Epilogue

Full of bitter rage but bearing an aloof expression, Damian stood center stage in front of the U-shaped table of the Authority. From the raised platform, the thirteen council members watched him with varying degrees of curiosity. He resented them all for forcing his hand.

But now that they’d allowed Dubheasa’s resurrection, he had a promise to keep.

“Are you prepared to stand by your word and do your duty, Aether?”

Damian met the gaze of the smug-faced leader. “I am.”

“You’ll be contracted for life,” another council member warned.

If he didn’t know better, he’d almost believe the stately woman held compassion for his plight. But those belonging to the Authority were ruthless and controlling, without an ounce of empathy for others.

“I’m well aware of the conditions, Ms. Otherman,” he replied coolly.

What he didn’t say was that he intended to end his employment at his earliest opportunity. He’d grant them twenty years, and when his children were old enough to survive without him, he’d find a loophole. The Goddess Isis would assist him, he had no doubt. She’d been against the Authority’s blackmailing scheme from the start. But if he couldn’t trick his way out of his contract, he’d accept the penalty of death that went with breaking trust with the Authority.

“And you’ll lead a team of Sentinels on missions of our choosing,” the lead council added.

“You act as if I’ve forgotten the terms, Butthanger,” Damian said, tone as dry as dirt.

“It’s Buttagier,” the man snapped.

“My bad.”

Someone along the sweeping panel snickered, earning a dark look from Buttagier.

A buzzer sounded, and a glass panel on the floor in front of Damian slid to the side. From beneath the ground level, a desk-sized altar rose, and the stone it rested on locked in place of the previous panel.

“Step forward,” Buttagier ordered.

Teeth gritted, Damian moved to take position behind the ceremonial table.

A female dressed in the long black robes of the Authority rose from her seat and crossed to him.

“This will require not only your signature, but your blood to seal the deal, Aether.” She lowered her voice for his hearing alone. “Do you understand what you are giving up, Damian?”

“Yes, Mattie.” Had it not made her a target of Buttagier’s ire, Damian would’ve smiled at her. Mathilda Price had been in his corner during negotiations. She’d tried to be the voice of reason and had gone toe-to-toe with the lead council to cut the terms of Damian’s employment down. All she’d earned for her troubles was their displeasure.

“Ronan deserves to be happy, and if I have to give up a few years of my life to do it, I will,” he said quietly.

“But it’s more than a few years. It’s forever if you’re not careful,” she argued. “You’ll be under Butthanger’s thumb.”

Lips twitching, he remained silent and nodded. Mattie hated the man as much as Damian did, and her slip almost sent him over the edge into laughter.

“Fine. When you read the contract, pay special attention to page seven. The loophole you need is written there.” With her back to the council, she winked.

Not many people surprised him, and it took an effort to keep his jaw from sagging open. How she’d guessed what he intended was a mystery. One he’d solve in due time.

Mattie turned slightly and, raising her voice to include the others, said, “Very well, Aether. We shall proceed.”

With great pomp, she withdrew a white quill and handed it to him. The tip wasn’t a hardened shaft carved into a nib, as was the norm, but instead, it was metal with a razor-sharp point. Damian was expected to pierce his skin and sign his name in blood.

“Is this sanitary?” he quipped.

Biting her lip to keep a laugh at bay, Mattie darted a quick look toward the lead council. “Probably not, but you’ll survive.”

“True, but I’d like to keep all my fingers intact. I can’t have them falling off from rot.”

She did laugh then.

“Sign the bloody contract, Aether, and let’s be done with it,” Buttagier snapped from his perch.

To taunt him further, Damian slowly and continuously caressed the barbs of the feather, following the vane. “I’m going to want assurances that my blood cannot be removed from the parchment and that this lovely quill will be destroyed.” He locked eyes with Buttagier and, in an arctic tone, said, “We can’t have anyone attempt to manipulate me through dark blood magic, can we?”

Nothing had been proven, but there were rumors aplenty about the Authority and dark magic. Damian didn’t intend that he should fall victim to another’s foul play.

For the first time, the lead councilman lost his arrogance and sweat beaded along his brow. He shot a glance to his left, down the length of the table. Councilwoman Otherman met Buttagier’s gaze, and something unspoken passed between them.

Seemed a few others were in favor of Damian’s request. Lifting his brows in challenge, he smiled. “That’s not too much to ask, is it, Butt”—he paused deliberately—“agier?”

