Shadowborn Queen - G. Bailey Page 0,42

appears at the other side of the forest, her own crown resting on her head, and we immediately run to each other.

It was the sun and moon goddesses who created the Enchanted Forest long ago. Now the Light and Dark Fae Queens will protect it.

Epilogue

Izora

10 years later.

"Psst," I whisper, peeking around the corner of the room and seeing Willow's head snap up from the desk, her glasses falling down her nose. A big grin fills her face as I slide into the room and she runs around the desk, wrapping her arms tightly around me. This part of the castle is silent, and Willow doesn't usually live here because she works at Shadowborn Academy for most of the year.

"You're back! How was the trip to Dragonia?" Willow asks me as she lets go. I hook my arm in hers and tug her out into the corridor. The guards bow their heads before walking in front of me down the corridor and two more guards fall into step with us at our sides, still giving us our space.

"Interesting to say the very least," I tell her, which is an understatement. Corvina and I have made peace across the kingdoms, sharing our power and for the first time in history opening the borders between our lands. Now any Light or Dark Fae can live wherever they like in the forest, and Shadowborns are no longer slaves, but equals. I'm proud of everything we have achieved and Willow has been a big part of making sure Shadowborn Academy is once more a safe place for our children. "The king has signed our peace treaty, and with the Centaurs’ new queen signing the agreement next week, we will be secure for a hundred years."

"A hundred years is a long time," she softly comments and I meet her eyes, feeling her pain of an immoral life with no magic. "Don't look at me like that. I would do what I did a million times over to get this outcome. Everyday I see a Shadowborn at the academy raise their head, staring at the sky and feeling proud of what we are. Light and Dark Fae are at peace. There will be no more wars and my sister is a queen I am proud to be serving."

Dammit, she had to go and make me cry.

Willow chuckles, pausing and wrapping her arms around me for a tight hug.

"Pregnancy hormones are a bitch," I mutter, wiping my eyes and moving back, laughing a little. "You can't say nice things to me at the moment," I remind her. "Now, how has the castle been?"

Willow quickly fills me in on everything I have missed at court this last week while we were away. Even though Willow doesn't have a formal position in the court of Light Fae who helps me make most of the decisions of the kingdom, when I am away, she is sneaky enough to find out everything I could need to know.

"Finally, where is my nephew?" Willow asks when we get to my rooms.

I smile and push the double doors open, stepping into my living room. There, in the middle of the room with a real sword in his hand, is my son. Sweeping silver hair falls across his forehead, flickering in front of his eyes as he turns to look our way. His eyes, the image of Gold's, flash silver, almost. He doesn't have Light Fae wings, a surprise to us all, but when he turned into a very cute silver dragon with Light Fae powers at two years old, it made more sense.

I still fear the people will not accept a king who is a dragon, but the people do love Hendrik and call him the Golden Prince. Corvina's son is known as the Dark Prince, a title he stole from one of his dads.

Hendrik is eight and still doesn't look remotely guilty as he hides the sword behind his back. His dad, Axel, quickly jogs over, pretending to hug him as he takes the sword and winks at me.

"Hey, mum! Auntie Willow!" Hendrik shouts and rushes over to Willow. She laughs and hugs him tightly before whispering something about how cool his sword was as I glare at Axel and walk over.

"Hey, hey! It was not my fault. Luke gave our darling son the sword," he exclaims, taking a step back with a sexy smirk on his lips. Before I can catch him, he flies out of the room and off the balcony. I