Smiling, I walked up to him, and he opened his arms. “Don’t be a stranger, Puck,” I whispered in his ear, pulling him into a hug. “It’s not the same without you.”
“Oh, I know,” he replied cheerfully. “I don’t see how anyone survives without me, it must be terribly dull.” He pulled back and kissed my cheek. “I’ll be around, princess. If you ever need me, just send a note. Or a gremlin. Or whatever.” Stepping back, he raised a hand to Ash, who nodded solemnly. “Catch ya later, ice-boy. Maybe next time I see you, you’ll be changing diapers and reading bedtime stories.” He snickered and shook his head. “Ah, who would’ve thought you’d be the one tied down with a family, prince? How the mighty have fallen.”
I smacked his arm, but Ash only shook his head. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” he said calmly. “Maybe you should try it, Goodfellow.”
Puck laughed and backed away. “Me? Robin Goodfellow, a family man? Ha, not likely, ice-boy. I mean, think of what that would do to my reputation.” Glamour shimmered around him, and he gave us a wink. “Later, lovebirds. Gimme a heads-up when the kid arrives. ‘Uncle Puck’ will be waiting.”
With a cascade of glamour and black feathers, Puck transformed into a huge raven. Beating powerful wings, he rose above us with a mocking caw, swooped into the branches of the wyldwood and was lost from view.
I didn’t have to turn around to know Grimalkin had vanished, as well. The railing was empty, both Grim and Puck were gone, but I wasn’t sad. We would see them again, both of them. We had forever to catch up.
Ash held out a hand, and I stepped into him with a sigh, feeling his arms wrap around me. I closed my eyes, and he kissed the top of my head.
“Let’s go home,” he whispered.
EPILOGUE
I stood on the balcony of my room, letting the cool night breeze toss my hair, gazing down at Mag Tuiredh, far below. Beau sat beside me, tall German shepherd ears pricked to the wind, wary and alert. It was near midnight, and most of Mag Tuiredh was still. Peaceful. I wished I could find some of that tranquility.
Soft footsteps came onto the balcony, and a moment later Ash slipped his arms around me from behind. I reached back and buried a hand in his silky hair, and he nuzzled my neck, making me sigh. Beau gave me a sideways glance, huffed and padded back to the room, leaving us alone on the balcony.
“What are you thinking about?” my knight murmured against my skin.
“Oh, you know.” I tilted my head as his lips trailed down my shoulder. “Oracles and prophecies and futures and such. Ash, can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”I turned to face him, taking his hands, and he waited patiently as I struggled with the question, wondering if I should really bring this up. But he did say I could ask him, and I didn’t want us to hide anything from each other. “I…I know we haven’t talked much about your quest at the End of the World,” I began. “But…did you…see anything, when you lived that future life with me? Did you see anything about our son…destroying the courts?”
“Ah.” Ash leaned back against the railing, drawing me with him. “I was wondering when that would come up.”
“I’m sorry, Ash,” I said quickly. “If you don’t want to talk about it, I understand. I just thought…you’ve been so calm through all of this. I wondered…if you had seen anything…”
“No.” Ash tightened his grip, stopping me from leaving. He met my gaze and smiled. “I didn’t see anything of the oracle’s prophecy, Meghan. If I did, if anything like that had happened to us, even in that dream, I would have told you. I swear.”
“Oh.” I was relieved, though a tiny bit disappointed, as well. If Ash had seen that future, we might know what was coming, what to expect. We might be able to prevent it.
Ash ran his hands up my arms, his gaze thoughtful. “It’s strange,” he mused, looking past me at the distant lights of Mag Tuiredh. “I can barely remember anything of that life anymore. I remember you, and our son, and ruling Mag Tuiredh, but…it’s fading. I lose more of it every day.” He gave his head a tiny shake, looking back at me. “I think that’s how it’s supposed to be. That life, it wasn’t real. This…” He framed my cheek, his silver eyes intense as they met mine. “This is real. This is what’s important to me now. I’m not worried about the future, whatever it brings. I have all I need, right here.”
“I wish I had your confidence.” I sighed.
Ash pulled me closer, his eyes gentle as they gazed into mine. “Meghan, I’m going to tell you something someone once told me, when I was afraid of what was to come.” He lowered his head, soft strands of his hair brushing my skin. “Nothing is certain,” he murmured. “The future is constantly changing, and no one can predict what happens next. We have the power to change our destiny, because fate is not set in stone, and we are always free to make a choice.” His fingers came up to brush my hair back, tucking it behind one ear. “A very powerful seer told me that, once. And she was right. That’s why I’m not afraid of the oracle’s prophecy, or the future. We are only slaves to fate if we let it control us. There is always a choice.”
I sniffed. “I wish you had told me that earlier,” I mock grumbled at him. “It would’ve saved me a lot of freaking out.”
Ash chuckled, low and deep. “I didn’t know it would shake you so badly. The Meghan I know doesn’t let small things like oracles and Prophecies of Doom stand in her way.” I pinched his ribs, and he grunted a laugh. “I do know one thing,” he continued. “Whatever this child will be, whatever it grows into, it will be loved. No prophecy, oracle, warning or premonition will ever change that.”
He was right, and in that moment, I didn’t think it was possible to love him more than I did right then. Leaning into him, I closed my eyes, and he gathered me close. Tilting my chin up, he kissed me gently, and I wrapped my arms around his waist. No matter what happened, if he was beside me, if we stood beside each other, we could face whatever the world threw at us.
“Ash,” I whispered, my heart soaring with happiness, with relief and love, as I pulled back to face him. “Can you believe it? You’re going to be a father.”
His hand slipped down to my belly, palm gently pressing against my stomach, as his eyes shone with wonder and awe. He was going to be a father. We were going to be a family. “So,” I ventured, smiling at him through my tears. “I guess the only question left is, what are we going to name him?”
Ash raised his head, meeting my gaze, and smiled back.
“I’ve always liked the name Keirran.”