It was done. His mate was safe, and with her, the secret of the map and the location of the sword that could overcome whatever evil it met in battle.
Wearily, Declan made his way to Drake’s home and whatever punishment awaited him. Though he knew his mate had escaped death, he also knew she was a formidable woman and she would not show him any appreciation for putting her in danger by giving her Merlin’s stone.
Epilogue
“So what you’re saying is that I have the philosopher’s stone hanging around my neck? It’s not only that, but it’s the stone with the magic to imprison Excalibur and the reason we need to protect it is because we can use the stone and the sword together to bring peace back into the world?”
Emily’s expression was one of absolute wonder. That he was a lucky man was not lost on Declan. His mate wasn’t angry with him. She was too busy being intrigued and amazed by the entire affair.
That she was also in awe of being mated to a legendary knight of the round table didn’t hurt.
He watched her, his love for her growing with each breath. He’d always remembered that she was a stunningly beautiful woman before they parted ways, but he had forgotten just how beautiful until their bond had started making her younger and younger with each passing day.
Today, when they woke, he had been pleasantly surprised to see that they both appeared just as young as the day she had sent him away. Thank the gods for his dragon longevity and magic.
“Yes, my dear. You wear Merlin’s stone.”
“And this is the map that will show us where the Lady of the Lake has hidden Excalibur?”
“I would imagine she accompanies the sword.”
“Holy Hannah. I had no idea.” She held her hand to her chest. Turning, she gave him a sidelong glance. “Are we going to go get it or not?”
“Retrieving Excalibur is Arthur’s quest, not ours.”
“Oh.” She pursed her lips. “What are we supposed to do then?”
Declan drew her into his arms and kissed her cheek. “We guard the stone and live happily ever after.”
“Hmm...I have a legendary pendant.” She pulled back and looked up at him. “I have my white knight.” She raised a brow. “Though I’ve yet to see him in shining armor.”
“Well, you know, armor didn’t really shine. It gleamed dully, but that was about it.”
“Hush!” Her lips formed a moue as she stared up at him. “I’m young again. That counts for something, doesn’t it? And last, but not least, you’ve killed the bad guy to save your damsel in distress. I think I can handle a little bit of happily ever after.”
About the Author
Dear Reader:
If you’re reading this, I hope it means that you’ve just enjoyed reading one of my books. Always a romantic, I started weaving little fantasies for my friends at the tender age of fifteen. Never once did I think that writing would be my dream until around 2002. After complaining to my husband that my favorite authors didn’t write fast enough, my husband asked a fateful question. “Why don’t you write one of your own while you’re waiting?”
Once I started, he couldn’t stop me. Now, I write in the morning before work. I write during my breaks at the day job, I write at night when I should be relaxing. Heck, I’ve even been known to write in my sleep. Every member of my family has had the dubious honor of witnessing my fingers moving over the keys while I’m off in dreamland. Sometimes it even makes sense!
I grew up in Southwest Florida where I met and married the love of my life. My husband was in the Navy for twenty years, so if you wonder where I have gotten some of my ideas, I blame him. I suggest you do the same. He’s always saying he has wide shoulders. Let’s load them up, shall we?
Currently, I live in a small town in Michigan, seven miles from the nearest grocery store. I love living out here in the country. It gives me the peace and quiet I need to continue to write these stories for you. It also shows me a lot of natural beauty that I try to share with you in my books. While my titles may be dedicated to certain individuals who have touched my life in differing ways, please remember, every one of them is written for you.
My most recent dream is to continue what I do—to share more stories with anyone willing to read them. My new dream is to be able to pursue both my writing and my husband fulltime. Do you think he’ll run?
More of Tianna’s Books
The Caspian Cascade series
Gate To Fate series
The Paradise series
Brianna’s Prophecy
Dragon Bound series
The DARE series
The Endowed Series
The Chosen Series
Hidden Breeds
Highland Bears
Where to find Tianna:
www.tiannaxander.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TiannaXander/
http://twitter.com/#!/TiannaXander
http://www.myspace.com/tianna_xander
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=635929605
The Red Dragon Page 5
