“And they will take you to them. Rest, my friend,” Ren states from right behind me, and he rests his hands on my shoulders. “You are forgiven.”
Knowing how hard that must have been for Ren to say, I almost sob as Gabriel smiles at him. A pure smile full of happiness and peace as his hand releases mine.
And he leaves this world for one with the gods.
Chapter 63
Plaiting the last part of Aala’s soft hair, I pat her shoulders as I meet her eyes in the mirror. “All done, but I think I need practice.”
“Erm, maybe,” she cheekily replies, and laughter drifts to my ears from the other side of the room.
“Definitely. Get out of the way, bestie.” I turn to see Vesnia shut the door behind her and wink at me as I chuckle and step back with my hands in the air. I pull a chair out from the small table in here and sit down as I look at my best friend. We haven’t had a chance to talk since coming here, and it feels like it’s been a long time since we have been together.
“How are you?” I ask her as she makes quick work of taking out the messy, almost falling out plait from Aala’s hair and grabs a brush.
“I’m mated now. I was coming to tell you,” she says, her voice not doing a good job at hiding the joy in her words. After this morning with Gabriel, the good news is exactly what I needed to hear. I rush to her, and we hug each other. “I’m so happy, Kaitlyn. I just never knew I could feel this complete in my whole life.”
“What is mating?” Aala innocently asks, and Vesnia laughs, turning back to Aala.
“Kaitlyn can explain better than me,” Vesnia replies, dropping me in it. She carries on brushing her hair as I try to explain.
“Mating is when you choose one person you want to spend your life with. It’s a magical marriage, basically,” I say.
“Then why do you call more than one person your mate?” Aala asks me. I love kids because there is no judgment in what they ask and see. An adult might judge my life and the men I love, but she doesn’t.
“Because it’s possible to love more than one person. Your heart is made to love wildly,” I say, and she nods, clearly content with my answer as Vesnia’s eyes meet mine.
“Are you happy?” she asks. “We have gone a long way from two angels who started at the academy. Look at us, mated and fighting tomorrow for the world we want.”
“If we lose no one tomorrow, then yes,” I say, resting my head on Vesnia’s shoulder. “Are you taking vampire blood?”
“Yes, and I’m going to change into a vampire in time. I know it’s possible, and I didn’t want to be an angel. I was forced into the light like you were.” She pauses, her hand shaking on the brush a little bit. “But I will choose my future, and that is all that matters. I’m going to go back home with Bryne when this is over and make sure my dad has me for what is left of his life. He might not know who I am, but I’m going to be his neighbour. Bryne agrees.”
“I think that’s a sweet idea,” I tell her truthfully. I want to see my parents, but one look at my mother, and I know I couldn’t cope with the idea of being near her but her having no idea who I am. The door is knocked twice before Myles steps in, and Aala grins at him in the mirror.
“The pyre is about to be lit for Gabriel. Madi wants you there,” Myles says to me. “Sorry, kid, I’m going to steal Katy for a bit.”
“Will you come back?” Aala asks me.
“Of course. I’m always going to come back for you,” I tell her, and she smiles widely at me. Vesnia hugs me tightly, whispering in my ear, “The girl is hurting, and I’m so proud you are stepping up, loving her. If your parents could remember you, they would be so proud.”
I try not to cry as I let my friend go, nodding once at her before rushing to Myles. He wraps an arm around my shoulder, letting me lean against him as we leave the cabin and head towards the gathering where they have built a wooden pyre. Gabriel rests in peace, lying on top of it, his body covered in white silk. We walk over to Ren, Thallon and Henry as Madi lights the pyre. The fire quickly burns over the wood, and there is silence as we all say a real goodbye. Gabriel saved my life, got me away from the angels, and in a way, he saved Ren too. We wouldn’t be with the tales, safe from the angels, if it weren’t for him.
I hope, wherever he is, he knows how thankful we truly are.
“Myles, Thallon, can we go for a walk?” Ren asks them when everyone starts to depart. I look at Henry, who shrugs.
“Yeah,” Myles answers, and Thallon gives him a nod. They walk off together, leaving me alone with Henry as we both watch them go.
“Do you think we should spy on them to make sure they don’t kill each other?” I ask.
Henry laughs, wrapping his arms around me and tugging me to him. “My beautiful mate, no, we should leave them. This is something Ren needs to say to them and figure out. He has always accepted us, and now he is learning to accept them. Give them time.”
“Brother, Kaitlyn. How are you both?” Hazel asks, coming over to us, her eyes fixed on me.
“I never got to really thank you for saving my mate,” Henry softly says, placing his hand on her arm. “Thank you.”
“She would have saved herself, we both know that. Kaitlyn doesn’t seem the type to go down without a fight,” Hazel says with a smile.
“I still couldn’t have escaped there without you,” I remind her, and she shrugs.
“I had to leave the city and my friends.” She pauses, placing her hand over her stomach. “I was mated to an angel, but he died when he tried to get us out of the city. Many angels do not agree with the leaders and want to escape. Hundreds have escaped, but he died and I hid, knowing I couldn’t have stopped them. I found out last week I’m expecting a baby, and I want to let you know that’s why I am leaving.”
“You’re pregnant?” Henry asks with a massive smile. “Congratulations, sis.” They hug tightly as tears fall down her cheeks, and I give her a small smile.
“I’m so sorry for your loss, and congratulations,” I tell her, not sure how to feel for her. Henry seems like he’s already aware of her loss, so I’m taking his lead to be happy for her.
“But you’re leaving?” he asks her.
She nods as Henry backs up a little. “I’m going to be a teacher at the Lost Time Academy, and my child will live there with me. Madi offered me the job when I explained my situation. I was a teacher in Neamh…and I will be a good one for the tales.”
“You will be. I will visit often,” Henry says, placing his hands on her shoulders. “And my nephew is lucky to have you in his life.”
“How could you know it’s a boy? Even I don’t know,” she asks with a laugh.
“A guess,” he replies, and they hug tightly. Hazel eventually says goodbye, and Henry walks us back to the cabin with a huge smile on his face.
“You seem happy,” I comment as we get inside the cabin. Henry laughs, tugging me into his arms and starts to slowly dance with me.
“I have the girl of my dreams in my arms, my family is safe, and we have a future I would die to protect,” he tells me, taking one of my hands and spinning me around before catching me back in his arms but with my back to his front. His hands wrap around my waist as I lean my head back on his chest.