by T. C. Edge
"Almost," he says. I see his cool blue eyes flash, perceiving my desire to speak with Elian alone. A smile graces his clean-shaven and neatly arranged face. "I have much to be getting on with," he says. "I'm sure I'll see you in Neorome. It will be the event of the decade, I hear." He takes my hand and kisses the back of my palm, before nodding to Elian. "Until then," he says. "Farewell."
"Well, that was kinda abrupt," Elian says, watching him step away. He looks back to me, shrugging, his golden eyes shining. "What? What are you looking at me like that for?"
I startle from my daydream, as I gaze upon that Greek-god face. In a city called Olympus, there are few who fit in better.
A foolish idea takes me, as I consider dropping down to one knee. It is with some measure of gratitude that I think better of the gesture, thanking my rational side.
"What?" he goes on. "What?"
I feel nervous, somehow unable to tell him straight. The words sound clunky in my head, trying to explain it all. He might be insulted that I choose him for the purposes of a political match, even if that's not the case. He might not like the idea that I'm pompously choosing at all. He might have rekindled something with an old girlfriend by now, thinking I'm in love with Jude.
In the end, there are far too many ifs, mights, and maybes. Words can be confusing. Actions are so much cleaner.
I grab his face, and kiss him. I do it with a smile, with an intensity in my eyes. It's not the sort of kiss we've had before, brought about by some dramatic moment. No, this is real, final, a clear sign of my long term intentions.
He takes a moment to engage, before his hands draw to my cheeks, and run through my hair. It's a quite public display, though I don't think anyone's watching. It turns out I am wrong. When I draw from him, his eyes lift up. I turn around and see them, all grinning to one side.
Kira, Domitian, Brie and Adryan. Burns is there too, and Maximus. They all stand, watching on, shameless intruding on our moment. My shock turns to a scowl, and they disband, melting back into the moving crowds.
I turn back to Elian with a smile. "I guess the secret's out," I say.
His eyes, lit bright and happy, suddenly draw inward. "And Jude?"
His face shows some vicarious sorrow, worried for his rival. It's so sweet to see it, and gives me hope, that in time they may be friends.
"I'm going to see him now," I say. "He's in the Fringer camp." I take a nervy breath. "Wish me luck."
I kiss him again, not wanting to face it, trying to delay on his lips. Yet the cold duty pulls me, dragging me from the mirth, drawing me towards the militia camp a little way to the south.
Jude, now, has become a figure of prominence among them. He was being groomed beneath the tutelage of Keith, and has close ties to my grandmother. The people have begun to look to him after her loss, seeing him as someone to help lead them, with the others, to a brighter future. And with his close links to me, too, and Perses, and others within Olympus, he will be front and centre of negotiations. He will, in time, become their spokesperson, carrying on my grandmother's good work.
That fact gives me solace as I find him in his tent, in discussion with Burton and Keith. Perhaps, I think, he has better things to be doing than thinking of me. He has the purpose he always needed, always sought out. It is a greater calling than he would have imagined, and one that he will give his all.
Heads dip at me in respect as I enter. I look to Keith and Burton, and ask for a moment with Jude alone. They grant it, leaving quickly. The air seems suddenly stolen, thinning so I can't breathe. I can hardly look into Jude's eyes. It is telling, perhaps. Jude has ever been able to read me like a book.
"I saw Brie today," he starts.
I look at him now for the first time, confused at the comment. My eyes ask for elaboration.
"I was in the main camp," he explains. "She...saw something inside me."
The realisation dawns. "What?" I ask.
"Phaser mostly," he says. "Potentially some strong genes. A bit of Farsight as well."
I let out a smile. "I always thought you were more," I say. "You were too good of a hunter. I guess you'll be even better now..."
"I said I didn't want it."
My eyes widen. A quiet falls.
His lips become a smile, easy, lopsided. "I never wanted that, Amber," he says. "You know that."
