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‘You’re right,’ I said. ‘It is perfect.’
We all looked up as Sirius and Trinity came over to join us, Sirius leaning on the silver cane Emrick had presented him with.
‘Isn’t this lovely?’ Trinity asked. Her eyes were sparkling, and she giggled as Sirius took her hand and pulled her onto his lap. ‘Mind your leg,’ she reminded him. ‘You’re not healed yet!’
‘I’m doing fine,’ he assured her. ‘And nothing’s going to stop me from cuddling my wife, thank you very much.’
‘Ewella tells me the plans for the school are going well,’ Killian said. ‘You’ll be thinking about opening it soon, I expect?’
‘We’re thinking maybe in the spring,’ Trinity told him. ‘We have to think about the design of Peloryon House. It will have to adapt itself to make room for all those children!’
‘But don’t worry,’ Sirius said hastily, ‘the tower will always remain. And it will be safe.’
I should hope so, considering the secrets it held. The round table was still standing on the hidden second floor, and we’d carefully placed Excalibur and the Golden Chalice Key in the room, too, knowing it was undoubtedly the safest place they could be—at least for now. The Silver Pentacle Key and the Sword of Feidhlim, meanwhile, had been placed in the crypt under the chapel. Emrick and I had decided it would be wiser to keep them apart. If, in the unlikely event, one key was discovered, at least whoever had found it would still be unable to locate the dimension box without the other. I felt a lot easier that way.
‘Perhaps,’ Killian said slowly, ‘we could have a chat? There are some things Harley and I would like to discuss.’
Trinity and Sirius looked surprised. ‘Of course. Any time.’
Killian got to his feet. ‘I’ll go and find Harley,’ he said.
‘What was all that about?’ Trinity asked, sliding off Sirius’s lap and sitting on the next chair.
‘No idea,’ I admitted. ‘I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about, though.’
‘Oh, I’m not worried,’ she said lightly. ‘I find, these days, I hardly worry about anything. After everything we’ve been through there doesn’t seem any point in making a fuss about the everyday obstacles any more. Funny how your perspective changes, right?’
I gazed at Keely who was currently dancing with Killians’ younger brother, Rian. She looked so stunningly beautiful she took my breath away. Yet she’d fallen in love with me when I was just a shy, awkward man with no idea of my true identity. How had that happened? How had I ever got so lucky?
True love, I thought. Maybe, in the end, finding the person you were meant to be with was the greatest destiny of all.
‘Come on,’ Trinity said, holding out her hand, ‘let’s you and I have a dance. My poor husband’s currently incapacitated, but there’s no one I’d like better to take his place than my big brother.’
I smiled and took her hand. ‘It would be my pleasure.’
***
The party was winding down, but a few of us hardy souls remained. I think Killian was reluctant to leave Aidan alone with Derwa, but I knew he’d have to at some point. Whatever happened between his brother and his new wife was between them now. No one else.
We found ourselves sitting in a beautiful room—white like all the others, naturally—with tall windows dressed in white drapes, looking out over a snowy garden.
Killian and Aidan looked slightly the worse for wear, but Aidan seemed cheerful enough. Trinity and Sirius were cuddled up together in an armchair, and I thought they’d never looked closer. Harley and Keely were sipping coffee, having decided they’d had more than enough champagne. Star and Benedict were reluctantly discussing the fact that they ought to go home, because it wasn’t fair to leave the children with Castor and Mrs Greenwood, even though both adults would probably be fast asleep in bed by now. Sky was humming a tune to herself while Jethro watched her, a sleepy expression on his face. I thought she ought to get him home soon before he fell asleep on the spot. Celeste and Hector were sitting on a sofa chatting quietly to each other. Everyone seemed relaxed and happy. Like they had nothing to worry about. Like everything was okay.
‘Can I talk to you about something?’ I asked tentatively.
They all looked at me in surprise.
‘You sound serious,’ Keely said dubiously. ‘Nothing’s happened, has it?’
I saw anxiety in their eyes and hurried to reassure them. ‘It’s okay, nothing’s happened. But,’ I added reluctantly, ‘that doesn’t mean nothing will.’
‘Meaning what?’ Trinity asked worriedly. ‘Wulfram you’re scaring me now.’
‘Don’t be scared,’ I said. ‘But I need to say this now, while we’re all here together. The thing is…’ I hesitated, reluctant to frighten them more than necessary but knowing I had to be honest with them, ‘the thing is, Havok might be gone, but Spite and Siofra are still out there somewhere.’
‘But now the fae know for sure you’re the Great Guardian, and you have the keys and the sword to prove it, they won’t listen to those two,’ Sirius said. ‘That was the whole point of finding them, wasn’t it?’
‘It was,’ I agreed. ‘Even so, we can’t take anything for granted. And the thing is, there are other threats out there. Creatures I didn’t even know existed until recently.’
