excitement. Sage is right in the middle, her hands resting on the huge bump under her yellow dress, her pink hair has been pulled back into two messy buns.
David smiles at me from her side, looking a million times better than the teacher I once knew. Sage’s love saved him, dug him out of the darkness, and now with the baby on the way, there will be a family for him to have.
My mates stand around Sage, and Ambrose at the side of them next to my sister. Izora sings loudly in her white jeans and crop top, her waves of silver hair falling around her as she claps her hands. Beside her are Willow and Jane, clapping as she smiles at me.
Jane and I had a long way to go after the war, but we soon found out we are more alike than we knew. And even if Jane annoys the heck out of me most of the time, she is damn smart and good at negotiating with dark creatures and fae alike. I needed a royal advisor to help me and she was perfect for the job. The rest is history. I would even go as far as to call her a good friend now.
The rest of the room is filled with my old teachers that survived the war, the light and dark fae I got to know over the years, and even Zander’s dad…which is a whole other story that has a lot to do with Izora’s mates who aren’t here. When the song ends, they wait for me to say something and I’m speechless for a moment.
“Thank you so much, everyone,” I start off, clasping my hands together and looking out at the statue of my mother for some encouragement. Echo snoozing on top of the statue, now bored with the celebrations, makes me smile. “I never once believed I would be lucky enough to find love and have a family again, but here you all are,” I say. “You’re better than anything I could have dreamed about. There are so many I wish were here with us right now, but I know they are watching us from the stars. I love each and every one of you, so thank you for being in my life. For loving me. For being the light in my darkness…”
I stop and wipe my eyes, shocked that I’m actually crying in front of them. My mates surround me in seconds, holding me tightly until I calm down.
“Out of the way, pregnant lady coming through,” Sage commands, and my mates, the kings of the dark fae, move their asses like a wasp just stung them.
They haven’t said it, but I think pregnancy scares the living daylights out of them all, and me too a little bit. It doesn’t mean I don’t think of having children, because I do.
One of the biggest changes I made in my time as queen is the rule that shadowborn children have to be taken from their parents to a foster home. The new rules state that parents can move into the dark fae kingdom with their child if they wish, and if not, the child will be brought up in the new and massively improved foster homes in my city—not the ones hidden in the human world. I regularly visit the ones here and bring the children gifts and food, as well as paying the dark fae who looks after them like their own. No more shadowborn children are going to grow up feeling unwanted.
Sage hugs me and I savour the embrace as everyone in the room starts settling into the glorious feast laid out.
“How are you feeling?” I ask her, instantly touching her belly like I always do.
Sage’s hands cover mine over the bump and she shrugs. “Weird today. I can’t put my finger on why, though. I believe it’s time I move into the castle for the birth if you still want me.”
“Yes!” I practically shout at her, grinning wildly. “Besides, you can’t give birth at the academy, Headmistress Milhouse.”
The new headmistress of the academy only grumbles at me, not liking that her deputy head, Willow, will be taking over for eight months while Sage gives birth and spends alone time with the baby. I know I will be sad when Sage, David, and the baby move back into the academy, but I will be visiting all of the time.
When we reopened the academy, it was a no brainer who should be taking control