The Siren and the Deep Blue Sea - Kerrelyn Sparks Page 0,129

With a cry, his human form snapped into place.

Gabby fell to her knees while all the other Embraced children cheered.

Maeve whisked off her shawl to cover Gavin. He sat up, blinking as he gazed around. He stretched out his hands and looked at them. Then he extended his legs and wiggled his feet. He peeked under the shawl and his eyes widened. Opening his mouth, he attempted to talk, but only hoarse noises came out.

“Gavin!” Gabby threw her arms around him.

Brody could tell they were twins. They both had golden-red hair and amber-colored eyes. But he had to wonder—if Maeve could lift Gavin’s curse, could she remove his?

“It may take a while for you to learn how to talk again,” Maeve warned him.

Gavin nodded and slid his legs off the dais so he could stand up. He promptly fell back on his rear.

Gabby laughed and helped him up, wrapping the shawl around his hips. “He’ll have to learn how to walk on two legs again, too.”

As Gavin hobbled back toward the other Embraced children, they gathered around him to give him hugs.

Maeve took a deep breath. “Before I continue, I want to say this.” She looked at Brody. “No matter what happens, I will always love you. If you remain cursed, I will love you. If you’re a dog, an eagle, or a seal, I will love you. I will always fight for you and never give up.”

Tears filled his eyes. He strode to the dais, or tried to as well as his wounded leg would allow. “I love you, too.”

“I’m not sure this will work,” she whispered. “But if it doesn’t, I’ll keep learning. And trying.”

“It’s all right.” He grabbed her hands. “No matter what happens, we have each other.”

She nodded, then closed her eyes to concentrate.

How could he have ever doubted her? His sweet Maeve. He felt the power surging through her hands, then shooting into him. More and more energy, sizzling through his muscles, slithering through his veins, exploding in his head.

With a whoosh, the energy dissipated, leaving him so weak, he fell to his knees.

“Are you all right?” Maeve jumped off the dais to kneel beside him.

“I don’t know.” He couldn’t be sure that the curse was gone until his allotted time ran out. Or didn’t.

“We’ll have to wait and see.”

He scoffed. “After that confession of yours, you expect me to wait? Marry me, Maeve. Whether I’m a prince or a dog, be my wife. No matter what.”

With a smile, she nodded. “And whether I’m a seer or a siren, be my husband. No matter what.”

He kissed her, and everyone in the room cheered.

Epilogue

Three weeks later, on the Isle of Mist . . .

Maeve smiled as she strolled hand in hand with Brody toward the Seer’s house. It was a glorious day, and she glanced up at the sky, thanking the goddesses once again that she’d inherited her mother’s powers.

Ever since that day in the throne room, Brody had been himself. All day. And all night, she thought with a blush.

Within a week, they had gone back to the Isle of Moon to get married. By the second week, they’d both been crowned king and queen at Lessa Castle. Their kingdom now consisted of three islands, and lately they’d gone back and forth between the Isles of Moon and Secrets to take care of business.

Young families from the Isle of Moon who desperately wanted a parcel of land to call their own had volunteered to colonize the Isle of Secrets. As for the children, Nevis and Elinor had taken charge, and with Luciana’s help, they were slowly finding the parents of some of the younger ones.

Farah and Irene had gone to Woodwyn with Sorcha and her husband. Farah was going to be a glass artist, and Irene was eager to work in the gardens at Wyndelas Palace.

Quentin had announced he wanted to be a dragon. Silas had tried to explain that it was impossible, but the boy had refused to listen. That night, Maeve had dreamed of Quentin, seeing him in the future, flying in the form of an eagle. Apparently, his Embraced gift would be the ability to shift into birds, and eventually, he would become the messenger between all the kings, the job that Brody had held in the past. Silas and Gwen had grown fond of the boy, so they had happily taken him back to Norveshka with them. Maeve was happy, knowing that one day Quentin would be able to fly with