"But..."
"I have position here now," he goes on. "We're not powered. We're just...normal. I don't want to change that. I don't want them to see me as different."
My lips open, ready to persuade him otherwise, to make him reconsider. But before words come, my mind works quicker. It asks me why I'd do such a thing. It tells me that he's right. What do such powers matter to him now? He has his place and purpose. It makes complete sense for him to remain just as he is.
My face reforms into a smile, and I begin to nod my understanding. Sometimes, I wish my powers had never stepped into the light. I wish I could have lived a simple life, out in the woods and mountains and beside the pretty lakes. Perhaps, one day, I will. But right now, I have a different path to walk.
And it will be Elian by my side.
He comes to me now, in my thoughts, and a nervy breath spills from my lungs. My eyes fall away once more, awkward, not knowing how to proceed. I muster the nerve to look at Jude, and find him staring right back. And in his eyes I can see it.
He has read me already. He knows.
"You don't have to say it," he says. "You don't have to try to explain."
My words now come. They breathe from my lungs, whispery. "I want to. I need you to understand..."
"I do understand, Amber," he says calmly. "You had a choice to make, and you made it. For what it's worth, I think you made the right one."
His words confuse me, though perhaps shouldn't. Jude has always been logical in his thinking, and knows how important relations between the Fringe and Olympus will be.
"I think, deep down, I knew you never really loved me," he says. "At least, not in the way I wanted you to. You and Elian make sense. And, well, I think you've got a good one there. I've seen how much he cares for you. He'll make you happy, Amber."
"And you?" My eyes leak. I can't help it. Shouldn't he be the one crying, not me?
He smiles instead, and steps towards me. "I'll be fine, Amber," he says. "Our lives were so small in Pine Lake, but the world has now opened up to both of us. I'll find my way, don't worry about me." He looks around. "I've got a duty now, a purpose."
I try to work out his smile, find the pain behind his eyes. There's some, of course, but that's only natural. But the smile itself seems real. He holds no grudge or grievance. There seems no simmering resentment in his eyes.
As if to prove it, he takes me into a hug. It's as warm as ever, though perhaps a little withdrawn. Perhaps our relationship will never be what it was, not after everything that's happened. But, in the end, that's OK too. We have lived through a war and survived. And come out the other side, the better.
And so it is, that I start my life with Elian. Where it will take me, what twists and turns my path may reveal, I don't yet know. But one thing I do know is this...
From that simple little life in Pine Lake, we have all come a very long way.
Epilogue
KIRA
THREE MONTHS LATER
"Nervous?" asks Brie, her face lit with a teasing smile.
I glance to the crowds, assembled in their pews, a murmuring in the air. There are hundreds of them, all gathered here within the forum outside the Imperial Palace of Neorome. They sit at the bottom of the steps, facing away towards a stage set at the centre of the sprawling courtyard. Around the edges, the large pillars close us off from the public, the Imperial Guards standing tall and protective. And everywhere, tables are laid out, food and wine and floors for dancing, musicians assembled to provide the entertainment.
I take a breath, staring through the doors of the palace, my body adorned in an incredible white dress. It's not usually my colour
, of course, but today I'll make an exception. "I'm fine," I say. "We've been through wars, Scout. This is nothing."
I look back at her, her hazel eyes shining, the blue ring around them not as dazzling as it was before. It has faded, now, along with her powers. She remains a mighty telepath, Dasher, and Hawk, of course, but her divine, god-like powers have now receded.
She smiles at me again, looking so happy, so beautiful in her blue dress. "I'm a telepath, Red," she says. "I can tell when you're lying." She steps in and takes my arm. "It's OK to be nervous. But just think, it'll be over before you know it. And then...we can party."
She raises her eyes suggestively, and glances into the crowds. The great and good of Neorome, New Haven, and Olympus have all assembled, travelling great distances to be here. So many people from our pasts have come, making the journey across land and sea. I couldn't be happier for them to witness this. But then, being honest, I couldn't be more nervous either.