Resentment flared in the other man’s eyes, but he gave an abrupt nod. “You may take or destroy the quill, as is your right to protect yourself. The contract will be secured in our vault system. None have access but those on this panel.”

“Not good enough. I ask the contract be given to the Goddess Isis for safekeeping.”

It didn’t take a genius to recognize Buttagier wasn’t thrilled with his demand, but Damian had his family to protect.

Councilwoman Otherman rose to her feet and slapped the wooden table in front of her. “Done.”

After pausing to take a long look at her, Damian smiled at what he saw. “Exalted One, I almost didn’t recognize you.”

Isis shed her glamour in an instant. Her long black hair was loosely braided and fell down her back. A gold circlet set atop her glossy head. Eyes the color of amber topaz glowed with a goddess’s knowledge and power. She had discarded the black robe of the council in favor of a sky-blue gossamer gown that enhanced her shapely body and was caught at the shoulder with a gold clip in the shape of the sun.

Isis sauntered down the steps of the dais and approached him. “Beloved.”

Dropping to one knee, he lightly kissed the back of the hand she extended toward him.

“You may rise.” She took the quill from him, casually examining the nib.

“Have you always been on the Authority’s panel, or am I simply lucky?” he asked her.

“I have a vested interest in today’s outcome.” With a frown, she set the quill alight, then pinned Buttagier with a stare. “Did you know the nib contained a toxin, Councilman Butthanger?”

If the seriousness of her question hadn’t struck Damian at the same time as her use of Buttagier’s hated nickname, he’d have laughed. But as it was, he had to work not to freak the hell out. He’d been minutes, at most, away from pricking his finger to sign the contract.

Buttagier paled. “N-no! I…” He rose and met Damian’s angry glare with a sincerity that was difficult to ignore. “You have to believe that I would not condone anyone coming to harm under my reign as lead council.”

Picking up the contract, Isis snapped her fingers, and the paper caught fire. When it would’ve reached her fingers, she dropped it on the marble floor to finish burning. “The Aether is free of his promise to us,” she proclaimed.

And immediately Damian understood what she’d done. For him. For his family. By claiming there was a traitor in their midst who would seek to harm him, she’d set him free. Dubheasa would live, the Authority wouldn’t hold him to his promise, and they wouldn’t send anyone else to threaten his children.

Relief swept through him, and the gratitude he felt at Isis’s protective gesture nearly overwhelmed him.

“But we need him!” Buttagier protested.

Because he was a man of principle, Damian proposed a new deal. One that was readily accepted.

For the next five years, he would consult on an as-needed basis. If required, he’d step in without objection. No contract. No blood oath. Merely a statement of intent to lead a team of Sentinels of his choosing, and they took him at his word.

* * *

Legs outstretched, Damian rested his back against the large oak in his garden to watch Dubheasa as she laughed and fended off three ginormous puppies. Sabrina’s high-pitched giggles blended with her mother’s deeper ones. Not far from the trio of females, Ronan stood guard, a happy grin eating up half his handsome face.

“Sure, and ya did the right thing,” Fintan said as he rounded the tree to stand at Damian’s side.

“He shouldn’t have had to suffer as long as he did.”

Fintan shrugged. “Maybe he needed to learn to appreciate the deities’ gifts.”

“Anu’s or Isis’s?”

“Both. They worked together to bring the O’Malleys their happiness.”

“And what about the O’Connors? There are a few good ones left.”

“Aye. Castor will find a mate soon enough. Reggie, too.”

Damian nodded toward Ronan and Dubheasa. “They likely have years of chaos ahead of them as Guardians. Will they always be as happy as they are at this moment?”

Fintan grinned. “Yeah, and I don’t think ya need to be worryin’ about those two. They’ve been soulmates in the past, they have. When connected on a cosmic level like Ronan and Dubheasa are, two souls will always find a way to make it work.”

The comment caused Damian to reflect inward, and his gaze locked on Vivian as she laughingly gripped Sabrina’s hands and danced in a circle around Nate’s bassinet. In his entire life, he couldn’t recall such a beautiful sight.

“You’ll find your way back to each other again, Aether. Never fear on that score, yeah?”

Lifting his head, he met Fintan’s compassionate stare. “Sometimes, there are moments when I feel she’d be better off having never met me.” Damian swallowed past the sudden lump in his throat. “And what do I do when she’s gone? We won’t age at the same speed.”

