have her magic.
Under any circumstances, when Risk felt unsafe, her magic leapt to the ready, prepared to defend her. Yet, with Draeven, it hadn’t even bothered to tell her until he stood only feet away.
In his presence, she felt calm. Her magic was stable. It didn’t try to attack. It didn’t prowl around him, looking for weaknesses.
Then again, Risk felt safe around him. He was the only person other than Quinn that she trusted to protect her when she was so deep within the thralls of her power that she couldn’t protect herself.
But was that enough? Was being safe enough? Was liking him enough?
Risk leaned forward, a thought taking shape in her mind.
“I want to try something,” she whispered. “But I need you to not move, no matter what. Okay?”
Draeven didn’t hesitate. “Okay,” he breathed.
She stared at him. Their faces coming closer and closer together until she was becoming cross-eyed to hold his gaze. Draeven closed his eyes at the last possible second, but he didn’t move—just as she’d asked.
He stood there, lips parted, and he let her make the decision.
Risk released her bottom lip and leaned in, crossing the last inch before she could change her mind. Their lips pressed together, and they were so soft.
So warm . . .
She tilted her head and deepened the kiss. Risk explored his mouth and this strange sensation running through her.
Her breath grew heavy. Her chest tightened with some kind of feeling.
Risk sighed softly against his lips before breaking away.
When Draeven opened his eyes, they glowed red as the raksasa, but Risk didn’t feel afraid. Far from it.
“How was that?” he asked huskily. Draeven cleared his throat, and Risk tilted her head. She could tell that he was worried about her decision, which meant no matter what she decided, he would honor it.
“Meet me in the courtyard tomorrow night and we’ll go flying,” Risk said.
His eyes widened. “You’re certain?”
Risk leaned away, frowning. “Is that not how this ‘courting’ goes?” she asked, feeling uncertain all of a sudden.
“No, that’s not what I meant. Flying with you would be my honor—I don’t want you to feel like you have to do this. If you need more time to think—”
Risk leaned in again, surer this time, and pressed her lips to his.
Draeven stopped talking. His lips moved against hers and it felt . . . incredible.
“Does that answer your question?” she whispered.
“Yes,” he breathed.
Epilogue: 10 Years Later
“Darkness means many things to many people. For some, it comforts, and for some, it terrifies. For those that truly live in the dark—it is home.”
— Quinn Darkova, fear twister, walker of realms
Quinn and Lazarus stood arm in arm on one side. Lorraine, Kairick, and her son, Nathaniel, on the other. In front of them, Risk and Draeven locked hands as they swore their vows at the top of a hill on the first day of spring.
“Do you promise to love and honor this woman? Will you protect her at all costs? And buy her weapons on all holidays—”
“Axe,” Lorraine chided under her breath. Axelle, now a twenty-six-year-old queen, rolled her one good eye. The other had been damaged by debris in the war, but instead of bemoaning the lack of an eye, she wore an eyepatch and claimed it made her ‘look the part’. Quinn told Risk when she first announced their engagement that letting Axe of all people officiate it was a terrible idea. Risk hadn’t exactly disagreed, but it was better than letting her plan it. The young queen was still as pompous as ever. She’d wanted a parade through the streets and cannons firing gold flakes beneath the sunset.
While some had changed over the last ten years, Quinn’s sister had not.
She’d healed from the trauma of her past and embraced her role as guardian of the dark realm admirably—but she wasn’t a people person. She never would be.
“I do,” Draeven said firmly. He’d aged well, aided by Lorraine’s potions. While it was inevitable that one day he would die, there were upsides in choosing to take the woman who ran the afterworld as your wife.
“Yes, but do you promise to buy her weapons because this is very important—”
“Axe,” everyone groaned in unison. Risk’s lips twitched, and Quinn sighed, still not seeing what her sister found so charming about the pirate girl. She might be a queen and a woman now, but she would always be a child in Quinn’s mind.
“Yes, I promise to buy her weapons on all holidays,” Draeven said.
“Thank you,” Axe replied pointedly.