The Forgotten (22 page)

“I know. That’s why my heart has fallen hard for you. I want someone that’s completely different. I want someone who won’t break my heart and I want someone like you, sprite blood and all.”

Slowly, she raised her hand to his cheek. She was a few inches shorter than Neri but still tall enough to be a good match for him.

“Well, I’m completely different, I just hope you’ll be as happy with me as you were with her.”

“I will be happier. You are the woman for me, Verity. Does this mean you will you be my wife?”

“Yes,” she said, tears gathering in her eyes, they deepened in colour as emotions raced through her.

He reached for the ring he’d bought just a few days ago. He’d enchanted the large ruby to protect the wearer from dark magic. As he opened the ring box, she gasped.

“A ruby from the mines here in Shardizar…but they cost a small fortune, Lucan…how, why?”

“Why not? You are marrying one of the richest noblemen in the Realm,” he said smiling.

Shock continued to line her elfin like features, as he slipped the ruby and white diamond ring onto the fourth finger of her left hand.

“This makes it real, doesn’t it?” she said in awe, as she eyed the sparkling gemstones. “Are you quite certain you want me?”

“More than anyone else I’ve ever wanted. You will be all mine. There is no dead husband that could come back and take you away from me, is there?”

She looked shyly up at him. “There has never been anyone who wanted me the way you want me, Lucan. I’m yours forever, or for as long as you want me.”

“There is no possible way I will ever not want you.” He bent to brush his lips against hers. A spark crackled between them.

Was it their magic connecting or something else?

He kissed her again and this time no shock, only a feeling as if he’d found pure happiness. She was different from Neri—she was his—and only his.

He finally had the woman of his dreams. The woman who had kept him company in his dreams during that dark one hundred and fifty years of the curse. He had his lady with the elfin ears, a heart-shaped face, and eyes a warm green that made his gut twist in a good way whenever he thought of the brilliant hue, and a rosebud mouth that just invited a good kissing—he had his darling Verity—and he was never ever going to let her go. 

He looked out of the corner of his eye and saw Algernon waving at him. His spirit had reanimated the portrait.

“That’s my boy. You’ve chosen the right lady this time!” he said, in his booming voice.

“Did you hear something?” Verity asked, pulling away from him slightly. Her rosebud shaped lips had that just been kissed look to them, for the lip rouge she wore had worn off and his lips were probably that colour now.

“Only the sound of my own heart skipping a beat,” he said jauntily.

Verity laughed and moved closer to him so she was cuddled against his chest. “I am so happy that I didn’t take a vow of chastity,” she said, sighing deliciously.

“Me and you, both,” he said, chuckling. “That really would have mucked things up for us! Why don’t we retire to my chambers? Either that, or we could return to the Ball and risk running into that dratted Ethelbert again.”

“I’d rather go with you to your Chambers, Lucan,” she said softly, the gentle tone of her voice made him smile again.

“They are our chambers now. Everything I have is yours, Verity.”

“Even your heart?” she asked, doubt in her voice.

“Even my heart,” he affirmed.

Hand in hand, they made their way through the Palace to the grandly ornate chambers he’d been given during his time in residence.

He knew now that things were always meant to turn out this way. He’d always been meant to find Verity—the angel of his dreams, and Neri had been the reason why he’d found Verity.

Lucan had no regrets.

His life would go on—and as long as Verity was with him, her divine light would keep the darkness at bay.

His heart was finally home. He was no longer part of the Forgotten, he was part of the Living and it was time for him to embrace life and live.

The End.