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I looked up at him, unable to resist tracing my fingers along his chin, over his jaw. “They used to hate each other, you know,” I said and his eyes flicked down.
“Who?”
“My father and his brother, Gabriel. They were raised apart and thought to resent one another. It took decades for them to discover the resentment was pointless. And Mr Roe, you know from St. Bastian’s?” Vas nodded. “His old profession was hunting vampires. He tried to kill my father more than once, and vice versa. Now they’re friends.”
Vas shifted, bringing his hand up to smooth through my hair. “I take it you’re trying to make a point by telling me this,” he murmured.
“If they can get past their differences, then surely you can, too.”
“I’m already past them,” he whispered, then dipped his head to mine for a gentle kiss. He was still too weak for anything more than that and we fell into companionable silence. I savoured the peaceful moments after the noise and violence of the battle.
“I’m glad you didn’t die,” I whispered after a few quiet minutes passed.
“Me too,” Vas replied, stroking my arm. “Me, too.”
***
Several days went by. Vas remained at Rita’s house while he recovered from the poison. Sven stayed there, too, watching over his friend. Even though Red Armand was dead, I was uneasy thinking of the strange demon trackers that had been implanted in their necks. I asked Roman if he might be able to remove them and he readily agreed. It took a little more effort to convince Vas and Sven to trust my sorcerer great-grandfather enough to do the surgery, but eventually they acquiesced and thankfully all went well.
Other than that I spent much of my time with my dad, overseeing the rapid building that was going on in the forest. Having spent their lives doing hard, back breaking work, the miners had the strength and resilience to help with the build, too.
My father donated money for many of the materials, and had called in a few favours from his wealthy friends. He also recruited over a hundred vampires for the construction, and though they could only work at night, the place I’d envisioned during my walks in the forest was rapidly coming to life. It also helped that my dad knew an architect who could design the place for us. During the day we had volunteers from the magical families and the elves, not to mention the shapeshifters.
The treehouses I’d thought were a pipe dream were taking shape. I could hardly believe it. The seven demon gargoyles who helped us fight the Dicteps’ army had come through the portal, too. I’d been a little apprehensive but then Vas explained that they were peace loving creatures, and vegetarians to boot. Rita and my mother cast a glamour over them so that they could fly freely without putting fear into the hearts of any humans who might spot them.
As for the miners, their numbers weren’t quite as great as what they’d been before they had to fight for their freedom. The final count showed that six-hundred and fifty-eight of them had managed to escape through the portal. I was certain there’d been close to a thousand before the fighting broke out.
The course of their lives had been altered, and if I had any say in the matter it would be for the better. Each of the miners was given the choice to stay and build a place to live in the forest, or they could leave and forge a life for themselves in Tribane or further afield. To my relief, the vast majority chose to stay. And if over time they changed their minds and wanted to go elsewhere, we’d equip them with everything they needed to build a new life in this realm.
Building this community wasn’t going to be easy. Some of the miners were coming off their addictions to lava dust, while others struggled with the trauma of the lives they’d endured back in Oreylia. But I believed in their potential and strength to start fresh. I was prepared to devote my life to helping them and recruiting others who wished to help, too.
I was given the title of ‘Founder’ and I selected several willing Oreylians to take on the title as well. Together we would lead the community and create something truly special within the forest. A place where everyone was welcome.
It was a week to the day after the rebellion when Vas finally recovered enough to leave his sick bed. I’d just arrived in the forest to oversee the building of a community centre when he appeared. He leaned against the trunk of a tree, arms folded as he surveyed me. He looked vibrantly handsome. You’d never guess he’d spent the last week coming back from the brink of near death. A shiver skittered down my spine as he watched me approach, his gaze sultry. We’d confessed our love for one another but I was still shy around him. It felt like so much had happened and now that the dust was settling I didn’t know how to act.