“Are you wantin’ a prediction?”

“No. I’ve seen my future, and it terrified the fuck out of me. I don’t need you to cement what I already know.”

“The future isn’t concrete, Damian Dethridge. Say you’ll be rememberin’ that, yeah?”

“I’ll remember.”

“Good.”

As Fintan’s form faded away, another appeared through a golden rift a few yards away.

Isis.

Damian climbed to his feet and met her halfway. “Exalted One.”

“Beloved.”

“I believe I owe you a debt of gratitude.”

She waved a careless hand and smiled at the puppies tumbling about. “You allowed Sabrina two? Are you a glutton for punishment?”

“Perhaps. But mainly, I’m a sucker for Beastie’s pleading eyes.”

“Mm, yes. Children have that unique ability to manipulate an adoring parent.”

He couldn’t argue the fact.

“Not that I don’t enjoy conversing with you, but you rarely visit without an agenda,” he said with a smile to show he meant no offense. “Why have you come?”

“To speak to the Oracle.”

No sooner had the words left her mouth than Sabrina came running over. After dipping into a curtsy, she grinned up at the Goddess, expression saucy.

“Walk with me, child,” Isis commanded, extending her hand for Sabrina to take.

They didn’t wander far, but Damian was careful to remain within reach as Ronan positioned himself on the opposite side of the garden. The two men acknowledged each other with a wry grin. Their friendship was not as solid as it once was, but they had found a new normal these last weeks.

Hopefully, Ronan would never discover the sacrifice Damian had been prepared to make on his friend’s behalf. The Guardian should be here of his own free will, ready to protect Sabrina because he wanted to, not as repayment. It would mean the difference between truly caring for her and simple duty.

Having been lost in thought, Damian failed to hear Dubheasa’s approach.

“We’ll never let anything happen to your children,” she said gently. “Ronan loves them as if they were his own.”

Turning to face her, Damian smiled his welcome. “I know.”

“Do you ever plan to tell him about your deal, then?”

Nonplussed, he shook his head. “You weren’t supposed to know, either.”

“Yeah, I may have figured it out while I was still in the Otherworld’s waiting room,” She looked across at Ronan and grinned. “He will, too. Eventually.”

“You won’t tell him?”

“It’s acceptable to keep a secret now and again, don’t ya think?”

With a light laugh, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and drew her to his side.

In return, she gave him a sweet smile and rested her head on his shoulder. “Thank you for giving us a second chance, Damian.”

“You’re welcome.”

“What do you think they’re discussing so intently?” she asked with a gesture toward the Goddess and Sabrina.

“One never knows with Isis. But she seems to have a soft spot for my daughter.”

“Hmm.” Shifting, Dubheasa kissed his cheek. “I’m going to steal your son from his mother for a few hours. With Ronan on watch, it’s the perfect time for you to hustle your wife away for alone time. Start rebuilding your relationship.”

“Remind me to do the same for you and Ronan when your son is born—” Damian jerked and whipped his head around to look at Isis. Across the short distance, she met his shocked gaze and winked. Bending, she said something to Sabrina, then sent her off with a light swat to her bottom.

When she launched herself into his arms, he caught her midair, acting on instinct since he was still numb with surprise from the new development.

“The Goddess said you’re not supposed to tell the future, Papa.” Her grin was cheeky as she parroted the words he repeatedly said to her.

“I guess this means my ability has been restored,” he said dryly.

“Yep!” Sabrina patted his shoulder. “Isis said you’re going to need it.”

He shook his head and cast the Goddess a wry smile as she gave him a small salute and stepped through the rift she’d created to return to the Otherworld.

“Are you telling me I’m pregnant?” Dubheasa demanded with a disconcerted expression.

Damian shared a look with his daughter. “What do you think, Beastie? Do we tell her what we know?”

“Maybe just this once,” she replied primly.

* * *

Thank you for reading Dubheasa & Ronan’s story. I hope you fell in love with them just as I did.

If you want more of the O’Malley family, you aren’t alone. More ideas are popping up daily, so I won’t end the series quite yet. I think Dubheasa’s father, Patrick O’Malley, needs a HEA, don’t you? Check out HIGHBALLS & HEXES, coming in June!

In the meantime, if you would like to get your Damian and Beastie fix, be sure to preorder THE AETHER. The expected release date is October 17, 2023.

* * *

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