I draw another long breath to steady myself, the music about to begin. The wedding customs here aren't what they once were in the ancient iteration of this city. Back then, such proceedings were more simple, more private, arrangements between families and without much fanfare. Now, they have taken on the more modern custom, as it was before the fall, with friends and family to witness, and then a great celebration following right after.
There couldn't be a better setting for it, or a better day. The weather is fine - warm, but not hot - the city going through a period of calm. The simmering threat of riots, due to the cancelling of the Imperial Games, has now faded somewhat, the people distracted by this royal wedding instead. They aren't invited here, of course, but all across Neorome, to the north and south of the Tiber, parties will be going on all through the night.
Already, I hear, they've been happening all week. I suppose some people like to get a head start.
The tinkling of music fills the air, and I look again to Brie. She nods at me, smiling supportively, and I turn to step through the door. There, on the threshold, an old man waits, a great, gap-toothed grin on his face, his hair thinning and grey, fine robes hanging comfortably upon his awkward frame.
I had spoken with Dom about who would give me away today. Ares was considered, and Max too. There was Secretary Burns, and even Adryan. I think I even considered giving Amber the honour, turning convention on its head and trying to pay her back, in part, for saving my life.
But, in the end, there was one who stood out above them all.
Old Merk, former bandit, sailor, caretaker, and happy proprietor of Dom's old villa. Now, to present me to the Emperor on my wedding day. Above anyone else, he will live off the honour for the rest of his life.
"My Lady," he croaks, in that inimitable tone of his. "You ready?"
I smile, and take his arm, and begin moving through the shadows of the threshold, and out onto the front of the palace. The people turn, standing from their seats. A silence sweeps all murmuring away, leaving only the gentle sound of music behind.
I walk, a little unsteady, trying to control my nerves. To my side, old Merk offers his support, gripping my arm tight, grinning out upon the crowd. We descend the steps and move towards the rear pews. The aisle ahead is paved red. I step onto the colour. It feels like home.
Behind me, Brie walks, holding the long tail of my dress, making sure it doesn't scrape the ground as I go. She is my maid of honour, the only person I thought to call upon for the role. I have no other bridesmaids or people to fawn over me. Just her, and her alone. I prefer the simplicity of that.
I take in a few faces as I go, people who have touched my life over the years, in ways large and small. President Orlando, perhaps most prominent of all, who helped raise me in my youth. She stands with Secretary Burns at the front, with some of the other more distinguished figures in attendance. Colonel Hatcher, recovered from his injuries, has joined them. Rycard, now Commander of the City Guard after Commander Hendricks's death, is there too, with his wife Sophie beaming alongside him.
Just behind them, I see others I have come to find dear; Mrs Carmichael, with Brie's oldest friend Tess, adding to the contingent from New Haven. Standing next to Tess, I see young West, with Rhoth there too, and a couple of other Fangs I know well. They look especially out of place, though have certainly tried their best to fit in. Their usual attire of skins and pelts have been abandoned for more conventional robes. Their rough hair and beards even look to have been combed and trimmed. Yet around their necks, the macabre jewellery they wear still hangs. That is something none were willing to part with, if only for the day.
I smile at them all, holding my nerves at bay, making brief eye contact as I go. When my eyes glance across the other side, however, I see others there, equally fond. It is with some delight that the Olympian contingent have made the journey. Amber, Elian, radiant both, Perses looking quite fetching in his sleek navy blue robes. Jude has made the journey too, with Amber's family - Lilly and her parents - also making the long trip. I hadn't expected it, but she even brought along Lady Felina, close friend to her and Lilly, as well as a man I've never met named Marlow. Apparently, he was her 'High Worthy' once, and she wanted to repay him for his service.
It was foolish, perhaps, for me to offer her such an open invite. Bring whoever you like, my personally written invitation had said.
