I ran my finger along his jaw, still in the habit of memorizing the details—the pronounced cheekbones, the rough feel of the stubble—although now that he was mine again, I supposed I didn’t need to remember every detail. Yet, it was all too surreal.
“Did you really miss me?” I asked.
“More than you realize.”
His eyes shone with an intensity that I’d only seen a few times before. In that one look, it was as if I experienced all the pain he’d felt in the past year—the pain of losing me, the emptiness and heartache. Had his pain been worse than mine? It was a difficult emotion to comprehend, something I would never fully realize. How could anyone feel pain at losing me?
“You don’t believe me?” he asked.
“No, I do believe you. I just find it hard to understand. Why me, Kull? When you could have anyone else, why me?”
He didn’t answer immediately. We crested the hill with a warm breeze gusting around us, bringing with it the woodsy scent of his hair and skin. Far below us, the small stream flowed over worn stones. A few fairies and nobbinflies danced over the water, their glow reflecting in the glassy surface.
He looked out over the mountains, his voice distant. “I do not have an answer. I cannot fully comprehend love. It is an emotion that breathes life. It gives joy and happiness beyond description. You are life to me, Olive. You are wholeness and beauty. I do not know how to live my life without you.”
“Really?” I whispered.
“Yes.” He smiled. “Really.”
He held me tight against his chest, his chin resting on my forehead, his heart so close to mine that I felt it beating against my breast. Here was happiness. Here was joy. Here was an emotion I’d never fully experienced until now, because he loved me for who I was—flaws and all—because he’d seen me at my absolute lowest point and still he wanted me.
No.
He loved me.
After he carried me back to the cabin, he placed me in the bed, and then tucked a warm blanket around me. Even with Theht’s specter looming in the back of my mind, I wasn’t sure I’d ever felt so peaceful.
I once again believed in true love, because if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have the power to defeat Theht, and it was the only advantage I had over her.
THE END
Also by Tamara Grantham
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About the Author
Tamara Grantham was born and raised in Southeast Texas. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in English from Lamar University. After marrying her husband David, she followed him through his training to become a burn surgeon, which consisted of moving from Vidor, Texas to Galveston, Texas, then to Tulsa, Oklahoma, back to Galveston, and they finally settled in Wichita, Kansas. Tamara and David have five active, sweet, and almost always well-mannered children, ages zero to ten years. Their two pets, June—the Jack Russell Terrier, and Chester—a black cat, help to keep the house lively (in addition to the children.)
When Tamara isn’t writing or tending her children, she enjoys taking walks through the woods, eating chocolate, and very infrequently, she enjoys a good night’s sleep.
Tamara would love to hear from you!
www.tamaragrantham.com
Afterword
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Twisted Ever After
Book 1: The Witch’s Tower
Book 2: The Dragon Swan PrincessOlive Kennedy, Fairy World MD Series
Book 1: Dreamthief
Book 2: Spellweaver
Book 3: Bloodthorn
Book 4: Silverwitch
(Novella): Goblinwraith
Book #5 Deathbringer
Book #6: Grayghost
