Ilaria had sent them to free her men. Charlie had worried they might receive the same reception as before—a hail of arrows. But all Esri had known the moment Ilaria and Harrison came into their respective powers. Findris had introduced Charlie as King Harrison’s brother and Tarrys as Charlie’s soon-to-be wife, who’d come to free them from their captivity at their queen’s request. All had fallen to one knee in gratitude.
Now they were all here—Ilaria’s loyal companions of three centuries, his own brother and kids, his Sitheen friends including Myrtle and Norm. Even his mother had come, her alcoholism a thing of the past thanks to Ilaria’s healing power. Time would tell if such a thing could truly be cured with an Esri touch, but he was beginning to think there was nothing Ilaria couldn’t do.
He caught sight of a young human couple he didn’t recognize doing an admirable jitterbug on the dance floor. They looked familiar, yet he couldn’t place them. Had Charlie invited cousins of theirs and forgotten to mention it? He’d have to ask his brother before he embarrassed himself trying to introduce them to Ilaria.
Nothing, but nothing, would mar this perfect day.
His arm tightened around Ilaria’s waist and he looked at her, the most beautiful woman who ever lived, even more exquisite in a diaphanous gown of pale ivory, with emerald and sapphire jewels braided into her hair. She met his gaze, the jewels no match for the brilliance of her eyes, for in them he saw his heart, his soul. His future.
How strange
that he’d fought for normalcy, for a staid, controlled life when what he’d been looking for all along was the solid strength of true love. And he’d found it in the most unlikely of places.
Charlie and Tarrys joined them, Jack and Larsen close behind. “We can’t find Myrtle and Norm,” Charlie said, worried.
Beside him, Ilaria laughed, a music that never failed to bring a smile to his face and laughter to his heart.
He squeezed her waist. “What’s so funny? Where are they?”
Ilaria grinned. “They’re here.”
The cousins walked up, arms around one another, their faces flushed and wreathed in smiles.
Harrison grimaced inwardly, knowing he should introduce his bride.
Ilaria gave Jack a playful swat to the shoulder. “You of all people should recognize your own aunt.”
Jack’s brows lowered, his expression one of utter confusion. He looked around. “What do you…?” His gaze landed on the cousins and he froze. His jaw dropped. “Aunt Myrtle?”
The woman, a pretty redhead who appeared to be in her mid-twenties, laughed. “I’m surprised at you, nephew. I’m sure you saw me looking not too much older than this when you were young.”
Harrison stared at her, then swung his gaze to the dark-haired young man at her side. “Norm?” The man nodded and Harrison’s gaze flew to his wife. “You did this,” he breathed, wonder lifting his words.
She gave him an impish grin. “It seems I can heal aging. They’re not immortal. They’re still vulnerable to accidents and sudden illness, but I’ve healed the effects of aging.”
“Can you do that for me?” Charlie asked. “When the time comes.”
Ilaria reached forward, squeezing Charlie’s hand. “Of course. None of you, or those you love, will grow old unless you wish to.”
Harrison looked at his friends, goose bumps rising on his arms. Charlie exchanged a wondering look with Tarrys, the knowledge that they could potentially stay together for most of Tarrys’s long life blazing in his eyes. Jack and Larsen looked stunned.
A grin slowly broke across Larsen’s face. “I have to tell Autumn and Kade.” She whirled away with an air of bursting excitement.
Harrison turned to Charlie. “Now might be the time to find a less dangerous line of work, little brother.”
Charlie grinned, hugging Tarrys tight against him. “I was thinking the same.” He glanced at Tarrys. “What about accounting? How do you feel about being married to an accountant?”
Harrison laughed. “Navy-SEAL-turned-immortal-accountant. That’s almost as good as computer-geek-turned-king.”
Charlie grimaced. “It’s a good thing I have all the time in the world to learn accounting. It may take that long.” A grin broke over his face as he turned back to Ilaria. “It’s your wedding, Princess. We’re supposed to be giving you gifts, yet you’ve just given us the most precious gift of all. Time to live and love to our hearts’ content.”
Ilaria smiled. “You and Tarrys saved me, Charlie. Without your strength and courage, and that of all the Sitheen, two worlds would have fallen. And I’d never have met the man for whom I’ve waited for millennia. I owe you more than I can ever repay.”
She turned fully in Harrison’s arms and the rest of the world ceased to exist. “I love you,” she whispered, the tears once more in her eyes.
Harrison brushed the hair back from her beloved face, his once-stiff and rigid heart overflowing with warmth and happiness and rich, glorious love.
“I will love you for all the days of my life, Ilaria. You are my life.”
“As you are mine.”
He bent his head to hers, taking her mouth in a passionate, perfect kiss. Around them cheers rose into the air. Stephie’s laughter trilled, infectiously.
Life was perfect.
* * * * *
ISBN: 9781459226265
Copyright © 2012 by Pamela Palmer Poulsen
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