‘Wherever you go, I will go.’

[JewellRavenlock]

Twilight had cast its spell over the rooftop garden of the Mills at Little Elfhame and all the rooftops of RhyDin, blanketing them in a bruised dusk. Jewell leaned against the railing, watching the stars come out one by one, their reflection cast in the river below. The hum of life, laughter, and sweet music drifted up to her from the streets where the fae were celebrating the coming of May. The lively tune of the lute called to her and her bare foot tapped out a dancing beat on the cool flagstones, but she stayed where she was on the patio.

Alone.

If the Empress had learned anything over the last year of healing, it had been how to be alone. That didn’t mean she enjoyed it though. Alone with her own thoughts was still a dangerous and ugly place to be, but at least she had a glass of wine and the breeze was nice.

The last shades of pink and purple had faded from the sky when the door to the living room opened behind her.

“Way to make me wait, kid. I’ll have you know that I could have been out on a date but instead I’ve been here waiting…” Jewell trailed off as she turned around, her words catching in a soft gasp.

“Mira.”

He stood there in the doorway, the light from the living room turning him into a tall silhouette, but she could make out the Ta-Neer crest branded into the front of the fine, decorative leather armor he wore. She could see the shimmer of the scales along the edges of his face; his long, dark hair pulled back into a ponytail; the brilliant green of his right eye and the darkened, blighted color of his left one.

A knight. Her knight.

Ishmerai.

“What… what are you doing here?”

“He’s free!” It was only then that Jewell even noticed Sapphire standing at his side, hugging his arm, practically bouncing in place. “Lorelei could only keep him until the end of Mallory’s mortal life and--”

“Mallory?” she asked sharply, shrilly, panic restricting her heart. She recalled the terms of contract. She had been there when it was made. Had made it.

“I require his service for the span of her mortal life to replace the service I would have from her. So who will it be then? The girl or the knight? She seems willing enough--”

“The girl is not an option, so you may have the knight.”

If Ishmerai was here, if he was free, then Mallory was… Mallory was…

“Where’s Mallory?” she finally choked out, practically crushing the wine glass in her hand. Jewell needed something to hold on to. She needed something concrete as she felt the world start to spin.

Ishmerai seemed to recognize Sapphire’s mistake before she did and rushed forward to take Jewell’s arm and reassure her as he lead her to a seat on one of the lounge chairs. “Mallory is fine, Mira. She is fine.” Once he got her seated, he crouched before her. “She has given up her mortal life for an immortal one, thus ending the contract.”

“She’s fine?”

“She is.”

“And you…” the tears started as she struggled to make sense of the situation, “you’re here? You don’t have to leave again?”

“I am here, Mira.” With a wordless cry, Jewell threw herself forward against him. Ishmerai rocked back in surprise, almost falling, but managed to catch her and wrap his arms tightly around her, brushing his hand down her hair as she cried in earnest. “And I am not going anywhere.”

[JewellRavenlock]

They stayed up late into the night talking, catching up, reminiscing. She told him about Sapphire getting hurt and what Mallory did. And she told him about the places she had gone and the people she had seen before that. How she had sought a balm for her tortured soul in the silence of mountain retreats, in bustling cities, and on pristine sands, the ocean lapping at her feet, all over the galaxy. How she had sat at street cafes where she could watch humanity stream by her and sprawled in the sun in grassy parks, watching the sky and counting the clouds. How she had fought her demons and tried to do her best to be okay as she bravely faced the long road ahead of her without him.

He listened more than he spoke (nothing had really changed there) having only stories of faerie politics and parties to offer for the most part. Jewell listened though, tucked neatly at his side with her arms around him while he sat on her bed, propped up on a pile of pillows with his long legs stretched out before him. “But she was kind to you though, wasn’t she?”

The knight’s arm was around her and he stroked her blue hair with his blighted left hand. Earlier, he had hesitated to even remove his glove, but Jewell had done so for him before kissing the cold, marred skin. “She was. Lorelei is still kind, Mira, but she is not foolish. She has learned much since you put her on that throne. To leave the debt unpaid would have been possibly ruinous.”

“I suppose.” She responded in a tone that did not sound like agreement. “But she did not cure you.”

“She tried and she was able to halt the progress, but…”

She sighed, “I know.” There were some hurts that could not be cured, and there was a price to be paid for what Ishmerai had done for her in retrieving the Starlight Basin.

“Does it really bother you so much?”

Jewell tilted her head back before leaning closer to plant a kiss on his jaw, “You know it doesn’t.” She settled right back down against him and he resumed stroking her hair. “It did surprise me though, when I saw you at Mallory and Eri’s wedding.”

“Ah, did you see me that night? I was not so sure since you would not even look my way.” He teased.

“Of course I saw you.” Jewell rubbed her cheek against him. Unlike Sapphire though, she had refused to approach him or speak to him knowing it would only make it harder to give him up again. “Did you see me?”

“I did.” He paused before admitting quietly, “And you were the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.”

“Truly?”

“Truly.”

Dawn wasn’t far off when he finally noted the time and unwrapped his arm from around her reluctantly, twisting to swing his legs off the side of the bed. “I should go so you can get some rest, Mira.”

She caught his hand before he could stand. “Don’t.”

“Mira…”

“Won’t you stay with me, Merai? Please?”

He hesitated but there was nothing in the world he would deny her. “Of course, Mira.”

Ishmerai made himself more comfortable on the bed, watching her as she jumped up and flicked off the handful of magelights in the room before crawling back into bed next to him. He drew her in closer to his side and she lay her head on his chest.

“Sweet dreams my good knight.”

“Sleep well my little lady.”