LOGINChris shook his head, rolling his eyes. “Unbelievable,” he hissed as I smirked with satisfaction.The trip to the clinic went by a lot faster on wheels than on foot. Chris remained glued to my side, his hair falling into his eyes as he repeatedly checked on me. I simply smiled in the backseat, and w
Epilogue — Part IIAvaAs the balloon hit me square in the face, I stumbled back, nearly losing my balance. Chris’s strong arm caught me, steadying me as a chorus of “Surprise!” filled the air.Our living room had been transformed, covered with balloons and streamers in shades of blue and silver. A
Her imprisonment in New Moon was coming to an end, and soon she would be returning to Moonstone on parole. The thought filled me with a mixture of apprehension and hope, as it did all of us.But that was not coming for another month.As the Elders filed out, I leaned back in my chair, unable to keep
Before I could comment, the Elders finally filed in, their usual robes swishing around them as they moved. Fatima was now the Eldest since Elise was gone, and so she took the end of the table opposite Chris.Claire hobbled in after her; she had been leaning on a cane lately due to a sudden onset of
Epilogue — Part IAvaMy hand rested on my belly as I waddled through the doors, half-ignoring Chris’s presence. He sighed, letting the door fall shut behind me.“What’s wrong?” he asked, following me to the circular council table in the center of the room.“Nothing.”That was a lie.It was my 40th
For a moment, Chris was silent, his gaze intense as he searched my face. Then, without warning, he dropped to his knees, burying his face in my skirt. His arms wrapped around my waist, holding me close.“Goddess, I can’t wait to marry you,” he murmured, his voice muffled by the fabric.I smiled, run
AvaWe all watched with bated breath as Dedrick strode into the chamber, his movements calm and poised as ever—not a hair on his head seemed bristled by this impromptu fourth trial, almost as though he already saw it coming.He took his seat at the end of the table without hesitation, offering me a
Chris cleared his throat. “Shall we get started, then? Let’s bring in Allen first.”A few minutes later, Allen stepped into the room and warily approached the table. Chris gestured to the seat at the other end. “Please, take a seat.”Allen did as he was told, and Chris explained the test. A map of t
AvaSteam wafted through the council chamber as I carefully poured steaming coffee into the waiting ceramic mugs. One by one, I arranged them on the long oak table alongside a platter of fresh pastries I had picked up from the village bakery that morning.It had been my idea to provide some small re
AvaThe council chamber felt stifling, the heavy oak table and dim lighting only serving to amplify the tension simmering between us all. For hours now, the eight of us had been locked in heated debate over the three finalists, our tempers slowly fraying the longer we failed to reach a consensus.“I







