“Kindness,” Lorenz started, his voice thick, and she opened her eyes and looked to his face, seeing it now was harsh with emotion. “There is no greater gift,” he went on. “I know this, for when you showed it to me, it changed the course of my life. It changed the course of a continent. It changed the world.”

Nyx swallowed.

Lorenz cleared his throat.

“I did not die loving you,” Lorenz carried on, his voice now gruff. “I lived loving you. Now you live, knowing how deeply you were loved.”

The noise she made she could not control.

Thus, she was in the tight embrace of her husband.

“Is that all?” she asked his chest.

“It is enough,” he answered.

Her Lorenz was right.

It was.

King Cassius

Red Room, Sky Citadel, Sky Bay

AIREN

Cassius stared at his friend.

“Things are getting boring, are they not?” Silvanus asked.

“I’m becoming enamored with boring,” Cassius told him.

Silvanus threw back his head and boomed with laughter.

“You do this often?” Cassius asked curiously when he stopped.

Silvanus shrugged. “Every once in a while. It takes much magic. But, my man,” he leaned toward Cass, “every time, it is very worth it.”

“I can imagine, but even so…” Cassius let that trail, not repeating his declination of the invitation Silvanus had extended he and Ellie and the girls.

Silvanus sat back and grinned. “I see. The dark prince has become the king of the light. You wish to bask in that light. I would too, your sun queen is extraordinary. If I did not so much like the dark cleft that awaits me in my caravan, I would be most jealous of you.”

“I’m pleased Ellie isn’t here for this conversation,” Cass muttered.

Silvanus grinned unrepentantly.

“I take the highwaymen with me,” he shared. “They find thieving in the lands of kings they respect is not so much to their liking anymore. I have told them of that world, and they sense the challenge. So they will travel to new even greater adventures.”

“They will be missed, they’re good men. Their antics, not as much,” Cassius replied.

Silvanus grew intense and stated, “And I take Macrinus.”

Cassius stared.

“I have told him of the women there. Their boldness. Their audacity. You know. You have met Circe. Seoafin. Cora. Maddie,” Silvanus said quietly. “You also know he enjoys boldness and audacity.”

“Mac?” he asked.

“He wishes to go. He wishes to leave…” he hesitated before he finished, “his grief behind.”

“You can’t leave grief behind by chasing adventure…and skirt.”

“There are many there who do not often wear skirts,” Silvanus muttered.

“Silvanus, you can’t take my captain.”

“I’ll bring him back.”

“You can’t take him.”

“Cass, hear me. He wants to go.”

Cassius shut his mouth.

He opened it to say, “What will Hera do without him? They’ve barely…” He trailed off only to clip, “You can’t take her too. Ellie would lose her mind.”