“I hear there will be a ceremony and everything,” Sage Kate said as she placed a bowl of spring vegetable stew in front of Niamh, who smiled in gratitude.
“Full honors for all of us,” Jeron agreed through a mouthful of freshly baked bread. “Kate, this all looks amazing.”
Kate laughed. “My family have always been enthusiastic cooks.”
“For that, I am grateful to your and your ancestors,” Moya said with a grin.
“This is almost as good as cake,” Rexi said, then crammed a slice of bread in her mouth.
“You need to teach me how to make this.” Niamh swatted away Rexi’s hand as she helped herself to another hunk of the new loaf. “Though perhaps not. I’d eat so much, I’d soon not fit into my hauberk.”
Captain Hawke raised a finger in mock warning. “I’ll not have my soldiers unable to fit in their armor.”
Niamh sat, taking it all in. This was her life now. Approved to stay in Easthaven if she liked, surrounded by good people and given a new lease on life. Still a member of the Order, still a Valiant, and able to continue her mission to protect Ahra however she could.
Rexi moved from flicking crumbs at Jeron to heckling Moya. Kate talked spiritedly with Hawke about cleansing the Northgate of its corruption with a new, more successful expedition. Her captain–Keleth–looked at ease for a change.
And her Jeron—
Niamh glanced across the table at this man with whom she had fallen head over truesteel foot in the first blushes of love, and shook her head in disbelief. How any of this had happened was beyond her. It all seemed like a dream.
Like something too good to be true.
But it’s true. All of it. My friends.
“What do you think? Should Tanahr build portals outside our own borders? Niamh?”
Niamh blinked, finally noticing Kate had been talking to her.
She forced herself back down to earth. “I—ah—”
“You were daydreaming,” Moya said with a laugh. “Thousand-yard stare if I ever saw one.”
“I wasn’t daydreaming,” Niamh protested. “I was thinking. About—”
“About Flower Moon treats?” Rexi interrupted with a grin.
“Well, no, but those seem nice too. Just about being happy in my work and where I am. About being home,” Niamh said.
Captain Hawke smiled at her, a warm expression that hinted he might be more than her captain or even Keleth now—that, like the rest of them, he was becoming a sort of family.
“We are ridiculously lucky,” Jeron replied.
“Indeed.” Moya raised her glass. “Good food, good friends. Here’s to years more of it all.”
“To many, many years more,” Hawke toasted, and the others raised their cups as well.
“And here’s to berry tarts and cream,” Rexi added, “And us.”
“To us,” Niamh said, then was quiet for a moment. “I can’t believe we are all safe. That nobody else got hurt. Though Sage Belden did not make it. Loremaster Olangah thinks it had probably been living in his body since the expedition.”
“It could have been any of us,” Moya said.
“I know I was terrified, waiting there with Kate, both of us sick and weak, not knowing what was happening. Not being able to help.” Jeron shuddered.
“If we had all been there, though… like the others, passed out on the floor, the Kraah could have tapped into their power. It could have opened a portal into our world,” Kate said, expression grim.
“But yet again, Niamh Starsong came to the rescue. This time, she jabbed a demon with her foot. Few can say that, can they?” Jeron said with a warm smile.
“Few can say they designed the foot that slew the demon, Jeron. I have my life back, and you are a huge reason for this. You… you’re amazing. This is just the start for us, because there’s a lot of work left to be done,” Niamh said.
“At least you’ll be in good company,” Jeron replied with a mock-arrogant lift of his chin.
“The best.” Niamh grinned, cheeks warm, happiness filling her heart. “The most handsome, trustworthy, true-north best.”
“Stop it, you two. You’re putting me off my dessert,” Moya laughed. “And Rexi, if you try to steal from my plate again, I’ll grab that tail of yours and fling you right back to Hallowgrove.”
Lizzie Sinclaire 