Shadowed

Epilogue

Janet Isabella Kayrs knew better than to dance all night in three-inch heels, but she’d been having so much fun, she’d forgotten to change her shoes. As she slid into bed, she tried to flex away the pain. Cramps escalated up her calves. Good thing she’d had plenty of wine, or it’d hurt worse. Her head spun. Yeah. Plenty of wine.

She breathed deep, sliding into the misty world between dreams and reality. There was a time she’d controlled the world, and now she needed to learn how to reclaim the power. For tonight, she drifted away and wandered inside the now empty ballroom.

Zane entered from the ocean side, his footsteps echoing in the empty room, his gaze taking in the remnants of the party. “Who got married?”

She glanced down at her heels and slipped them off. This was her dream, and her feet deserved a break. “My uncle Jase married Brenna Dunne.”

“Ah.” Zane brushed flowers off the bar. “Did you have a date?”

She tilted her head. “Maybe.”

“Hmm.” He moved closer, his gaze on her shimmering blue dress. “You look beautiful.”

So did he. In faded jeans and a dark T-shirt, Zane was the most handsome man she’d ever seen. Deadly angles made up his face, which highlighted eyes a deep green. Deeper than any river she’d ever seen. “Thank you.”

He traced a knuckle down her face. “Your birthday is coming up soon. What do you want?”

Heat flared through her at the gentle touch. She sighed at the approach of her twenty-fifth year. As a child, she’d known that was the year fate would be met. “I want to win.”

Zane nodded. “Me, too.”

“Speaking of which, thank you for saving Garrett.”

“Not a problem.” Zane’s eyes darkened. “Now you owe me one.”

Was that a fact? She was damn tired of waiting for destiny, and twice as tired of waiting for Zane. So she stepped into him and tilted her head. “What exactly do you want?”

His nostrils flared. “Don’t play, Janie Belle.”

She kept still. “What in the world makes you think I’m playing?” Her frown narrowed her focus. “I’ve always known how this would end, and I’ve never considered it a game.”

“None of us knows how the war will end.” His lip twisted as his hand slid around her neck. “We know the players, but do you really know who wins? Are we together or on opposing sides?”

“Together.” Heat cascaded off him, even in the dreamworld. But no smell. She’d always wondered about his scent.

“Is that your heart or brain talking?” His lids dropped to half-mast. “What do you really know?”

“I know the good guys.” She kept her face set in honest lines. Was it possible to have fallen in love as a child? To have known her destiny since she was four years old? “Without a doubt, I’ve always known the Realm wins. So you might want to get on board.”

“Ah, Belle. You don’t know the final outcome, and there are no true good guys in this war.” His fingers tightened on her nape. “I’d like to think you’ve never lied to me.”

“I haven’t.”

“Then tell me the truth. Tell me about your vision. You owe me.”

Yeah, she did. “Why did you save Garrett?”

“Because he’s your brother, and I could.” Zane lowered his head closer to hers. That close, she could see tiny flecks of darker green in his irises. His lips covered hers.

Warmth flushed through her along with an intriguing edge of need. She’d never felt it with anybody else. Only Zane. Her knees weakened and her spine tingled. He swept inside her mouth, taking claim.

She’d always known he’d stake a claim. He lifted his head, and the desire swirling across his strong face gave her strength.

He licked his lips. “Now talk.”

The man was right—she did owe him. The need to trust him, to have him trust her, became stronger than the desire to be strategic. “The end to the war comes this year, when I’m a quarter of a century old. You, Kalin, and I end up in the same place at the same time. At least one of us doesn’t make it out.”

“At least one?” Zane asked.

She closed her eyes and exhaled. “My feeling is only one of us will be left standing.” Frankly, she’d never truly believed it would be her. “I’ve always hoped you lived, Zane.”

He made a noise low in his gut. “Don’t be sweet. Please, don’t be sweet.”

She couldn’t help the smile as she opened her eyes. “You didn’t think this would be easy, now, did you?”