She clearly took it too literally.
Still, the more the merrier as far as I'm concerned - it's not like we can't afford it.
Finally, we have the Neoromans themselves, who make up the vast majority of the numbers. I have grown to know a few of the senators now, of whom all have been invited. That includes Tiberius, of course, whom I still think looks like a toad. He is one of a few sour faces in the crowd, though he tries to hide the expression. I choose not to give him much thought.
It is given, instead, to Ares, to Maximus, to Marcus and even General Decimus, with whom I've been through a lot. I find my eyes linking temporarily with Max's as we pass. Dom, I know, has been in discussion with him recently about his daughter, trapped over on the great 'Walled Island' as they call it here. After all Max has done, I think Dom feels he owes him. He wants to help. To help get her back. It is the sort of mission, once, that I may have put my hand up for, a daring infiltration of an impossible-to-infiltrate island, a rescue of a young woman hunted along with her kind.
I look at Max, then, and feel an old stirring, a desire for adventure that I know I can no longer satisfy. Well, at least not through killing and battle. There are other means of seeking fulfilling, and seeking a thrill...
And so, with that thought, my eyes finally lift ahead, moving to the stage where Domitian stands.
And when I see him, looking my way, his olive face holding a gorgeous smile, his curly brown hair falling around his forehead, his athletic frame draped in the finest robes I've ever seen...I feel suddenly calm.
I smile back at him, his co-Emperor Lucius standing to his side, his best man for the day, who could easily be taken for his brother.
And stepping up onto the stage, the music begins to quiet, and Brie moves into position behind me, as I take my place beside Dom.
Before the ceremony begins, I enjoy one final glance into the crowd. In a flash, I take it all in. All these people, drawn here from afar, our paths converging at this place and time.
And standing there, before the great and good of three cities now united in fortune and fate, I take Dom's hands, turn to him, and smile.
It is the moment my new life begins.
THE END
Afterword
As always, and first of all, a huge thanks for getting this far. It has been quite the journey, I think you’ll agree, and I hope you’ve thoroughly enjoyed it!
If you have, then I’d love to hear your thoughts. Your feedback is always most appreciated, and more than that, it allows me to improve. I am aiming to make my stories and characters better all the time, so if you’re happy to, do please leave me a review.
This book i
s the culmination of quite a long journey. For those of you who have only read this series, 8 books is long enough. For those of you who have been with me from the start, well, it’s a fair bit longer than that!
It ends, in fact, a series of 25 books in total, starting with the main Enhanced series, leading to the Warrior Race trilogy, the conjoining Enhanced: Awakening, and then onto the series you have just read. That, of course, includes the other Enhanced books that run parallel to it, bringing the combined total to 25. Just thinking about that makes my head hurt a little. And naturally, writing this book was quite a challenge because of it.
Drawing together 3 main perspectives, and then trying to figure out how to tie up all those loose ends, wasn’t easy. I hope I did so in a satisfactory way, but know that not everyone is going to be happy. That is especially the case with character’s deaths. There is no easy way around those, especially when the stakes are so high. In the end, there needs to be a cost of war, and there was always going to be tragedy.
I tried to give most of the characters we have come to know - not only across this series, but the entire shared ‘universe’ - a moment or a mention in the end. Again, not super easy, and some people may be disappointed that some of their favourite characters were given short shrift. It is an unfortunate hazard of the trade, and this book has already come in as by far my longest ever. I might have taken some more time to spread out the ending, but felt the central characters got the airtime they needed.
So, what’s next? Well, at the time of writing this, this particular ‘phase’ of this shared universe is complete. Will we see any of these characters again? It’s hard to say, but anything is possible. In the immediate future, however, I will be writing my next series within this same world. I have provided some hints as to what that may be, mentioning Max’s past several times, and the strange ‘Walled Island’ of a future Britain. Since I live in London, I’ve always wanted to bring the Enhanced world here at some point.
