He opened his eyes in confusion. He was still here. Still breathing.
Still alive!
The glowing formation above him flickered and vanished.
He stared at his hands as if they were foreign limbs, horror stretching across his face.
"What?! Why am I still alive?"
Ren shut her eyes. Her chest was so tight it felt as though it might break. Tears slipped silently down her cheeks.
Then, from above, the voice of Xakiel bood once more, cold and final:
"Your punishnt is to live your final days without the dragon’s magic core. Go back and live as a commoner. The gods healed your spinal cord, mortal human."
Benkin trembled, not with pain, not even with rage. With longing for his wife.
"Please... let join Anarya," he pleaded with him, his voice breaking like dry leaves in the wind.
But the Fae King said nothing more. He turned away, his silvery cloak swaying behind him.
At the threshold of the throne hall, he paused, his gaze flickering back to Ren. His voice reached her mind like a soft echo of spring wind.
"I’ll co to visit your children later."
Ren’s heart ached.
"Thank you," she replied silently. "I didn’t even ask you to save him, then why?"
A small flicker of warmth brushed her soul.
"Your mother," he said. "She begged for rcy so the gods bestowed it."
Ren had truly learned a valuable lesson through all this war. She learned to forgive those who deserved it, and to punish those who did not. But in the midst of it all, there were so she had to keep alive, yet never trust. Those who carried information that could one day save others, to save those she loved and valued.
~*~
Five years later...
"Grandpa, where are Mother and Father?" a cute beautiful girl asked, chewing on strawberries.
The Fae King smiled. "They’ve gone on a mission to kill the monsters, my little flower."
"The monsters that hurt Grandpa Benkin?" the little boy chid in.
"Yes, my dear. They’ll be back shortly. Do you want to take you back inside to Lady Lora?"
"I’m here!" Lora called out, rushing into the garden’s gazebo with more plates.
"Please forgive , Your Highness. It’s my first ti seeing a Saint."
The Fae King smiled and gestured for her to sit down.
"Tell , is Hector going to marry you or not?"
Lora blushed. Why was he so blunt? And how did he know? They just t a few hours ago!
"He will!" little Seraphina said, and the maiden blushed even more.
"And how do you know?" The King asked.
"Last month, before Grandpa Benkin died, he asked him to marry Lora."
The Fae King laughed. These kids. They were truly half-demons. They had eavesdropped.
"Shush, you silly girl. You just exposed us." Benkin blad her.
Lora couldn’t stifle her laughter. Benkin and Seraphina were truly funny. But it felt so good to know that Hector might marry her. Yet, he had never confessed. He was always running away from her.
Just as she was about to ask about Hector’s answer, wings swept through the sunny sky, stirring the wind. The dragon and the Griffin arrived, erging from the blue portal Ren had ford. This ant they had completed their mission, eliminating the stray vampires that had been terrorizing people for the past five years.
Now, only the hybrids and Hector remained, living under strict law.
Ren and Gloria dismounted from their beasts. Walking into the garden, they both bowed before the Fae King.
"Mother!" Seraphina and Benkin rushed to Ren, hugging her legs. She ruffled their hair.
"Your Highness, you are here." She was glad that King Xakiel had co to spend ti with the kids.
"Yes, I told you I would co. Where is your brother? I have sothing for him."
Ren looked toward the shadows of the castle, where Hector was talking to Kai and Rail.
"Co," the Fae King said, striding toward the dark corner. "How was your hunt?"
They bowed their heads to him. Their armors were stained with blood.
"We killed them all. The hybrids will be safe in Thegara," Kai replied.
"Good. If they rebel and cause problems, you will answer for it," King Xakiel warned.
"Yes."
The Fae King turned to Hector. "And you! Your grandfather, or better to say, my son, has sent you this."
He extended a silver box and opened it, revealing a ring.
"Wear this ring and walk into the sun," he commanded.
Hector didn’t refuse his great-grandfather’s hand. He took the ring and, with a hint of doubt, slipped it on and stepped into the light. At first, it bit at his skin, but then, nothing happened.
"This ring will subdue your desire for blood. Not entirely, but it will lessen it."
Hector was grateful. Lucieth might be morally gray, but this gift had the potential to change his life. His eyes slightly drifted to Lora. He didn’t crave her blood.
Later, the Fae King spent the evening with them but didn’t stay for dinner. At the table, Ren looked at Rail and Gloria.
"I’ve heard the council is going to force you to get married, Queen Gloria!"
Arkilla shot Gloria a glare. "Is that true?"
"Yes, Dankin has urged them, he is trying to find a puppet to kill ," Gloria answered calmly. She had no interest in marrying those greedy princes who sent her letters almost every month.
"I have a suggestion," Kai said, joining the conversation.
Ren already knew what he was about to say and smiled.
"Rail is my godson and the first prince of Thegara. He will attend the selection."
Rail jumped up in his seat. "Really?"
Kai smirked. "Aren’t you tired of being single? Because I’m already tired of that sad, moody look on your face."
"Yes! I’ve been patient for five years, right?" Rail said, clearly panicked.
"Sit down, idiot! First, go and win the selection," Orgeve said, pulling him back into his seat.
They all laughed until suddenly a scream echoed from the kids’ room. Darting up to their quarters, they found Lora, as pale as silk.
"What is it?"
"They have beasts under their beds!"
Ren frowned and rushed inside, seeing her adorable children hugging their beasts tightly and securely.
"Please don’t hurt them. Grandpa Xakiel gave them to us," Seraphina pleaded, tears welling in her eyes as she held her baby brown griffin close to her chest like it was a kitten.
"Please, they’re harmless!" Benkin added, trying to catch his sneaky baby black dragon.
Ren released a thread of her magic and gently tad the little dragon.
"They must be tad." She growled.
Kai folded his arms and stood beside her. "I guess you should start your taming academy. Now that we have both male and female beasts, I’m sure Calisa will be more than eager to see these."
The kids ran to their mother. "Can we keep them?"
She sighed. It was hard enough to care for many beasts, let alone bear the dangers and responsibilities they brought.
Kai’s arm settled on her shoulders, then he lifted the kids. "They can keep them," he said, not waiting for her answer.
He put the children to bed.
"Get so rest. I’ll take care of your beasts. You’d better find them good nas."
Lora closed the door, and the others left, their hearts pounding with excitent.
Kai gestured to his wife. "Not joining the hug?"
She smiled and joined them, kissing her mischievous babies.
"So what are we up to next?"
The End~
~*~
Thank you for reading and supporting for 180 days! I hope you enjoyed the story. To be honest, I was planning on making more conflicts and writing more about the world of Garaith but things changed. Maybe in the future, I will continue it but for now, let us say farewell. Kai and Ren are happy with their kids despite the difficulties and rogue attacks.
My other works:
If you like fast-paced contemporary romance with cute kids, please check out my new book:
"Genius Triplets’ Matchmaking Mission: Hiring A CEO Daddy."
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