Alenathos landed, facing the south. He wanted to say so much to Fuerah, but assumed she needed to rant first. He deserved it. And still Alenathos felt like an asshole for taking their child and hiding her away from Fuerah.
Her hand lightly landed on his back, then moved to his shoulder, squeezing slightly.
“Tell me your version,” Fuerah pleaded.
“I wanted you safe. I wanted Lana safe. I needed to know Saressa couldn’t reach our daughter. I knew you’d hate me. That was a risk I was willing to take in order to keep you both alive. Divad might not have been the best choice, but I didn’t have many who would never bring Lana back to Faery. I needed someone I could keep an eye on and who would treat her like one of his own. And he did, for the most part.”
“You wanted to keep me safe?”
He turned, looking her in the eye. “Saressa would have used you against me. And our daughter. You have to know that. I’ve seen the lengths she was willing to go to control people.”
Her eyes filled with tears as she took his hand. “You did this for us?”
“Who else? I didn’t care about myself. I only knew I needed to protect the two of you. I did what I had to. Reance helped because he knew it was the only way.”
“You sacrificed so much for us.”
“Would you rather I had been selfish?” he whispered.
She shook her head. “She would have killed you after making you watch my death, and Laniela’s enslavement.”
“Do you hate me?”
“I did. For many years. But now, I understand, Alenathos. I forgive you.”
He couldn’t process for a moment.
She pulled him close and wrapped her arms around him. “I wish I had known.”
“You wouldn’t have accepted it. You would have demanded one of us bring her back. You would have done anything to go to her. And then Saressa would have known.” He squeezed her, loving the feel of Fuerah in his arms once more.
“I’ve missed you. It felt wrong to hate you, but no one could give me answers. Not that I could ask the questions that would have brought the right answers, and I couldn’t imagine Reance helping.”
“He took his daughter to Earth to protect her from Henroyld. I knew he might be my only option. I never expected I could be free on Earth. Of course, if Saressa looked in on me, or called me back, I wouldn’t be truly free. It’s why you couldn’t know.” He leaned back, lifting Fuerah’s gaze. “I’m sorry.”
“Forgiven. And Reance has promised to give me time with you. He’ll only call on me when necessary, not that he ever does any other time.”
Alenathos kissed her lips. “Thank you. You don’t have any idea how much I needed to hear that.”
She caught his face. “With our masters now, promise you’ll never do that again.”
“Not as long as we have good masters. It broke my heart to take Laniela and leave you.”
“Have you honored our bond?”
“Yes, I haven’t touched another woman. You’re the only one for me.”
“I haven’t been with a man. I couldn’t think of anyone else. My family tried to convince me to marry Wasseren. I refused, preferring to become a pariah to my people.”
“I wish I had another option. I never wanted to cause you pain or ostracized you from your family.”
“I chose you all those years ago. I knew it was coming. Nothing they said would make me choose one of my own kind once you stole my heart.” She pulled him back down for a kiss, pressing tight.
The act was full of sorrow, comfort, and love. Something he was sure he would’ve lost by now. Her presence proved him wrong.
When he broke away, he murmured, “I can get us a place to stay, near them, until they go back to Seattle. I have a home there. We can stay close to her. That is if you want to stay with us.”
She kissed him again. “Finally. So many years of stolen nights too far apart. I can have you all the time now.”
“I won’t leave your side until I must.”
“And if I won’t let you go?”
“Then you come with me, or vice versa.” He pulled her toward the woods. “Tell me what you want.”
“You, here and now. Then we can find somewhere to stay.”
“I’ve waited for decades to have you again,” he murmured, peeling her shirt from her body.