Luca glanced over his shoulder, his wistful gaze spanning the farmstead once more. This was where he longed to be, I could see it plainly. The way he seemed to be memorizing every detail, soaking up his surroundings so he would never forget the source of the pure contentment I knew he’d experienced here. The peace and simplicity that a life here afforded was his calling, and in that moment, I vowed to do everything in my power to one day make it so.

With one last parting smile, my mate nodded his readiness to me. I rested a hand on the small of his back, and together we stepped through the portal.

Chapter Fifteen

LUCA

A familiar body crashed into me as arms flew around my shoulders, clutching me for dear life. “I can’t believe you almost died,” Alex sobbed, sniffling right into my ear.

“I did die,” I corrected him wryly, hugging him back just as tight. “But I got better.”

Suddenly, he shoved himself off me, gripping my biceps to hold me in place, his face twisted in fury. “As soon as we got your letter, I tried storming to the Fae realm to kill the fucker myself,” he said, and I didn’t doubt that he meant it. “But the Veil spat me back out.”

From the corner of my eye, I saw Teighan’s jaw pop at the recollection. He’d obviously had his work cut out for him with his mate the last few weeks. I sympathized. I knew how confrontational Alex could get about the people he cared for, but normally he’d threaten to hire a hitman when his opponent was beyond his capabilities. I guessed he’d felt confident enough—or had temporarily lost his sanity—to take on the Fae king himself.

All power to him.

Glad it hadn’t worked, but still. The thought counted.

“Well, I appreciate the sentiment,” I said, smiling at my best friend, suddenly feeling a little choked up. It was probably the leftover emotions from leaving my dad’s. Cair had consoled me in his office before we’d called Alex and Tee here. He’d snuggled me on his lap for over an hour while I’d wept, overwhelmed and gutted, but even with the sense of relief I’d gained from letting it all out, it was still fresh in my mind.

To think, if everything had gone differently, I wouldn’t have seen Alex again. Or anyone. Wouldn’t have stood in the club again, wouldn’t have felt my friend embrace me in his rough way or listened to his inappropriate topics of conversation—or had my eyes graced by another of his hideously bright sweaters. It was all hitting me at once, and I didn’t really know how to process.

Short of bawling my eyes out. But at that point, I didn’t think I had anything left in me.