NOVEL NEXT III-Epilogue: Home Sweet Home
"Are you sure they'll welcome me?" Vral nervously toed the edge of the little bridge that marked Light's Hope Temple's northern boundary. "I'm not exactly welcome in many places, you know?"
"Of course they will." Tristan leaned down and kissed her. "You're family."
I took Vral's chin in my hand, pulled her face to mine, and kissed her next. "You go where we go."
Vral's ears reddened slightly. She pulled us both in for a second kiss each before sighing. "It was so much easier back on Earth."
"Yeah, well, it's going to be easier here in Reial, too. I'll make sure of it." Something new had been burning in my heart ever since we'd left Galden. I didn't know exactly what it was or where it would lead me yet, but I knew that I'd recognize what it was when I saw it.
"We're a team, you know?" Tristan took Vral's hand.
"Yeah..." Vral shuddered. "And everyone's seen it now, too."
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I felt my cheeks get hot.
It had taken Khadrel and Elise a few more days to clear the rubble after we'd gotten to the collapse. When we realized they weren't close to clearing the way, we went back and found a small spring down in the Bowels, cleaned ourselves up, and settled back into our little nest up in the mine. One thing led to another, and we got completely distracted with one another.
We had been so... focused... that we didn't hear the sounds of them working on the other side of the collapse.
So, after Kalnari exploded through the wall of rubble, all of our friends and associates found us in the middle of some very vigorous private time.
It was awkward.
"They sure have." Tristan grinned. "Won't be the last time, either. When we eventually do the handfasting ceremony back at the grove, we'll strip ourselves bare for all to see." Laughing, she added, "The mine was good practice."
"Fun." Inwardly, I cringed.
Beside me, Vral outwardly did the same.
"Tristan! Alex! Vral!" A woman's voice called from across the bridge and up the road a ways.
Looking up, I saw Ro and Na-Ya running toward us.
"Na-Ya!" Tristan broke into a sprint, her arms outstretched.
It took a minute for them to reach one another. As the cousins embraced, I took Vral's hand. "You ready?"
She nodded. "Yeah."
Together, we stepped across the bridge, toward our family and home.