BONUS EPILOGUE: CONTENTED.

“Can I open my eyes now?” she asked softly.

“Not yet.” Vladya raised his hands to cover hers, even though a blindfold already shielded her eyes—just to be sure.

He was… nervous. His belly felt tight inside, his hands clammy. He wanted to impress her. Wanted Aekeira to love the surprise.

Gently, he guided her forward. Step by step, deeper into the cave until they reached the center. Moving in front of her, he withdrew his hands, and untied the blindfold.

He stepped back, waiting.

She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the soft glow, then gasped.

Vladya tried to see the space through her eyes. The rough cave walls had been transformed. Smooth panels of polished wood lined the interior, holding candle sconces bathing the space in a warm, golden light. A plush woolen rug stretched across the floor. In one corner, a large, canopied bed stood dressed in roses. Across from it a long table, elegantly set with a feast laid, and two chairs facing one another.

Her mouth parted as she took it in. “Vladya…”

“When I left the fortress, exiling myself to this place, I thought it would be my grave,” he said quietly. “Somewhere to disappear, to be forgotten. But you came for me. You helped me make it into a kind of heaven.”

She moved slowly, her fingers brushing over the wood, the roses, the tableware. Touching everything with admiration, soaking in every detail.

“A place where love could be louder than silence,” he went on. “Here, in this very space, you gave me a second chance. A chance to show you a Vladya who wasn’t a monster. One who was ready to take that first terrifying step of ‘wishing for more.’” He looked around the cavern. “Those weeks we spent here were the first peace I’ve known in years. We made real memories here, the start of our new journey. I wanted to turn this place into something that could be ours.”

“Oh, Vladya,” she breathed. “I love it so much.”

That knot in his belly loosened, and he released an exhale. “I thought… we could spend the afternoon here. Just the two of us. Away from the world.”

Her shining eyes, holding deep emotions, met his.  “This is so thoughtful of you.”

That look—that light—was worth everything. He’d worked on this for weeks, carefully transforming the cave into the perfect retreat. The furniture, the flowers, even the food and the fruit—everything he knew she loved. 

Her joy flowed into him through their bond. She genuinely cherished this, and it was everything he had hoped for.

Stepping forward, he offered his hand. “Miss Evenstone, would you do me the honor of dining with me?”

She placed her hand in his. “With pleasure, Grand Lord Vladya.”

Smiling, he led her to the table, pulling out her chair. He made sure she was comfortable before taking his place beside her. Normally, this was where the maidens who traveled with them would step in to serve, but not today. Vladya wanted to do it himself.

He served Aekeira as Amie entered, carrying Aleksian and gently setting the cradle near the corner. Only after Aekeira took her first bite—grinning with delight—did he prepare his own plate. The maidens exited quietly, leaving them in peace.

Vladya was more focused on watching her eat than eating himself. Drinking in every movement, every sound as she savored the meal.

“Is there something on my face?” she asked at last, after catching him staring for too long.

He shook his head, eyes soft with adoration. “I could watch you all day, Aekeira. Not because anything is wrong, but because I enjoy it. You must know that by now.”

A glow colored her cheeks. “I do know.”

“Good,” he said warmly. “So don’t mind me, my angel princess. Eat to your heart’s content while I fill my belly just watching you.”

Her soft laughter rose. “You really have a way with words.”

“I only say what I feel,” he stated matter-of-factly. Then, unable to resist, he reached across the table and took her hand.

Her attention was fully on him now. Those deep brown eyes, wide and earnest, revealed every ounce of love she held for him.

“Some days, it still feels impossible that this is my life now. Once upon a time, I hated your kind, your very existence, but even then, you got under my skin.” Vladya looked into her eyes. “That pull I once saw as a curse turned out to be the greatest gift. Today, I share a life with the most extraordinary female who’s ever lived.” He brought her hand to his lips, kissing it tenderly. “Because of you, I know what it’s like to have an offspring. To feel a soul inside me again.”

She sighed contentedly, leaning forward, pulling his arm toward her so she could return the kisses.

“For a male who once believed he was the most cursed of all… you have replaced that feeling with something else entirely. Now I feel like the luckiest male in the world.”

There it was again, that smile. She was such a happy soul.

“You complete me too, Vlad,” she whispered. “Growing up, I never imagined a future like this. But you gave my life meaning. You give me happiness.”

She was so far away. “Are you done with your meal?”

“Yes.”

The scrape of his chair echoed as he pushed it back abruptly. Rising, he reached across the table, hands sliding beneath her arms, lifting her with ease. Bringing her over to him, he set her on his lap where she belonged. “There. That’s better.”

She nestled against him, resting her head in the crook of his neck.

He kissed her forehead. Her nose. Then claimed her lips in a soft, contented kiss.

And after, he simply held her, listening to the quiet crackle of the fireplace. For a male who once felt only the cold, warmth surrounded him now.

Gods, I’m looking forward to an eternity with this woman.