Page 124 of Beauty

Shim gives me a broad smile. “You did good, brother.”

Bron does one better. She throws herself into my arms.“Thank you. Thank you, husband.”

I wrap her in my arms, my other half clinging to her back. Iam a man with half a soul, but she completes me.

Death is nothing to be afraid of. Not when I’m so loved.

Epilogue

Megan Finn, the Queenof the Seelie Fae

Once upon a time, in a land closer thanyou would think…

I love to watch my children play along theriver. I gave birth to three, each a gorgeous handful, and though I oftenbemoan the lack of drugs that were my birthright on the Earth plane, I wouldn’thave had them anywhere else.

Tír na nÓg is my heaven.

I wave from the balcony to my husbands, who are teaching ourchildren to fish. Our daughter, it turns out, is by far the best fisherman ofthe day. She hauls in her trout, beaming up at her fathers and sticking thatbratty tongue out at her brothers.

Soon we will travel to the Dark Palace for our annualcelebrations—a renewal of our close ties to the Unseelie. I look forward toseeing my sweet sister-in-law and their two boys. I hope Dante and Kaja willcome home from their travels long enough to join in the festivities.

I wave again and then turn to look over my kingdom.

I was born so far away, and yet I seldom think of that placeanymore. This is home. I fought for it and grew for it. I became a woman here.This is where I loved and lost and found myself anew.

I turn my face up, letting the sun shine down.

This is where I found those three elusive words.

Happily Ever After.